Torah Portion
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JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR
Special to the Jewish News
F
iffy years ago this week, about 35 Huntington Woods and
Oak Park residents gathered in the Huntington Woods
gymnasium of Burton Elementary School to celebrate
Shabbat as a formal congregation. They called themselves
the Suburban Temple.
Not exactly an overwhelming crowd at the Berkley School District
elementary school, this assembly sought to create a Jewish congregation
with a foundation of social justice, education and accessibility to all
who wished to participate.
How far have they come? About two miles, geographically. But in
the space of 50 years, the congregation, now called Temple Emanu-El,
has built a building and stayed there, despite pushes and obvious rea-
sons to move. Together, they created a thriving pre-school, one that has
more than tripled in size and acts as a feeder for membership, as well as
both a Hebrew school and adult education program that continue to
attract large numbers. .
They also have devoted themselves to a far-reaching social justice
j
Walter Stark, a founding member and past president, attends the Saturday Torah study session.
For related editorial.• page 19
1/11
2002
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