Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center has unveiled its plan to build a groundbreaking three-gallery exhibition suite, the Take A Stand Center . Using cutting-edge technology, the Take A Stand Center will provide an immersive, engaging, and empowering visitor experience through its Survivor Stories Theater, interactive Upstander Gallery, and an action-oriented Take A Stand Lab.

Illinois Holocaust Museum will be the first in the world to use three-dimensional technology to tell Survivor stories. The Survivor Stories Theater will address the challenge of sharing first-hand Survivor narratives and lessons with future generations. This state-of-the-art technology developed through USC Shoah Foundation’s New Dimensions in Testimony project combines high-definition holographic recording and voice recognition technology to enable Survivors to tell their stories and respond to questions in a strikingly life-like way.

“I am proud that Illinois Holocaust Museum is leading the way in engaging visitors to take history to heart, and take a stand for humanity,” said Museum CEO Susan Abrams. “The Survivor Stories Theater will enable actual conversation with a recorded Survivor, thereby providing visitors for generations to come with a personal perspective on the history and lessons of the Holocaust, the importance of the choices we make, and the power of our choices to change lives and transform the future.”

The Upstander Gallery will take visitors on an interactive exploration and feature historical and contemporary Upstanders who have fought against injustice and stood up for worthy causes.

The action-oriented Take A Stand Lab puts the power of change in visitors’ hands, allowing them to get involved and make their voices heard, even before they leave the Museum.

The Take A Stand Center will break ground in the summer of 2017, and is the cornerstone of Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center’s $30 million Commit to the Future Capital Campaign that will secure the financial and programmatic future of the Museum. The private phase of the campaign raised $20 million with generous gifts from J.B and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, John W. and Jeanne M. Rowe Foundation, Dr. Richard Chaifetz, The Crown Family, and Abe & Ida Cooper Foundation. The remaining $10 million will be raised in the public phase of the Campaign.

“The urgency to keep their history alive is real as the aging Survivor population dwindles,” said J.B. Pritzker, immediate past Museum Board of Trustees Chair. “It is a moral imperative to protect their legacy and continue to tell their stories and teach the lessons that combat hatred, prejudice, and indifference.”

Visit www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/commit-to-the-future for more information on this capital campaign.

It’s not easy to give hope to the hopeless.

Yet, that’s exactly what Harold Dembo has done through his volunteerism. Since 2010, Dembo-a partner at the law firm of Much Shelist and chair of its Real Estate Group-has provided expert legal advice and representation to clients of the JUF Community Legal Services (JCLS) clinic who often have nowhere else to turn. (JCLS is a clinic affiliated with the Chicago Volunteer Legal Services.)

By the time Dembo meets with them, many clients feel helpless to overcome legal and financial problems that could leave them homeless or destitute. Dembo listens to them and gathers the facts of each case. He helps these men and women understand their rights, and offers alternatives.

“They may need bankruptcy counsel, have problems with creditors, or be facing eviction or foreclosure,” he said. “Some of them are living off the grid; they may be unemployed or never finished college.”

Since Dembo started working with JCLS, he’s helped expand the program by bringing in new attorneys. He even reached out to his own daughter, Stacey Dembo, an attorney specializing in Social Security Disability law, when JCLS was struggling to place a disability case.

“He’s one of those trailblazers who lead by example,” said Sima Blue, JUF Community Legal Services Coordinator. “He’s got this kernel of wonderfulness inside him. We’re lucky to have him.”

Some cases require follow up or court appearances and can drag on for months or years. One might wonder why someone as fortunate as Dembo keeps volunteering with the clinic year after year. For the son of a Holocaust survivor from Lithuania, the answer is simple: “It’s part of my conscience to help turn people’s lives around through this program and in other ways,” he said.

But the father of two grown kids has come a long way from his early days as a Lewis Summer Intern at JUF back in the 1970s. Since then, he has volunteered with JUF’s TOV Network and served on several planning committees. Currently, he serves on the JUF/JFMC Facilities Corporation. Of all these experiences, the opportunity to lead a JUF Mission to Israel with his wife Lisa, remains a high point.

While the focus of Dembo’s life has been on giving back to the Jewish community in Chicago, it’s his moment to shine. In June, his daughter Stacey will present him with a Distinguished Service Award at JUF through the TOV Volunteer Network. He was honored on April 20 at Law & Disorder, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services’ annual recognition ceremony.

JCLS and the JUF Lawyer’s Division are recruiting attorneys of all practice areas to volunteer for JCLS. Attorneys interested in volunteering can call 847-568-1525 or email [email protected] for more information.

Jennifer Brody is a former associate editor at JUF News and a freelance writer living in Chicago.

Carin Rockind used to dream of being a cheerleader. Growing up in Detroit, she’d travel with her family to University of Michigan football games, where she found the cheerleaders’ energy inspiring.

All these years later, a cheerleader is just what Rockind has become. Not so much the pompoms kind–after all she says she was never so adept at cartwheels–but, rather, a professional cheerleader for people, specifically women, to help them discover their own sense of happiness and unique purpose.

For Rockind personally, it has proved a long and sometimes painful road, but she says today she’s living out her joy and purpose–at last.

Rockind, who is Jewish and currently resides in Philadelphia, will speak at the JUF Young Women’s City Council 2016 Spring Outreach Event on Thursday, May 19, at the Center on Halsted in Chicago.

Soon after Rockind graduated college, she “had it all”-a rising corporate marketing career, a tall, dark, and handsome lawyer, a manicured home, and even a golden retriever. She was living the life she’d dreamed of as a little girl-all by the time she was 24.

Yet she was miserable. Her soul longed for more energy, passion, and freedom. So she divorced her husband and sought out the higher joy and purpose she knew she was meant for.

Around that time, she stumbled upon an opportunity to advise the same BBYO group that she’d been active in as a teenager. Rockind loved helping the girls in the chapter empower themselves and conquer their insecurities, but she couldn’t figure out a way to parlay her passions and gifts as an advisor into a career. Frustrated, she fell into a depression.

Her journey reached a frightening turning point when she was robbed at gunpoint outside her apartment. She pledged to God that if she made it out alive, she’d find a way to live out her life’s purpose of helping others live their joy.

Rockind survived the drama, and transformed her horror story into something productive and beautiful. Today, she spends her days helping women find what “lights them up,” coaching them in how to reclaim their happiness. Happily remarried, she has discovered a career as a happiness expert, a media personality, and the creator of PurposeGirl, a movement to empower purpose-driven living.

Happiness, says Rockind, isn’t about short-lived moments of pleasure. Rather, true happiness goes deeper. It’s an ongoing internal feeling that you know you’re alive, secure, loved, in good relationships, know what’s meaningful in your life, and you’re comfortable in your skin. And, it’s an ability to cope with the struggles that come your way, to be resilient in the face of challenge.

Joy, she says, stems from discovering your life’s purpose. “Purpose in life is this simple: It is ‘to shine your unique light.’ Think about a light bulb. You’re inherently radiating and therefore are lighting up others in the world in some way,” Rockind said. “No one else has your exact strengths or strength of character. No one has your same set of talents, passions…and sum of experiences.”

Positive Psychology–the study of how human beings prosper in the face of adversity–has exploded over the last couple of decades. The field, led by psychologists Martin E.P. Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, focuses on personal growth and wellness rather than pathology. Back in 1998, when the new psychology field was born, many Americans were prospering financially, and yet depression was growing to epidemic levels. It seems traditional western wisdom that money and success would lead to happiness, according to Rockind, was wrong.

After all, external motivations for happiness are usually fleeting, she said. “Whenever I place my happiness in anything external, other people’s approval, how many Facebook likes I have, doubling my income-inevitably I will become stressed, anxious, and probably depressed,” Rockind said. “It’s a numbing and [doesn’t allow] people to really examine their deep, internal stuff.”

Positive psychologists agree that there are six core elements of psychological well-being and happiness: Having more positive emotions than negative emotions on a regular basis; engagement in one’s own life; healthy, nourishing relationships; living a purpose-filled life; experiencing a sense of achievement and pride in who one is and what they’ve accomplished; and physical and mental vitality.

While some of our sense of happiness is something we are born with, a lot of it–more than 40 percent, according to Rockind–is within our control. Rockind says that even if the circumstances you were born into weren’t ideal, you can still change the wiring in our brain–through a process called neuroplasticity. Just as physical exercise isn’t something you can just do occasionally to see results, the ability to change one’s brain takes regular practice too.

So you’re ready to live your joy, but where do you begin? Rockind says the best place to start is by looking within and asking a few targeted questions: When do you most love being you? When are the times you feel happiest, or most at peace? What are your strengths and passions? What lights you up?

And next, shift your mindset: Even if life is serving you lemons at the moment, how can you shift your perspective to see the gifts–even through the bad times.

As a collective, the Jewish people–who value many of the contributing factors to happiness like connection and loving relationships–are not too shabby at seeking out the joy in life, even in the face of adversity. With a long and persecuted history, our people have always managed to rebound and maintain a healthy sense of perspective. Rockind’s late grandparents were living proof of that resiliency. “I’m the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and I’ve always worn that as a badge of honor and understood that we can survive anything,” Rockind said. “My grandparents were the happiest, most loving, and generous people. They could have been bitter at the world, but they never were. I think that’s inherent in our blood.”

The JUF Young Women’s City Council 2016 Spring Outreach Event, on May 19, will be co-chaired by Lauren Bernstein and Molly Stock. For more information or to register, contact Jordyn Harris at (312) 357-4879 or e-mail [email protected] .

History only retains its meaning when it records the lives of people from all walks of life, so that those who tell the tale and those to whom it is told recognize it as their own story.

This is the driving philosophy behind the latest book of acclaimed author and former president of the Chicago Jewish Historical Society, Walter Roth The book, titled Everyday Heroic Lives: Portraits from Chicago’s Jewish Past, gives new life to Jewish voices of Chicago’s vibrant history. Proving that Chicago Jewish history extends far beyond delicatessens and tailor shops, the book reveals the impressive degree of Jewish involvement in the businesses, movements, and events that shaped both the city of Chicago and the nation at large during the late 19 ^th through 20 ^th centuries.

In Everyday Heroic Lives , Roth details the personal lives and accomplishments of some of Jewish Chicagoland’s distinctive local personalities, celebrating everyone from “the leaders who made a difference” to “the ne’er-do-wells who left an imprint.” In this way, Roth-also author of An Accidental Anarchist and Looking Backward: True Stories from Chicago’s Jewish Past -compiles for the Jews of Chicago, “a history that is as diverse as we are.”

The Chicago Fire of 1871, Roth explains, was a crucible for change in the Chicago Jewish world. After losing the synagogues that formed the core of their community, the Chicago Jewish population moved west of the Chicago River-to what is now called South Shore-to rebuild. At the time of the Chicago Jewish migration, South Shore already boasted a strong African-American community and was rapidly becoming a major destination for Irish, German, and other European immigrants, including countless Jews escaping war and pogroms.

In this new and diverse environment, American-born and immigrant Jews alike quickly became leaders in local industries and movements. From this developing Jewish community came renowned Stockyard tycoons like Nelson Morris, early union organizers like Ralph Helstein, and idolized athletes like Ike “Kid” Bernstein, all of whom Roth introduces in his book. Also featured are influential individuals such as Rosika Shwimmer a prominent Suffragist, Moses “Moe” Annenberg, a Jewish cultural contributor to the 1933 World’s Fair, and David Cantor, a Civil Rights activist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

While the achievements of these individuals are extraordinary, what makes their stories especially remarkable is the humanity afforded them through Roth’s expert storytelling. Instead of purely focusing on a person’s accomplishments, Roth takes special care to also celebrate the details that characterize them as individuals. It is Roth’s inclusion of seemingly ordinary details-synagogue attendance, family dynamics, and academic careers-that make his biographical portrayals truly rich and make the reader feel as though they are part of a greater Jewish family.

Furthering this theme of interconnectedness, Roth concludes Everyday with a glimpse into his own family history via an interview between himself and his stepmother, Toni. They reminisce about life in Germany and reflect on the difficulties faced by families seeking refuge in the United States, discussing the hardships of starting from nothing in a new country, the pain of leaving behind the familiar-a reality to which so many Jewish families can relate.

“[My] parents were not well-known or influential in the Chicago Jewish community of their time,” writes Roth. However, “they led heroic lives and their story is important to tell and remember.” As is evident in each chapter of his book, “from the story of one family [or individual] one can learn so much,” and Roth’s Everyday Heroic Lives has much to teach.

The book Everyday Heroic Lives: Portraits from Chicago’s Jewish Past is available through Amazon for $15.

Jenna Cohen is a freelance writer currently living in Israel.

Photo courtesy Gov. Rauner.

Gov. Bruce Rauner and First Lady Diana Rauner hosted their second annual model Passover Seder at the State Mansion in Springfield on Tuesday. The abbreviated service was led by Rabbi Avraham Kagan of Lubavitch Chabad in Illinois and featured substantial group participation, including funny and poignant reminiscences of past Seders.

( View photos and watch news coverage of the Seder.)

Dozens of Jewish community leaders throughout the state were in attendance, including rabbis and Jewish Federation officials. Current JUF Board members Morrie Silverman and Lori Komisar, and Keith and Marci Shapiro, as well as past JUF Board members Diane and Andy Lappin and Kelly and Jeff Brincat, served on the host committee; other JUF leaders in attendance were JUF Board members Sara Crown Star, David Golder, Andy Hochberg and Sandy Perl, as well JUF’s State Government Affairs Chairman Steve Greenbaum and State Government Affairs Director Suzanne Strassberger. Also in attendance were Consul General from Israel to the Midwest Roey Gilad and his wife, Nitza, State Sen. Julie Morrison and State Rep. Scott Drury.

Senior, Jewish members of the governor’s staff also participated: Chief Operating Officer (and former Governor of Hawaii) Linda Lingle and Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs and Strategic Initiatives (and Ida Crown Jewish Academy alumnus) Richard Goldberg.

JUF Executive Vice President Jay Tcath, said, “it’s an important, short reprieve from the urgent business of state government to share, with the governor and Diana, something as enjoyable and meaningful as a model Seder. Their re-instituting this tradition, following a seven-year hiatus, provides an opportunity, in an informal setting, to re-connect with ‘old’ acquaintances and make new friends.

“Of course, having made the schlep to Springfield, several JUF leaders and I took advantage of being in the state capital to have ‘real business’ discussions with legislative and executive branch leaders on issues ranging from the impact on human services of the budget impasse, delayed payments and flat rate reimbursements, as well as the implementation of the state’s historic anti-BDS legislation.”

A new round of grants from the Jewish United Fund’s Community Foundation for Jewish Education will provide $350,000 to grow and improve educational programs at more than two dozen congregational schools and early childhood centers throughout the Chicago area.

The total includes new support from the Harvey L. Miller Supporting Foundation, which will allow CFJE and its partner, JUF Right Start, to offer additional funds to help Jewish early childhood schools attract more families to Jewish early childhood education.

Other grants, available to congregational schools and Jewish enrichment programs, as well as early childhood centers, will promote existing best practices and planning efforts.

“This year’s grants reflect CFJE’s strategic commitment to funding growth opportunities for congregational education in the Chicago Jewish community through investment in what applicants see as their best practices,” said Debbie Berman, board chair of CJFE. “They also reflect our investment in planning for the future, which includes several grants to enable schools to work cooperatively with other schools in their area.

“Moreover,” Berman said, “thanks to our partnership with JUF Right Start and the Harvey L. Miller Supporting Foundation, we are making significant progress in bolstering the quality of Jewish early childhood education programs throughout the Chicago area.”

CFJE Executive Director Rabbi Scott Aaron said that “our efforts to ensure more factual knowledge about local congregational and early childhood education were very useful in both our understanding of the needs of the applicants and in helping them think through ideas for the most effective uses of requested funds.”

The new Barrier Buster Grants, allocated in partnership with JUF Right Start and the Miller Foundation, will go to BJE B’nai Tikvah, to expand morning offerings to accommodate family needs; Ginsberg Solomon Schechter Early Childhood Center to deepen its Project Approach curriculum; Glasser Preschool/Oak Park Temple to study the possibility of expanding to full day; Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School for reimagined space for families with young children; JCC Chicago for its Interfaith Family Outreach Initiative; Moadon Gan Gani for targeted marketing materials; Beth Emet for a feasibility study of Jewish home daycare for infants/toddlers in Evanston; and Chicago Jewish Day School for recruitment videos.

Early Childhood Education Grants have been awarded to Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation for its Reggio Emilia approach; BJE ECC/Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah to expand professional growth opportunities; JCC Z Frank Apachi Day Camp for expansion of its Loose Parts curriculum; Moriah ECC for a documentation project on building Jewish identity in Jewish EC schools; Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov for its non-fiction early childhood library; and Jewish Council for Youth Services for its Child & Family Development Specialist Initiative.

Jewish Enrichment Grants will be used by the Jewish Enrichment Center of Hyde Park for its Education Documentation Initiative, and by Bayit Evanston to develop its licensing strategy.

Congregational Education Grants will go to Temple Beth-El’s Mishpachot program; BJBE’s Ma’avar : Web-Based Jewish Learning Enrichment effort; Temple Beth Israel’s Hebrew Pedagogy Improvement program; Temple Jeremiah’s Bridging the Gap: Bringing Israel Closer to Home program; the Board of Jewish Education’s Kickstart Chicago; Congregation Knesseth Israel for Israel Education Fox Valley Style; West Suburban Temple Har Zion’s Hebrew enrichment program; Oak Park Temple’s madrichim training; North Shore Congregation Israel, for Innovation Activities: 4 curricular enhancements; Anshe Emet Synagogue and Temple Sholom, for a Joint Professional Development Project; Beth Shalom-Northbrook’s Hebrew Through Movement program; and Or Shalom’s Hebrew Through Movement Northwest project.

For more information about CFJE and its Jewish Education grants, contact Rabbi Scott Aaron, Ph.D., at (312) 673-3267 or[email protected].

(JTA/JUF News) – A United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization resolution, adopted April 15 in Paris, does not recognize a Jewish connection to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount and calls Israel an “occupying power.”

Six months after the organization decided not to classify the Western Wall as a solely Muslim site, the measure refers to the Western Wall as Al-Buraq Plaza and to the Temple Mount as the Al-Aksa Mosque/Al-Haram Al Sharif.

It also criticizes Israel for its decision to build an egalitarian prayer area in the Western Wall Plaza and for “illegal measures against the freedom of worship” at the “Muslim holy site of worship.”

The resolution refers to the cities of Hebron and Bethlehem as solely Muslim, and raps Israeli control over the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb, both in Hebron.

In a statement, David T. Brown, chair of JUF’s Jewish Community Relations Council, and JUF Assistant Vice President Steven Dishler said that the passage of the resolution, which ” … rewrites history and denies the Jewish People’s ancient connection to its most holy sites is an affront not just to Jews everywhere, but to all who cling to any semblance of historical reality.”

Read the full JCRC statement here .

France, Spain, Sweden, Russia and Slovenia were some of the UNESCO state members that supported the resolution; only six states voted against it — Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Illinois’ annual statewide Yom HaShoah Memorial Service, sponsored by Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Jewish Federations of Illinois, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 5, at the Old State Capitol Building, 5th & Adams Street in Springfield.

This event is held at the conclusion of the Federation Government Affairs Committee’s State Advocacy Trip.

Speakers at this year’s service will include, for the first time, a Holocaust survivor from the former Soviet Union, Matus Stolov, who is part of the Chicago area’s CJE SeniorLife community; Gov. Rauner; State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, a member of the Jewish Legislative Caucus; Michael Bauer, co-chair of the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission; Prof. Michael Gizzi, moderator-elect of the Presbytery of the Great Rivers; and Rabbis Barry Marks of Springfield and Jody Cook of Champaign.

For more information, contact Mara Ruff, associate director of state and local government, at [email protected] , or the Government Affairs Department at (312) 357-4770.

The Chicago area’s 71st annual collective Holocaust memorial observance will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 8, at Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue, 8825 East Prairie Road, in Skokie.

The event, traditionally the largest gathering of Holocaust survivors in the Midwest and one of the largest in the United States, has been organized each year since 1945 by Sheérit HaPleitah of Metropolitan Chicago, the umbrella organization for Chicago-area Holocaust survivor groups. The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago co-sponsors.

“71 years after the liberation of the concentration camps, we face a world of hatred and injustice against the Jewish people,” said Charles Lipshitz, president of Sheérit HaPleitah. “Europe, especially, claims it also suffered under Nazism in World War II, yet there still are nearly daily attacks there against Jews and Jewish institutions.

“This annual memorial honors the memory of our 6 million martyrs, including 1½ million innocent children who perished only because they were Jews,” Lipshitz said. “We cannot let the world forget that a modern society, Nazi Germany, was capable of committing such atrocities. Many reactionary forces are hard at work to change history and deny that the Holocaust ever happened. We must be vigilant not to allow this to occur.”

“The number of Holocaust survivors is dwindling to a precious few as we approach the 71 ^st anniversary of the end of World War II,” said Larry Schwartz, president of the Association of Descendants of the Shoah – Illinois, Inc. “We, as children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, are taking an active role in reminding the world that the crimes of Nazi Germany can happen again if we do not maintain vigilance. The legacy of the Holocaust survivors will be sustained and enhanced through our education and outreach efforts, for we shall never forget the sacrifices of the Six Million Jews who did not live to see the Nazi war machine defeated.”

I. M. Hubscher, representing the Sheérit HaPleitah Memorial Committee, said “We will not remain silent in the face of the Iranian, Arab, ISIS or any other wish to destroy Israel. This circle of violence must stop, and we, as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of survivors will continue to lead the effort to eradicate hate, death and destruction.”

A high point of the annual memorial service is the candle-lighting ceremony honoring the Six Million Jewish victims who perished. The ceremony will be conducted by Sherry Rubinstein Warso of Dor L’Dor, the Young Leadership Division of Sheérit HaPleitah, with participation by children and grandchildren of local survivors.

Speakers at this year’s service will include the Honorable Roey Gilad, Consul General of Israel, Mayor George Van Dusen of Skokie, and Bill Silverstein of the Jewish United Fund. Officials of the Jewish War Veterans – Skokie Post 328, along with Jewish Boy Scout Troops #69 and #243, will present colors.

As part of the ceremony, winners of the third annual Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) essay contest will be announced by David Levine, chairman of the event. A grandchild of survivors will pay tribute to the tremendous contributions Holocaust survivors have made to the Chicago community in passing their legacy of courage to future generations.

Proclamations by Gov. Bruce Rauner, Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago and Mayor Van Dusen will be published in a memorial journal.

The Village of Skokie has long supported Sheérit HaPleitah’s efforts to sustain the memory of the Holocaust. When, in 1978, the American Nazi Party chose Skokie for its infamous demonstration, Sheérit HaPleitah helped lead the opposition, with the assistance of then-Mayor Albert J. Smith and the village trustees. The struggle was portrayed in a made-for-television movie starring Danny Kaye.

Sheérit HaPleitah later led the movement to construct a monument in memory of the Holocaust victims on the Skokie Village Green, on land donated by the village and with funds collected from area individuals and synagogues and the Jewish United Fund.

The sculpture by Edward Chesney, depicting three generations, torn prayer books, a menorah, and other items symbolizing the destruction of European Jewry, was unveiled on May 31, 1987. That night, the memorial received worldwide attention after it was desecrated with spray paint, including the epithet “Jew liars” and other messages of hate.

“This insidious act made the message on the dedication plaque even more meaningful,” said Lipshitz. It reads, “This monument will remain in perpetuity as a reminder of what hate can do to mankind if decent people are not vigilant to forestall such a calamity in the future.”

A documentary by Todd Whitman about the days leading up to the proposed demonstration aired on PBS in January 2013. The film featured many Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, as well as activists from the next generation who stood ready to protect the survivor community.

Sheérit HaPleitah includes the following groups: Association of Descendents of the Shoah – Illinois, Inc.; Hofesh Chapter – Na’amat USA; the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center; Jewish Lithuanian Club of Chicago; Laor Organization; Midwest Chestochover Society; New Citizens Club; Workman’s Circle; The United Chicago Jews of Hungarian Descent, Inc.; Association of Child Survivors; Dr. Janusz Korczak B’nai Brith Lodge; and Dor L’Dor, a group of children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors who will play an important role of carrying on their legacy.

Volunteers serve food at JUF’s Uptown Cafe on Sunday, April 10 as part of Good Deeds Day in Chicago. (Photo by Robert F. Kusel)

More than 1,000 volunteers came out across the Chicago area on Sunday, April 10th to participate in Good Deeds Day, a large-scale, community-wide event presented by JUF’s TOV Volunteer Network in partnership with the Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago, BBYO’s Great Midwest Region, and local Hillels. Volunteers of all ages came out for more than 42 projects spanning 34 sites across Chicago – contributing what amounts to a total of several thousand service hours.

“The day was incredibly exciting,” said Marisa Mandrea, TOV volunteer and Good Deeds Day event chair. “It was a tremendous opportunity for people all over Chicagoland to take part in a mitzvah activity. It’s particularly special to see little children participating, doing their part for the community.”

Activities ran the gamut from sorting food at local pantries, to hosting Bingo with senior citizens, cooking and serving meals for the homeless, designing a mosaic at a Chicago public school, playing games with children with special needs, and everything in between, with opportunities for every interest and skill level.

Volunteers were also invited to an open house at the Bernard Weinger JCC in Northbrook, where good deed-doers made sack lunches for those in need, assembled pediatric hospital care packages, decorated cards for cancer fighters, and made sleeping mats for the homeless. The open house also included a blood drive, and a meet-up for adoptive families through Project Esther.

Born in Israel, Good Deeds Day is now a global movement that unites more than 70 countries in the spirit of community service.

“We were thrilled to once again join forces with the global Good Deeds Day movement,” said Marissa Comin, TOV’s Assistant Director. “As one of the largest volunteer networks in the community, it was a natural fit for us! We couldn’t be prouder of all of our wonderful staff, volunteers, and partners – and of course all of the amazing agencies we worked with to put this special day together.”

TOV serves as JUF’s connection point for people who want to give back through hands-on volunteering. In accordance with tikkun olam, the Jewish concept of repairing the world, TOV connects members of the Jewish community with rewarding volunteer opportunities that best meet their interests and needs.

Chicago’s Good Deeds Day is made possible in part by JUF’s Breakthrough Fund, which supports innovative and leading-edge local programs.

TOV would like to thank its many partners in making Good Deeds Day possible: A Just Harvest, The ARK, Bernhard Moss Elementary School, Blessings in a Backpack, Brentwood North, Chai Lifeline, Chicago Chesed Fund, CJE Senior Life Gidwitz Place for Assisted Living, Cornerstone Community Outreach, Cradles to Crayons, Cranes for Courage, EZRA, The Firehouse Community Arts Center, House of Good Shepherd, Imerman Angels, Inspiration Cafe, Jewish Child & Family Services, KEEN, LifeSource, Lone Soldier Connect, Maot Chitim, Mt Sinai Hospital, New Life for Old Bags, Northfield Township Food Pantry, Pushing the Envelope Farm, Respond Now, Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s, South Suburban Family Shelter, South Suburban PADS, Twist Out Cancer, Uptown Cafe, JCC Chicago, Big Tent Judaism, NFTY and USY (through Jewish Teen Alliance of Chicago); member synagogues of the Northwest Suburban Collaborative: Temple Beth El, Congregation Beth Judea, Congregation Beth Am, Congregation Or Shalom, Shir Hadash Synagogue, Temple Chai; Hillel Project members The Dreamcatcher Foundation, Red Bison Restoration Project, Youth Outreach Services and Sarah’s Circle.

Special thanks to the Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan Chicago, Congregation B’nai Tikvah, Temple Jeremiah, and North Shore Congregation Israel for help with recruitment.

For more information on TOV opportunities throughout the year, visit juf.org/tov.