We have quite a few fun events planned at Temple Judah this month! We kick off the month with our Tu B’Shevat seder on Friday, February 2nd. Then, in addition to our regularly scheduled Religious School and Hebrew classes, we have a family service led by the Kitah Hay class on Friday, February 16th. Finally, we end the month with our festive Purim Service and Megillah reading on Wednesday, February 28th. There are plenty of opportunities to join us in the fun this month!
If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of our building’s unique design, I recently learned a little about the architect, Walter H. Sobel. He grew up in a suburb of Chicago and earned both an engineering degree and an architecture degree from universities in Illinois. He joined the Navy during World War II, serving on the U.S.S. New Mexico. He managed to survive a kamikaze attack in which his captain unfortunately did not. After the war, he built his career, designing synagogues, courthouses, and private homes. In addition to Temple Judah’s current building, Sobel designed synagogues in Benton Harbor, MI and about a dozen in Illinois. He died in June 2014 at the age of 100, with his funeral service held in a building of his own design – Beth Emet synagogue in Evanston, IL. Photos of the synagogue, showing the triangular architecture and expansive stained glass windows, make Beth Emet look like a sister to our own!
To name just a few of the things the board is currently working on, we’ve gotten a new intercom system installed to replace the old one which had malfunctioned after living well past its life expectancy. The new intercom includes a video system which allows both the rabbi and secretary to see who is at the door from the office before unlocking the door. We’ve been making repairs to the heating system and making building updates for fire safety standards. Additionally, we are updating the bylaws, mainly including changes to align with how we currently operate. These changes will be brought to the Annual Congregational meeting in June for review and approval by the congregation before they take effect.
We hope you can join us for the all the upcoming events this month! Chag Samech!
Shalom,
Jill
President