Windy City synagogues

genealogy. The classes are not specific
to twentysomethings, said education
director Rickie Jacobs, but they
attract a good number of people in
their 20s and 30s, and "tend to be
lively."
Temple Sholom, one of Chicago's
oldest synagogues, is much larger
than Emanuel with 1,500 families,
including around 200 twentysome-
things. Besides its prime location,
another big selling point for Detroit
natives is Temple Sholom's assistant
rabbi — 29-year-old Jay Moses of
ALLISON KAPLAN
Southfield.
Special to The Jewish News
Like so many twentysomething
Michiganians, Rabbi Moses came to
hicago's Jewish community
Chicago for the job. He said he
wasn't willing to accept that
prefers Chicago at this point because
young people don't join a
there's "more culture, more to do and
synagogue until they're mar-
way more young people."
ried with children. So about six years
As for his synagogue, Rabbi Moses
ago, four synagogues of various
said Temple Sholom offers monthly
denominations, along with the Heller
Shabbat dinners and study groups.
Jewish Community Center, formed
The synagogue regularly coordinates
Kehilla — which means community.
. social events, from plays to social
For $150 a year, Kehilla offers
action.
access to four synagogues — three of
"We do some of the social things,
which are walking distance from each
but people in Chicago don't need us
other in the heavily twentysomething
for a social life," Rabbi Moses said.
Lakeview neighborhood —plus a
"People want to learn. They realize
membership at the Heller JCC, 524
what they missed out on when they
W. Melrose (also in Lakeview) and
were young. A lot of people are look-
High Holiday tickets at any of the
ing for something, both a community
participating synagogues. Kehilla is
and spirituality."
open to young adults between 22 and
Temple Sholom's "Jewish Spiritual
30. Membership is limited to two
Journeys," a course on Jewish mysti-
years. Call (773) 871-6780.
cism, is popular with young people.
"A lot of young adults are intimi-
The synagogue also runs monthly
dated," said Kehilla director Denise
study sessions especially for young
Orlin. "They think joining a syna-
adults.
gogue is too expensive. This is a more,
The Conservative choice in Kehilla
user-friendly way to do it. After two
also happens to be the only
years, they will have found a place
Conservative congregation on
they feel comfortable to join. And we
Chicago's north side. Anshe Emet,
really work with you financially."
3760 N. Pine Grove, caters to a large
The two Reform synagogues
twentysomething membership, pro-
involved in Kehilla are Temple
gram director Rachel Tessler Lopatin
Sholom, prominently situated in
said. The synagogue's mailing list for
Lakeview at 3480 N. Lake Shore
young adult/singles activities includes
Drive and Emanuel Congregation,
more than 300 names.
5959 N. Sheridan, also on the lake-
Anshe Emet's "Reclaiming
front but farther north in Edgewater,
Shabbat" program places young adults
near Rogers Park, one of Chicago's
at the homes of their peers for Friday-
older Jewish neighborhoods.
night dinner. On the first and third
Emanuel Congregation includes
Fridays of every month, the syna-
451 families, about a third of whom
gogue coordinates a Shabbat dinner
range from age 30 to 45. The syna-
for young adults.
gogue is probably best known for its
"Theoretically, you can find some-
"Mini University," which offers five-
thing every Friday of the month,"
week classes on various topics like
Lopatin said.
Jewish medieval thinking and Jewish

Even for a
weekend visit,
shul-hopping
in Chicago
can be a blast.

C

'/24
998

•4 Detroit Jewish News

Anshe Emet also sponsors social
events, like a kosher barbecue and
Cubs game on Aug. 23.
When it comes to meeting young
adults, you can't do better than Anshe
Sholom, 540 W. Melrose, where over
half the 240 families are in their 20s
and 30s.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, himself just
34, credits Anshe Sholom's Lakeview
location for the synagogue's populari-
ty among young adults. But one
active member, 30-year-old Jacob
Handelman, says Rabbi Lopatin is
modest.
"He's really open to diverse prac-
tices," Handelman said. "The syna-

gogue is not at all closed-minded and
doesn't make anyone feel uncomfort-
able."
Indeed, Rabbi Lopatin said a
majority of Anshe Sholom's members
were not raised as religious Jews, but
chose to become Orthodox as adults.
"People here are excited about
being part of this congregation," he
said. "We've built a sense of commu-
nity."
After sampling each synagogue, if
you just can't decide, don't worry. The
four frequently put on Shabbat din-
ners and social events together, so
members can experience the larger
Chicago Jewish community as well. L -\

Boomerang

t

After the Chicago fling, many young eetroiters
decide to come back home.

JENNIFER FINER

Special to The Jewish News

T

hose lamenting parents
who miss their kids may
take comfort in statistics.
While it is unclear just
how many young Detroiters relocate
to Chicago — the "Pro ''' Land of
em ulti-
the Midwest" — a lot
mately come back.
"Detroit doesn't hold the young-
adult community very well because
there is not much for a young person
to do here," said Patricia Becker, a
demographer with APB & A.ssociates
in Detroit. "However, a lot of people
return once they are either married or
ready to have children.
"Young adults in their post-college
years are very mobile," said Becker,
who has also studied the demograph-
ics of the. Detroit Jewish cormnunity.
"That's the time for exploration. It's
when we decide who we are and what
we want to do."
Andy Tobias, a Detroit native who
just moved back to Michigan after
four years in Chicago, says his con-
temporaries come home because

Detroit is "making a comeba
"It's becoming a city again," sai d
Tobi.as who, by accepting a job as a
real estate investment broker, came--
back sooner than he had expected.
Leslie Radner of Southfield mov
to the Lincoln Park neighborhood of
Chicago shortly after graduating from
Michigan State University in the
spring of 1992. "I went to Chicago to
be in a more
mo social atmosphere, she
said.
Radner, 28, stayed for just over a
year, working for Mrs. Field's
Cooldes, and valued the experience.
'I really think everyone should get
away, even if its only for a little while,
just to see what it's like to live some-
where else," she said.
Chicago, she said, was much more
dive?se than Detroit and "living in a
diverse area, I believe, has really
helped me in the business world."
But, she said, "I came back to
Michigan because I was homesick. I
realized it doesn't really matter where
you are. What's important is whom
you're -with. For me, being with my
old friends and family was much
more meanin gful.

