Anniversary Plate. In honor of the temple's 50th anniversary,
Sisterhood commissioned a "Tree
of Life" plate. Learn more about how
you can order this custom, gold-colored glass.
History. See History below
to learn more about Temple Jeremiah's exciting 50-year history.
50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend
• Celebration
Weekend
Shabbat Service with Rabbi Eric Yoffie & Debut of Composition,
"Miracles"
Friday, May
21, 2010
Our exciting weekend gala began with a Shabbat Service with Rabbi
Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism
(URJ). The service featured a look back
at 50 years of inspiring worship services at Temple Jeremiah.
*
It also featured the debut of a musical composition, "Miracles,"
composed by Cantor Marshall Portnoy and commissioned for
the temple's anniversary. The Adult Choir, under the direction
of David Lornson, and Cantor Amy Zussman
sang this special composition. The text of the song
is adapted from a prayer by Rabbi Chaim Stern and is
a special gift our congregants will enjoy for years
to come. (Cantor Portnoy also composed a special song in
2000 in honor of Rabbi Robert Schreibman's 25th anniversary
at Temple Jeremiah.)
* All texts from the Union Prayer Book, Songs and Hymns and Gates
of Prayer are used with permission of the CCAR Press.
All rights reserved.
"Dancing Through the Decades"
Saturday, May 22, 2010
What’s your favorite decade? Do you love the golden oldies,
classic rock or are you a cutting-edge music fanatic? Have
you jitterbugged, done the worm or boogied the night away?
No matter what
your answer,
there was something for everyone at our 50th Anniversary
Gala – Dancing
Through the Decades. Orchestra
33 played favorite songs - ranging from 1959 to today’s music.
Over 200 congregants, family members and friends celebrated
our milestone birthday and enjoyed delicious food, fantastic
music and dancing and excellent company. The evening
included a candle-lighting ceremony honoring each of the
five decades of Temple Jeremiah and a video presentation
of "Jeremiah at 50." The video will be playing in the temple
lobby and copies are available by contacting the temple
office.
Our celebration culminated with
the dedication of the temple's new Torah as part of the
Torah of Our Own Project, which took place during
Confirmation Services. Afterwards, we enjoyed
a gala Oneg, Torah celebration and wrap-up of the Torah
of Our Own Project
with our scribe,
Rabbi Moshe Druin, and our Temple Jeremiah clergy. Attendees
were able to view and read from the new Torah.
Click above for more details and to see photos from this
inspirational event.
We celebrated the rededication of the
Holy Temple over two millennia ago as well as the legacy
of Temple Jeremiah's founding members over 50
years ago.
Rabbi Zola, Executive
Director of the American Jewish Archives and our Scholar-in-Residence,
explored the history of
Reform Judaism and its impact on Temple Jeremiah over the
past years. Our 50th anniversary coincides with the 200th
anniversary of Reform Judaism. This program was open to the
entire community at no charge and was funded by the Bill
and Norma Brown Fund for Life Long Learning.
In commemoration of the temple's 50th anniversary, our
Social Action Committee expanded one of the temple's
earliest and most dynamic social action programs - Feed
the Homeless - in order to prepare 1500 lunches this year.
As part of our 50th anniversary celebration, this year's
Seder included the opportunity for Sisterhood members to
write a letter in the Torah as part of the Torah
of Our Own Project.
A History of Temple Jeremiah
Visit History for a complete history of Temple Jeremiah.
Timeline
1959
Temple
Jeremiah is founded by 25 families. Services
and Religious School are held at Hubbard Woods School
in Winnetka.
1960
Membership
is at 135 families. Services move to Skokie School.
Burton and Martha Wolff purchase the first Torah for
Temple Jeremiah.
1961
Rabbi
Allan Tarshish begins as the first permanent spiritual
leader. Ruth Lindar-Littman, one of the temple's founding
members, becomes the music director and soloist for
services and serves 18 years in that position.
H. Barton Moss begins as the accompanist.
1964
The
first musical director, H. Barton Moss, is hired and
the volunteer choir is established.
1967
Temple
Jeremiah has the largest Religious School in the Chicago
area with over 600 teachers and 27 teachers and music
staff.
1969
The
temple hires its first full-time Administrator and
School Director, Howard Lazar.
Timeline
1971
Groundbreaking
begins for a permanent temple building.
The
temple dedicates and begins using the new prayerbook,
Mishkan T'filah.
2009
Fern
Kamen retires after 28 years of service and Michael
Garlin is hired as the new Executive Director.
2009/10
Temple
Jeremiah is 860 households strong and continues to
serve its members in a compassionate, caring way as
it celebrates
its 50 year history and looks forward to its next 50
years.
1959
- 2009
