The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago’s Create a Jewish Legacy program that has helped 14 local Jewish organizations raise over $10 million for their endowments programs will expand to a new group of organizations in 2016-2017. The Create a Jewish Legacy initiative trains and supports communal organizations in the areas of planned giving and endowments.

Applications for the next round of Create a Jewish Legacy will be accepted through Friday, February 26.

Through the program, leaders and staff from a cross-section of Chicago area Jewish schools, synagogues, and organizations learn the ins and outs of soliciting, stewarding, and marketing endowment gifts.

Endowment gifts generate income to sustain Jewish life today while the principal remains intact to support Jewish life tomorrow.

During the first year of Create a Jewish Legacy , 2014-2015, 323 endowment gifts totaling $8.8 million were raised for 14 local Jewish institutions.

These included: Am Yisrael Conservative Congregation; The ARK; Chicago Jewish Day School; Chicago Sinai Congregation; CJE SeniorLife; Hebrew Theological College; Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School; Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center; Jewish Child & Family Services; North Shore Congregation Israel; North Suburban Synagogue Beth El; Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion; Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago; and Temple Jeremiah.

“We are delighted to help make this initiative possible, and couldn’t be more pleased to serve as a resource for all these Jewish institutions that serve our community with such commitment and passion,” said Dr. Steven B. Nasatir, President of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. “We look forward to bringing this program to more institutions that share our dedication to the Jewish future.”

Linda Ginsburg is the chair of the Create a Jewish Legacy Committee. Create a Jewish Legacy is made possible by grants from the Crown Family and an anonymous donor.

To learn more about the Create a Jewish Legacy program, contact Naomi Shapiro at (312) 357-4853 or [email protected].

Israelis on campus provide students access to rapport, anecdotes, and experiences that build strong connections to Israel in ways that news stories and websites cannot.

These Israelis empower students to build a deeper connection with the Jewish homeland. The Israel Fellows program is a collaboration of Hillel International and the Jewish Agency for Israel, placing outstanding young Israelis on key North American campuses to serve as peer ambassadors to the campus community. JUF’s Israel Education Center (IEC) funds four Israel Fellows in Illinois.

“IEC invested in doubling the number of Israel Fellows this year,” said Emily Briskman, executive director of JUF’s Israel Education Center, “because they are a key component to Hillel’s Israel strategy. When students get to know Israelis first hand they develop a deeper more meaningful connection to the land and people.”

The Israel Fellows are trained Hillel staff who engage students, develop and mentor student leaders, and have dramatically increased the quality and volume on Israel programming on Illinois campuses. The Israel Fellows are a key part of the Israel Education Center’s comprehensive strategy to engage, educate, and convene students around Israel and train them to lead.

Simcha Masala, a 26-year-old Israel Fellow at Northwestern University, is from Yavne. Her parents made aliyah (immigrated to Israel) from Ethiopia in Operation Moses in 1984. After serving in the IDF Education Corps, Masala joined a delegation of seven students sent to South Africa for Israel Apartheid Week and “made the case for Israel.” At Northwestern, Simcha has created a discussion series on minority Israeli holiday celebrations beginning with Sigd, an Ethiopian Jewish holiday that celebrates the time when God first revealed Himself to Moses.

“Having Simcha [here] has provided the Northwestern campus community a unique opportunity to engage with Israel in a genuine manner despite being thousands of miles away,” said Nathan Bennett, a Northwestern student. “Our Israel Fellow has also engaged herself in the campus climate while simultaneously offering the perspective of an outsider. Having her at Northwestern has made it easier for students to connect to Israel in a variety of ways that certainly would have been otherwise impossible… Simcha’s presence on campus [has helped] in navigating Israel-related issues that come up at Northwestern.”

Eyal Ben Zeev, the Israel Fellow at Metro Chicago Hillel, holds a BA in Middle Eastern History from Tel Aviv University. After graduation, Zeev taught Arabic and Middle Eastern History in several high schools. His comprehensive education background has served him well on campus, where he’s developed Key Words , a series of classes in which students learn about and discuss the nuances of “buzz” words used around Israel. His Key Words program is now being implemented across the country.

Mor Catran came to the University of Chicago after serving in the Israel Defense Forces as an analyst and then a commander in an intelligence unit. She served in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an analyst at the Center for Policy Research, as a guide for the Democracy and Civic division, and in the development department at the Movement for Quality Government. At the University of Chicago, she created Israel 101 , a basic introduction to Israel’s culture and people.

Asaf Weiss was born and raised in Jerusalem and is currently at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He graduated in 2014 from Hebrew University with a degree in International Relations, Journalism, and Communications. This year at U of I, Weiss partnered with the Dance department on campus to bring professional Israeli dancers to the school for a cultural event and discussion, and hosted a conversation about the LGBTQ community in Israel. Both programs offered the opportunity for Hillel students to work with peers beyond the Jewish community and build cross campus coalitions.

These outstanding individuals are the face of Israel on Illinois campuses. They elevate conversations around the Jewish homeland, and encourage open thought and civil discourse at a time when our campuses have been divided by Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns. The Israel Fellows supervise and mentor Israel interns on campus, create programs that reach across ideological bounders to build connections and coalitions around mutual interests, and empower students to learn more about Israel and its people.

Karen Martin is the director of the Lewis Summer Internship Program and Development Manager for the Hillels of Illinois.

Over Chanukah, hundreds of Jewish Chicagoans in need unwrapped presents of blankets, cookware, new shoes, towels, or gift cards, thanks to The ARK’s Chanukah Gift Wishes Program. For many, these are the only gifts they received this past season.

“The items our clients wished for-gift cards to grocery stores, gloves, toys for their children -reflect the truly difficult circumstances our clients are in,” said Marc Swatez, Ph.D., executive director of The ARK. “It means so much to our clients, their families, and to all of our staff and volunteers, that we were able to fulfill these small wishes. We are extremely grateful for the community’s support-it is truly the miracle that our clients need.”

The ARK’s Chanukah Gift Wishes program connects the “wishes” of its clients with donors who provide the gifts. This year, thanks to the generosity of donors and volunteers, 1,300 Chanukah gifts were given to clients. Among the hundreds of donors who participated in The ARK’s Chanukah Gift Wishes Program were families who wanted to give back together.

“This program allows us to engage our children in doing a mitzvah as a family,” said Sheri Greenbaum, a program volunteer who participated with her 4-year old-daughter, Jordyn. “It allows them [my children] to understand the importance of giving, not just receiving on Chanukah.”

“It makes them feel happy, and that makes me feel good,” said Jordyn.

The ARK provides food, medicine, medical care, dental care, eye care, and other vital necessities to nearly 4,000 Jewish Chicagoans of all backgrounds year-round. The ARK is a partner with the Jewish United Fund in Serving Our Community. For more information visit www.arkchicago.org

Looking for something different for your teen this spring break? How about using music and film to craft stories that make a difference in the world? Or participating in a mock crime scene investigation to discover the interplay between Judaism and scientific exploration?

Springboard, a series of new, five-day immersive Jewish experiences for 100 high school students, will provide teens with the opportunity to form friendships with their peers from across the Chicago area while engaging in unique spring break experiences. Springboard runs in two sessions on the weeks of March 20 and March 27.

“Spring Break provides a unique opportunity to engage Jewish teens in exciting and meaningful experiences,” said Sarina Gerson, director of JUF’s Teen Engagement Initiative. “We are thrilled to be launching Springboard-which is the first program of its kind in the country-with our outstanding community partners, OSRUI and Camp Chi.”

Both programs are five-day immersive Spring Break experiences designed to appeal to teens with diverse interests and backgrounds while connecting them to the broader Jewish community.

JCC Camp Chi’s StudioChi , will focus on the arts-using storytelling, drama, music, and film to effect social change. Stories will be crafted through multi-media platforms, involving everything from songwriting to filmmaking and then shared on social media. Participants will challenge themselves and connect with a diverse group of teens while making a statement on something they believe in. StudioChi will take place at JCC Camp Chi in Lake Delton, Wisc.

“Giving teens an opportunity to express themselves is always a high priority for us,” said Brad Finkel, associate director of JCC Camp Chi. “We were able to build upon some of our most popular activities during the summer and create this completely amazing concept.”

The other Springboard experience, the Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) Sci Lab , will explore science as far away as the stars and as close as right outside-as big as the galaxy and as small as DNA. Participants will discover that science and Judaism cannot only co-exist, but naturally complement each other. Sci Lab will take place at OSRUI’s camp in Oconomowoc, Wisc.

“This will be an amazing few days for teens to participate in scientific discovery in a Jewish environment,” said Jerry Kaye, director of OSRUI. “Enjoying five days of new ideas presented by real professionals along with other ninth-graders is a rare chance-not to be missed.”

In 2017, Springboard will expand from two innovative spring break opportunities to 10.

Springboard is the result of over a year of conversations with community partners-each with a unique perspective on the Chicagoland Jewish teen landscape- working together to increase the number of teens engaged in Jewish life and learning.

Program registration is available online at springboardchicago.org ; Email [email protected] for more information. The subsidized cost for participants who register by Feb. 15 is $250. Springboard is made possible by generous grants from JUF, The Jim Joseph Foundation, The Crown Family, and an anonymous family foundation.

On Dec. 14, Illinois State Sen. Michael Hastings and State Rep. Tom Demmer answered tough questions about the state budget crisis at JUF’s Government Affairs Committee meeting. Also participating on the panel were Karen Teitelbaum, president and CEO of Sinai Health System, and Mark Weiner, president and CEO of CJE SeniorLife.

Hastings and Demmer addressed a number of pressing issues including the importance of public and private partnerships, likely next steps in the budget impasse, and revenue options. Approaching a spending deficit of $7.4 billion, both legislators agreed that revived state income would be a necessary strategy in closing the budget gap. Hastings indicated that revenue is part of the solution, but cautioned that “the increase needs to be stable, certain, and sufficient.”

Demmer said that new revenue is needed, but also expressed the need for spending cuts in part through consolidating government units and programs.”It could be more cost efficient if state health and human services agencies functioned as one operating system,” he said.

Addressing the legislators, Teitelbaum and Weiner closed the discussion with an overview of their state partnership programs and how proposed cuts and guideline changes would impact services at their organizations. Teitelbaum also said that providers should “be at the table when discussions on program changes take place.”

After thanking the speakers, Government Affairs Committee Chair David Golder stressed the importance of educating our elected officials on the many pressing issues impacting our community, and encouraged members of the committee to participate in the spring missions to Springfield, Ill. and Washington, D.C.

Chicago’s inaugural cohort of the Research Training Internship (RTI) has issued a report and series of educational videos to launch discussion about the roles of adolescent Jewish women in our community, and to serve as a catalyst to help Jewish institutions enhance programming and support for these teens.

Presented by the 15 high school-aged RTI interns at a DePaul University community forum in December, “#JewishAndProud: A Study of Young Jewish Women in Chicago” challenges Jewish community leaders, Jewish communal professionals, parents and allies to engage in serious dialogue about how the dual experiences of privilege and oppression shape the lives of young Jewish women.

“#JewishAndProud: A Study of Young Jewish Women in Chicago” was compiled as part of the 15-month RTI internship, which teaches young Jewish women research methods to assist them in confronting issues of social justice within their communities. RTI interns surveyed local female Jews ages 12-20 concerning interpersonal relationships, anti-Semitism, gender roles and sexuality, and mental health and substance abuse.

Their findings provide a sobering snapshot of some of the issues facing young Jewish women today-particularly the large minority who indicated that they are or have been in an abusive relationship or situation. Thirty-six percent of the teens surveyed reported that they are or were in a physically, sexually or verbally abusive relationship or situation-and 80 percent said they knew other Jewish teens that are or were in a physically, sexually or verbally abusive relationship or situation.

“While we did expect some self-reporting about un-healthy relationships, we did not anticipate the[se] staggering numbers,” the interns said. “We were shocked to see such statistically significant reporting about abuse in our peers’ lives, and wonder what role Jewish communal institutions might be able to play in providing safe havens to address these issues.”

Another striking finding was the proportion of the Chicago Jewish teen population that experiences mental illness. Of the survey respondents who reflected on their personal experiences, 63 percent reported having anxiety or stress; 28 percent reported experiencing depression; and 19 percent reported disordered eating. An overwhelming majority reported knowing other Jewish teenage women who are affected by mental illness, specifically anxiety/stress (88 percent), depression (79 percent), substance abuse (47 percent), and disordered eating (60 percent).

“While stress and anxiety are considered normal parts of growing up and not necessarily uncommon for teenagers to experience, we feel these self-reported numbers should not be discounted in our community,” the interns said. “While the Jewish community in Chicago does provide mental health resources for teenagers, we wonder how those resources can be better advertised and made more accessible to larger numbers of teens. Mental health issues pose a significant risk to the lives of our participants, and our data should serve as a call to action for members of the Jewish community.”

Anti-Semitism also remains an issue impacting young Jewish women. A large minority of respondents (29 percent) expressed frustration with their school policies’ surrounding absences, sports and other extracurricular activities, which fail to accommodate their Jewish identity and religious observance. Some 35 percent of respondents indicated that they are “strongly concerned” about anti-Semitism on college campuses. An additional 23 percent are “strongly concerned” and say it plays a role in what college they choose to attend.

Based on their findings, the interns made three public awareness videos to launch community conversations surrounding these issues.

The group also issued recommendations for Jewish community leaders, agency representatives, parents, and allies to Jewish teenage women seeking to better address societal ills, expectations and inequities, including:

• Expanding communication between Jewish teens and the Jewish adults in their lives to address both the external and internal expectations they face;

• Promoting “#JewishAndProud” as part of a public awareness campaign to combat the use of the term “JAP,” particularly by Jewish teen women themselves;

• Increasing communication with school administrations to create a more accepting and respectful climate in public schools, including outreach to discuss ways to ensure teachers accommodate Jewish students during the High Holidays;

• Encouraging leaders of youth programming to facilitate discussions on issues of sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity, along with the familial and societal expectations surrounding these issues, with young people of all genders; and

• Allocating additional resources to ensure that Jewish students know about mental health resources in the community and are able to access them financially and geographically.

A copy of the full “#JewishAndProud” report is available here .

RTI is conducted in Chicago by the Jewish United Fund in conjunction with DePaul University and the Beck Research Initiative for Women, Gender, and Community, with support from the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago and the Ellie Fund of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. RTI originally began as a New York-based program through the Jewish social justice and feminist group Ma’yan.

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors voted Tuesday to close its decade-long investigation into Iran’s suspected program to design a nuclear weapon . The action means that some allegations about the weapons project may never be answered.

In a report produced earlier this month, the IAEA strongly suggested Iran engaged in coordinated activities aimed at developing a nuclear bomb up until 2003, though it found no credible sign of weapons-related work beyond 2009. Agency head Yukiya Amano told the board that his investigation couldn’t “reconstruct all the details of activities conducted by Iran in the past.”

Despite the finding that Iran was pursuing atomic bomb capability — even though it denies that accusation — the decision will allow implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, including the release of about $100 billion in frozen funds and an end to oil and financial sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.

The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, said in a statement that “Iran’s cooperation was certainly not sufficient to close the overall PMD file.” Secretary of State John Kerry said that the resolution allows the atomic energy agency “to turn its focus now to the full implementation and verification” of the new deal, “which prohibits the resumption of such nuclear weapons-related activities and provides comprehensive tools for deterring and detecting any renewed nuclear weapons work.”

In related news, a UN panel of experts published a report claiming that Iran violated a UN Security Council resolution by test-firing a ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, the third such violation by the Islamic Republic.

JUF leaders this week met separately with two senior law enforcement officials who have recently assumed important posts: Michael J. Anderson , special agent in charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, and, Ernest Brown , executive director of the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, who participated in JUF’s 2009 senior law enforcement mission to Israel .

The security of JUF’s dozens of facilities as well as Jewish schools, synagogues and other agencies is a communal priority, as is the safety of Jewish events held at other locations. Sustaining and strengthening ties with federal, state and local law enforcement leaders and their agencies is one of the ways JUF tries to fulfill that responsibility.

In the past decade, JUF has sponsored dozens of security seminars for community groups and facilitated physical security audits of Jewish sites. Moreover, through its Washington, D.C. and Springfield, Ill. offices and its Chicago-based grants writing department, JUF has helped secure millions of dollars in federal and state grants for capital equipment to make communal facilities safer.

JUF Executive Vice President Jay Tcath praised Anderson and Brown for their accessibility, openness and partnership, and their stated readiness to further expand the many, strong bonds of cooperation between their agencies and the Jewish community.

“At a time of global terrorism when Jews and Jewish sites are a top target, it is reassuring and important that times of transition within law enforcement bring ever closer collaboration,” Tcath said. “We are thankful for what law enforcement does in general and for our community in particular.”

Ida Crown Jewish Academy, a Modern Orthodox co-educational Jewish college-preparatory high school that has served Chicago’s Jewish community for nearly 75 years, dedicated its new, state-of-the-art facility in Skokie on Sunday, Dec. 13. Nearly 1,000 community members, students, alumni and Jewish communal leaders joined the momentous occasion.

The Village of Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen welcomed Ida Crown Jewish Academy to Skokie saying that despite the dreary weather, “Today is a beautiful day in Skokie.”

“Quality is the one word that describes Ida Crown,” Van Dusen said. “The quality of teachers, the quality of parents, the quality of administrators and the quality of your graduates.”

“This is a great day for the entire Chicago Jewish community,” said Dr. Steven Nasatir, president of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago. “For 73 years the Ida Crown Jewish Academy has been a key gateway institution… It is also wonderful to know that by dedicating this spectacular, beautiful building today, we are helping to ensure that our Chicago Jewish community will continue to remain strong, united and committed to Jewish learning and devoted to Israel.”

“What has been done here on behalf of you, on behalf of the teachers, the administrators and especially the students, really provides the best secular education and the best Jewish education,” said Lester Crown.

Also speaking were Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz; Flora Weiss, sister of Rabbi Morris Esformes; Steven Miretzky, an ICJA alum, class of ’80 and one of the co-presidents of the ATT; and ICJA senior class presidents, Shoham Benmelech and Ben Kaplan.

Referring to the dedication’s coincidence with Chanukah, Rabbi Leonard Matanky, dean of ICJA, said, “As much as we celebrate the Academy today, as much as we regale in this new magnificent structure and the dream of all that it will make possible, we need to celebrate each and every day. Because every day at the Academy, miracles happen as we touch the hearts and the minds of men and women, and as we offer opportunities for growth and achievement that were unimaginable a generation ago.”

The new Esformes Family Campus of Ida Crown Jewish Academy, at 8233 Central Park Ave., occupies the former site of the Rand McNally corporate headquarters. It opens for the first day of classes after winter break on Jan. 4, 2016.

In addition to more classrooms, the new building has the latest science and technology facilities; expanded cultural arts, library, sports and extracurricular activities spaces; student and faculty lounges; and a central worship space to accommodate all students.

The building also will house the headquarters of the Associated Talmud Torahs, the governing body for Orthodox Jewish schools in the Chicago area, and the Keshet high school, a program for students with developmental delays.

Lead gifts for the project were provided by the Crown and Goodman Family and Rabbi Morris Esformes, through the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago’s Centennial Campaign, which facilitated the project. The Centennial Campaign is intended to ensure a vibrant Jewish community for the next 100 years.

“This dream would not be a reality without the support and vision of the Crown and Goodman Family, Rabbi and Mrs. Morris Esformes, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, and the strong support of Ida Crown donors. Many thanks to all those involved in this tremendous effort,” said Matanky.

“We are excited that generations of Ida Crown students will have the opportunity to grow and thrive in this state-of-the art facility,” said David Strulowitz, who co-chaired the project’s capital campaign with Jacques Gliksberg.

‘Making miracles happen’

On the seventh night of Chanukah, 2,000 young Jewish Chicagoans turned out for the light — the light that shines on Chanukah and the light that comes with supporting, through the Jewish United Fund, the Chicago Jewish community.

And, of course, they also came for the laughs, delivered through the standup act of comedian Hannibal Buress.

View photos from the event on YLD’s Facebook page.

YLD’s Big Event Fundraiser — which featured the fundraiser and comedy show at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel followed by an after-party at the swanky new Loews Hotel Chicago — kicked off YLD’s 2016 Annual Campaign. The event is JUF’s premier fundraising event for young Jewish Chicagoans and marks the first YLD event for many guests in attendance.

Bryan Rosenberg, 2016 YLD Campaign Chair, said he has seen firsthand what incredible work JUF does. “From feeding the hungry, to caring for Holocaust survivors, to providing respite to victims of terror in Israel and around the world — JUF does it all,” he said. “Chanukah is a time for miracles and together, our collective gifts make miracles happen each and every year.”

YLD Board President Michael Oxman said the evening was both inspiring and fun. “I am proud of how YLD’s Big Event Fundraiser brought together the next generation of Jewish Chicagoans — singles and couples from many professions in their 20s to 40s — to expand, strengthen, and uplift our community, to create new connections-and to laugh too!” he said. “The after-party with live music was an amazing venue too. YLD just keeps finding new ways to innovate and enhance this event.”

‘Yes, my real name is Hannibal’

Next, it was on to the laughs. Chicago comedian Pat McGann, Buress’ opener and friend, warmed up the crowd.

Then Buress came to the stage. He had the audience in stitches throughout his stream-of-consciousness style musings. His appearance at Big Event was a return home for the Windy City native, originally from the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side.

He described himself as a “bandwagon fan” of the Chicago Cubs, only evolving into a fan once the team made the playoffs this past fall. Sports, he told the crowd, is the only business where the public is told to “wait until next year” for success. ‘No, I don’t want to wait,” said Buress. “…That’s the only business where you do that. You can’t do that if you have a mayonnaise company. ‘Okay, our mayonnaise is horrible right now, but give us a year or so and we’re going to get some [great] ingredients…I promise you. Just trust the process.”

Buress said he thinks it’s a curse that his parents gave him the unusual name of Hannibal, which also happens to be the name of one of the most frightening characters in movie history. “No one ever believes me,” he complains. “‘Is your real name Hannibal?’ ‘Yes, my real name is Hannibal.’ ‘Your parents named you Hannibal?’ ‘Yes, my parents named me Hannibal.’ ‘So Hannibal is on your birth certificate?’ ‘Yes, Hannibal is on my birth certificate. Why did you ask me the same question three different ways?’

Like the crowd he was performing to, Buress is a 30 something — 32 to be exact. And at 32, he told the audience, why does he still have to show his ID at bars? “I think you get that I’m not 20 if you just look at my face,” he said pointing to his visage. “You want my ID? How bout look into my eyes. Do I have the soul of a 20-year-old? ….Look at all this bitterness and [stuff]….how about you look at my body. Do I look like I have the metabolism of a 20-year-old?” he asks, pointing to his belly.

In addition to his frequent standup comedy, Buress recently had his own weekly comedy TV series on Comedy Central called Why? With Hannibal Buress , in which he posed life’s big questions from his own off-beat point of view.

Buress also acts on Comedy Central’s provocative sitcom Broad City , which follows the lives of two Jewish 20-something Manhattan-based women-created and played by Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, who performed earlier this month at Northwestern University, co-sponsored by NU’s Hillel and A&O Productions.

Buress has also written for NBC’s Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock , and makes his rounds on the late night TV talk circuit. He also appears in film, and joins Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in the film comedy Daddy’s Home , due out this month.

A special thank you to YLD’s Big Event Fundraiser Corporate Sponsors: Lead Sponsors — Eleven Lincoln Park and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. Platinum Sponsors — Associated Agencies, Inc. and Chubb Group of Insurance Companies; Cohen Financial; HFF; Melissa Siegal Group with @properties; Morgan Stanley: Cohn Weisskopf Oxman Group. Event Sponsors — Big Onion Tavern Group; SpotMyPhotos, a CloudSpotter Technologies company; Urban Innovations. AV Sponsor — AV Chicago. A special thank you to Don and Linda Brubaker, SkinnyPop Popcorn, Van Buren Gentlemen Salon, and Invesco for their support of this event. Another special thank you to the 151 Table Hosts whose support of this event made it an enormous success.

For photos from Saturday’s event, check out YLD’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ChicagoYLD . For more information, visit yldchicago.org .