Our Story

Rabbi David Polish was the founding Rabbi of Beth Emet and its spiritual leader from 1950 until his retirement in 1980. Rabbi David Polish came to Chicago as the rabbi of Temple Mizpah as the Associate Rabbi.

At that time anti-Zionism was very intense within Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Polish found himself caught in the crossfires of Zionist and anti-Zionist beliefs, Beth Emet became a breakaway congregation.

Beth Emet, under Rabbi Polish’s leadership became known as a new kind of Reform Congregation, which talked a good deal about the return to tradition, of commitment to Jewish national ideas, to Zionism, and particularly to the concept of freedom of the pulpit so that a rabbi in our congregation did not feel inhibited — did not have to feel inhibited about maintaining a position on Jewish values or on Universal values for that matter.

Rabbi Polish was also the founding president of the Chicago Board of Rabbis and a founder of the Association of Reform Zionists of America, an organization whose statement of principles he drafted.

Rabbi Polish brought Beth Emet through the period of defining what it means to be a Reform Jew. As a congregation, and a broader movement, we figured out what was important to us and why we existed as a reform Congregation.

Rabbi Polish was a contemporary pillar of the Reform Rabbinical movement, he set a foundation for the Beth Emet community as a rabbi which then Rabbi Peter Knobel continued to expand.

In 1958, Beth Emet had the privilege of hosting a lecture series.

During the lecture, we hosted Dr. Martin Luther King, Theodore Bikel, and Dr. Abba Lerner. We knew how important it was to house MLK that when he was prohibited from getting a hotel room anywhere in Evanston, one of our very own congregants housed him in their home.

(Fun Fact: each lecture cost 50 cents!) 

Rabbi Knobel served Beth Emet, first as senior and then Rabbi Emeritus, from 1980 to his passing on August 20, 2019. He was a man of many accomplishments from scholarship on the ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah to prayer book editor and leader of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

For the long-time members of Beth Emet, he was best known as a learned and kind person who thought of others first and did his best to improve the world around him.

“For a man of such vast accomplishments and prodigious gifts…one might expect a certain amount of conceitedness or vanity. Yet Peter Knobel was a mensch who was supportive of, and placed the greatest emphasis on, the accomplishments of others, not his own,” said Rabbi Andrea London.

“I can think of countless examples of his publicly praising others; it seemed he never missed an opportunity to elevate those around him.”

He co-chaired the CCAR Project, Lay Involvement in the Development of Liturgy, sponsored by the Lilly Endowment and the Nathan Cummings Foundation and he chaired the Central Conference of American Rabbis’ Ad Hoc Siddur Editorial Committee which produced Mishkan T’filah, the Reform Movement’s new prayer book.

Beth Emet played the role of guinea pig while Rabbi Knobel was the head of this Mishkan T’filah project. Beth Emet had the privilege of trying out and giving feedback on some of the many adaptations that were eventually added into the new prayer book.

Under Rabbi Knobel’s leadership, we as a congregation focused on strengthening our relationship to each other and to the community at large. We established a Chevra Kadisha, (a practice that previously had only been practiced in Orthodox communities), and practiced Tahara (religiously preparing the body for burial). To this day, the Progressive Chevra Kadisha performs this service anonymously as g’mitlut chesed (an ultimate act of lovingkindness) to honor the dead and to comfort the living who remember them.

During this time, our Men’s group and Synagogue Sisterhood were very strong forces of community and connection for Beth Emet members. Not only did we strengthen our relationships with each other, we also strengthened our relationship to social action and the broader community in Evanston.

He published papers and articles on such subjects as Assisted Suicide, Cloning, Reform Zionism, Reform Judaism, Dietary Laws, Spirituality, Rites of Passages, Judaism, and Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage. He also served as a member of the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative on Peace in the Middle East and was the Past Chair of the Institute for Reform Zionism. He was also the editor of Mishkan Moeid: A Guide to the Jewish Seasons and Navigating the Journey: The Essential Guide to the Jewish Lifecycle recently published by the CCAR Press.

Read more about Rabbi Knobel z”l

Rabbi Andrea London is a nationally recognized Jewish leader who has served at Beth Emet since 2000 and was named the congregation’s Senior Rabbi in July 2010.

Rabbi London was deeply engaged in all aspects of congregational life, including worship, lifecycle events, counseling and support, adult education, youth education and programming, social action, and interfaith relations. She strives to teach and encourage individuals and communities through contemplative, social, and spiritually based actions.

Social justice activism is an integral part of Rabbi London’s rabbinate. She has led several social action trips, including two congregational trips to hurricane-devastated areas on the Gulf Coast, where Beth Emet teens and families repaired homes and community centers and forged relationships with Reform Jews and members of a local church.

In April 2013, teens from Beth Emet and Second Baptist Church in Evanston, led by Rabbi London and colleagues from Second Baptist Church, spent their spring break on a six-day “Sankofa” bus journey to civil rights sites throughout the southern United States. (Sankofa is a West African word meaning “go back and get it.”) During the trip, the group explored the history of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, using various racial and religious lenses through which we experience the world to understand the roles that race and racism play in our world and how we might be change agents in the quest to create a more equitable and compassionate society. Rabbi London is committed to continuing the work of racial justice.

Rabbi London has long promoted learning, dialogue and action on Israel and Zionism. She has been a strong proponent of congregational participation in the Reform Movement’s EIE high school program in Israel and regularly invites speakers from diverse backgrounds to offer challenging perspectives on Jewish/Muslim and Israeli/Palestinian issues. She is the chair of J Street’s rabbinic cabinet.

Rabbi London has also worked to build bridges between Chicago-area Jews, Christians, and Muslims. She has chaired the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs’ Jewish-Muslim Community-Building Initiative that works with the Chicago-area Muslim community to build relationships and understanding through educational, artistic, and religious activities and to stand up for each other when our communities face discrimination, threats, intimidation and acts of physical violence.

Jewish spirituality plays an important role in Rabbi London’s rabbinate. She is a graduate of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s rabbinic cohort and its Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program. She has initiated a variety of programs on spirituality at Beth Emet, including an ongoing Shabbat afternoon spirituality group and a yoga minyan.

Read more about Rabbi London

Rabbi Brian Immerman serves as the Senior Rabbi at Beth Emet, The Free Synagogue, where he leads a dynamic Reform Jewish community with infectious joy and deep purpose. His rabbinate is defined by a simple yet powerful belief: Judaism should be a source of celebration, connection, and transformation in people’s lives.

Rabbi Immerman’s approach to Jewish leadership centers on creating spaces where every person feels welcomed, valued, and inspired to create meaning and purpose in their own lives. He excels at weaving together sacred tradition, diverse voices and perspectives, building communities where differences strengthen rather than divide. Whether delivering sermons that challenge and comfort, teaching classes that ignite lifelong curiosity, or officiating at life’s most sacred moments, he brings authenticity, warmth, and relevance to every encounter.

His commitment to joyful Judaism extends beyond the synagogue walls. Rabbi Immerman is a passionate advocate for social justice, believing that Jewish values demand we work toward a more equitable world—from affordable healthcare and childcare to combating racism and inequality. He invites his community to “pray with their feet,” transforming ancient wisdom into contemporary action.

Before joining Beth Emet, Rabbi Immerman served as the rabbi at Sukkat Shalom in Wilmette and Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, Connecticut, and began his career at Temple Emanuel in Denver, Colorado. A native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, his Jewish journey was shaped by his rabbis at Temple Tiferith Israel and summers at Goldman Union Camp Institute, where he both learned as a camper and taught as a counselor.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Rochester, where he also captained the swim team. He received his Master’s degree in Hebrew Literature and rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. He was a Shusterman Rabbinic Fellow and completed the Rabbi Balfour Brickner Rabbinic Fellowship program through the URJ’s Religious Action Center.

Rabbi Immerman lives his values daily—biking, exploring the outdoors, and sharing his love of music with his wife Jenny and their two children, Maggie and Aiden.

“Beth Emet was a playground for talented youth professionals, and I would not be the rabbi I am today without each of them (Elliot Leffler, Sara and Aaron Gunning, Yoni Sidon, Nathan Render, Beth Rodin). They made Jewish life fun, accessible, and effortlessly inclusive, and even during moments when I felt on the outside of my secular school, I always felt like I belonged at Beth Emet. Rabbi Andrea London invited me into her world and then made me a central part of it. She mentored me, treated me like a colleague, and in many ways acted as an additional parent at times! She opened my eyes to the world of justice through a Jewish lens, taking me on trips around Chicago, NYC, and DC to discuss inequities and Jewish values.”

My family and I joined Beth Emet right after my Bat Mitzvah. I remember as we were “shul hopping,” looking for “the right place” to join, we sat in a Friday Shabbat service, not long after Rabbi Knobel joined the congregation. We experienced a warm, welcoming and friendly place. Beth Emet is the reason why I became a rabbi and the story goes something like this:

I was an eighth grader and new to Beth Emet when I first read from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah. After services, Elaine Knobel approached, introduced herself to me and with her warm smile offered me a ‘yeshar koach’. She then asked if I had ever thought of becoming a rabbi. Since I had never seen or heard of a woman rabbi, I replied, “No, women can’t become rabbis.” Elaine smiled and said,”Sure they can” and then gave me the names of a few rabbis to call. My subsequent years at Beth Emet were filled with study, youth group events, camp retreats, great teachers, creative services, close friendships and meaningful moments.

I owe much to both Elaine and Peter, my Rebbe. Rebbe Knobel, my teacher and mentor is an invaluable resource in my rabbinate. I gain encouragement and inspiration from all the work that he does with and for the reform movement. I share in celebration of Beth Emet’s fifty years and look forward to its many more years of strength, success and gifts to the Jewish people. Mazal Tov!

“As a Rabbi, I am often asked about my journey to the Rabbinate. Invariably, my travelogue always begins at Beth Emet the Free Synagogue. In many ways, I “grew up” at Ridge and Dempster. The Black family continues in the tradition of weekly attendance at Erev Shabbat and Shabbat morning services. My father, along with Herbert Hubert (z”I) was a founder of the “downstairs” minyan. It was at Beth Emet that I received my first paying “gigs” as a musician – performing at b’ nai mitzvah services and receptions I still cherish many of the friendships that were forged in Youth Group events and in religious school. I spent countless hours studying, praying and socializing in the Synagogue.

Every time I return to Beth Emet I feel as though I am “coming home.” And, in a very real sense, I am. Any preconceived notions of rabbinic self-importance are dashed when men and women come up to me at Beth Emet who have known me. My Jewish identity was forged in the classrooms, sanctuary and social halls of this incredible congregation.

Beth Emet has provided me with rabbinic role models that serve as benchmarks of integrity and distinction. I remember listening to Rabbi Polish’s (z”I) sermons and studying Talmud with Rabbi Knobel as I prepared to apply to HUC. Rabbi Polish’s (z”I) taught me the power of the pulpit – to celebrate Jewish life and speak the truth – no matter how many feathers it might ruffle, or how many apple carts it might upset.”

“Beth Emet is incredibly dear to me. It is where I got my start as a Jewish leader, first experienced the joy of ruach-filled services, and was lovingly folded into an intergenerational community. As a regular at Kahal, my ritual skills, presence, and thoughts were gratefully welcomed with open arms by older Kahalniks, some of whom became my greatest supporters. My desire to become a rabbi was in large part inspired by watching them and the other Klei Kodesh lead the community with so much heart, spiritual depth, intellectual rigor, joy, and passion. They beautifully modeled for me what a future in spiritual leadership could look like, and as an adult, gave me the opportunities to share my Torah with the community that helped shape it — a profoundly meaningful gift.”

“There is a very special spirit that has always been a part of Beth Emet. It is this spirit that I carry with me in my own work. Rabbi David Polish, z”l, founded a synagogue that would strive toward the highest ideals of Torah, a synagogue where social justice issues would be pursued with passion, a spiritual center where the worship life would be dynamic and responsive to the contemporary reality, and a Beit Midrash,a House of Study, where children and adults could grow through the study of our faith. Rabbi Peter Knobel and Cantor Jeffrey Klepper have nurtured this spirit and added the unique dimension of their own gifts. Ashreinu! Mah tov helkeinu! How rich we are! How good is our portion!

Rabbi Polish and Beth Emet, with this unique spirit, drew my parents back into Jewish life. The totality of our experience as a family in the synagogue was a major influence in my decision to become a rabbi. We encountered the beauty of Torah and the richness of Jewish life and tried to share with many others the gifts that we had been given.

For me, it is time to reflect on the deep roots that remain for me at Beth Emet, roots nourished both by Rabbi Polish and his wisdom, his passion for justice, his love for Israel and by the people that were drawn to Beth Emet. It is also a time to look ahead at all tha is still to be accomplish. May we grow from the strength of this moment in the life of Beth Emet to new strength enjoying God’s blessing of shalom.”

“Beth Emet was my safety, is my family, and will be an integral part of my life in perpetuity. I will never have enough words to explain the impact that growing up and then rejoining Beth Emet and Rabbi London has had on me. Beth Emet has been my home for as long as I can  remember. Throughout a very unpredictable childhood and adolescence, Beth Emet was the only constant. It instilled in me a love for Jewish learning and more importantly, the relationships I gained within those walls guided me to become the rabbi I am today. I grew up going to Kahal with my mom and sister, and the acceptance that we experienced was unique in our lives. In my senior year of high school, I worked for Cantor Arik Luck, whom I credit for my ability to lead services well before starting rabbinical school.”

“I grew up learning at a Jewish day school, but Beth Emet was really where I came into my own as a Jewish person. As a long time Beth Emet community member, Beth Emet has invested in me, giving me many opportunities to lead and teach and share my passion for Jewish music over the years. I particularly remember getting to teach a trope class to 7th graders and it reminded me of how much I love doing this work. Rabbi London always inspired me with her political leadership and collaboration skills. When I was a freshman in college, I attended a J Street conference and was in awe as Rabbi London gave the opening remarks to kick off the entire conference. I have always been proud to be a member of the Beth Emet community.”

“What I remember most about Beth Emet and Rabbi Polish was his intellectualism, his scholarly approach to Judaism. He retired from Beth Emet around the time of my Bar Mitzvah, so I never really got to know him much, but as my first rabbinic role model he has certainly influenced (perhaps even unconsciously) how I have tried to construct my own rabbinate. Cantor Klepper-Jeff-entered the picture during my junior high and high school years. He was a presence at services, Hebrew school, and youth group events, and, though I couldn’t sing,showed me just how vital music-especially participatory music-was to the Jewish worship experience. He also showed me that you could be young, cool, and religious at the same time. All of this made me feel good about being Jewish.

But it is Peter I know best of all, and who continues to be a major influence in my rabbinic life. I remember his teaching me Louis Jacob’s book, Jewish Theology, and finding myself enthralled by concepts such as repentance, revelation, and mysticism. Peter is still my rabbi and mentor, but he has also become my colleague, literary collaborator, and great friend. 

The deep intellectualism and profound spirituality that constitute Beth Emet’s attitude toward Jewish life is your legacy. It is also a model I will always strive to emulate.”

“Without a doubt, the personalities and programs at Beth Emet the Free Synagogue had a profound impact on my decisions to serve the Jewish people and enter the rabbinate. One of my very first Jewish memories was marching into the auditorium at Nichols Junior High School with an apple affixed on the end of a stick holding an Israeli flag. The occasion was Beth Emet Religious School’s Simchat Torah celebration circa 1952 or ’53.

Other recollections include attending classes in the old home at the corner of Ridge and Dempster, the site of the present sanctuary and social hall; Hebrew school with Mr. Glustoff and Mrs. Gratch; High Holy Day services in one of Evanston’s larger churches as Danny Polish read from the Torah youth group with Tom Simon and Confirmation class with Mr. Bonheim and Rabbi Polish.

Rabbi Polish was also an intellectual leader of great power. His sermons were scholarly, stirring and passionate. Both his literal voice and his ethical voice were memorable. I miss that voice still today. His preaching served as a model I attempted to emulate, in my own way, in my own talks from the bimah. As a rabbi, he possessed enormous intelligence and integrity, an outspoken dedication to social justice and great moral strength. He set the standard extremely high for those of us who followed.”

“I tell people all the time that I had an incredible Jewish upbringing. Beth Emet was an extension of my family and a place where I experienced firsthand a model of what exemplary Jewish education and Jewish community could be.

I never played the guitar, but singing Jewish music was woven throughout my Beth Emet experience. The music of Cantor Jeff Klepper, and the idea that Judaism was participatory, were central. During the religious school year, there was an annual countdown of the top 10 songs of the year. We waited with bated breath to see which song would be number one. I can still sing a surprising number of lyrics from “We Didn’t Start No Trouble,” a parody about Purim with many verses. As a child, those songs created a foundation of Jewish learning, but as an adult I understand that they also unlock a sense of belonging and open doors to connection with others. Beth Emet has had many cantors over the years. They all taught me so much and gave me room to try new things. Rabbi London has been there with me through every step of my clergy journey, and it is a blessing to now call her my colleague. She inspires me to be a strong mentor to others and to take time to invest in the next generation.”

“There is a teaching ascribed to the Kotzker Rebbe — Menachem Mendel of Kotzk — explaining this text from the book of Psalms: 

“KeChitzim BaYad Gibor Ken Bnei haNeurim” (Tehillim 127:4)  

Like arrows in the hand of a mighty archer, so are the children in youth.  

“What is the connection between arrows and children?” he asked? “Just as when an archer holds their bow closer to their heart, the farther and straighter the arrow flies. So too with raising children, the closer we hold them to our heart the farther and straighter they go.”  

This is how Beth Emet affected my path to becoming a rabbi. From my very earliest memories, the synagogue, its clergy, people, congregants, and leadership held me and many of those around me close to its heart. It sent many of us on a path of creativity, spiritual curiosity, Jewish practice that was deeply considered, and social justice oriented living that we otherwise might not have travelled. There is no way my path would have ended in the rabbinate without seeing a Judaism that was this rich and varied. Beth Emet the Free Synagogue could not have played a more influential role and I continue to look to it as a model for the rabbinate about which I teach others.”

“I hold very fond memories of Beth Emet, which played an important role at a stage in my life when I was “trying on” davenning and observance. I will forever associate Beth Emet with ruach, chutzpah, Jewish education and fabulous cheesecake. First, the “rach” part: As a college student living in Evanston, I discovered the warm, vibrant and very participatory downstairs minyan, led by that most remarkable soul, Herbert Hubert.

I was immediately taken in and welcomed by the regulars, and soon enough became a regular myself, hiking the mile or so from my apartment each Shabbat morning, following their egalitarian lead by wearing a tallit, taking my turn to chant Torah, and then to vigorously debate its meaning during our hour-long (but never boring) Torah study. Every point of view was represented in that room – the naturalist. the passionate Zionist, the traditionalist, the literalist, the staunch atheist. the literary critic, the neo-Karaite. “The members of the minyan were as diverse as their opinions: children, college students, middle-aged people and septuaginarians, German refugees, Israelis, Jews-by choice, professionals and blue-collor workers.

This was a place where I felt very much alive, very much at home. It confirmed for me my decision to become a rabbi. One day, I screwed up my courage, and walked up the stairs, down the hall, and into the office of Rabbi David Polish, z’I. Rabbi Polish barely knew me (how could he, since I almost never attended services in the main sanctuary?). But I was young and chutzpahdik enough to ask him to write me a letter of recommendation to Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Polish graciously complied, and I was accepted to HUC’s rabbinical program.

Beth Emet’s connection with Jewish education is quite simple. It is where I held one of my first jobs as a Religious School teacher. At the tender young age of 19, I was thrown into a class of (horrors!) seventh-graders. Needless to say, they nearly ate me alive. It’s a wonder I lasted the year. But I kept on teaching, and have continued to devote my life to Jewish education.”

“When my family moved to Evanston in 1964, we continued our membership at a synagogue in Chicago for several years. And today—nearly 50 years since I finished the high school program at Beth Emet—I am pleased and proud that they made that choice. 

I still remember the first time it occurred to me that perhaps I could become a rabbi. As a young college student who didn’t know Rabbi David Polish very well, I nervously mentioned this to him following a Shabbat evening service. His face lit up, and he suggested that we have a conversation. Although my long and winding road to rabbinical school would take more than 15 years, and steer me away from HUC-JIR, that conversation remained in my mind the entire time. It inspired my academic work on activist rabbis, and as I was growing into my own role as an activist rabbi, he was a source of inspiration. 

Although in many ways the synagogue I currently serve could not be more different than Beth Emet (it is a very small congregation located in Stockholm, Sweden), it is not infrequently that I bring up something that I learned from having grown up at Beth Emet.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to look back at Beth Emet’s guiding influence on my life and to express my gratitude for the vision shown by the congregation and its leadership. As I now serve as Cantor to a large congregation, I realize how young and yet far-sighted Beth Emet was when my family came to it in the 1960’s. The three influences of Beth Emet’s youth group, davenning at the downstairs minyan, and the hours of study with Rabbis Polish and Knobel shaped my life and my pulpit.

When my family came to Beth Emet in 1967 the congregation was rightfully proud of its fine youth group which taught its participants how to write and lead creative services in the spirit of those years. As a young woman with an interest in folk music, I was given many opportunities to learn and to lead. But the turning point of my life came a few years later,when I was offered the Leo Baeck scholarship to study in Israel for six months. The experiences of living as a sixteen-year-old with an Israeli family, attending high school and touring the land were extraordinary. I returned from that year in love with Hebrew and all things Jewish, ready to teach in the congregation’s religious school and to learn so much more. Fortunately for me, the “Downstairs Minyan” was just being formed.

The “Downstairs Minyan,” with its spirited singing and dedicated, knowledgeable leaders (including Herbert Hubert, z”l) encouraged me to take prayer and Torah reading seriously. The activist philosophy of that group, with its emphasis both on creativity and liturgical mastery taught me to take myself seriously as an observant Jew. Its profound influence became clear to me years later, when I wrote a paper analyzing the minyan in fulfillment of my Master’s degree in Jewish Communal Service at Brandeis University. I can recall the forthright way in which the late Rabbi Polish addressed all issues, believing as he did, that change would come to Judaism through personal commitment and study.  Beth Emet continues to be a second home for my family, as it is the spiritual home of my parents and parents-in-law.

For all of these opportunities and influences, I am so very grateful. May this Kehillah Kedosha, this holy community go from “strength to strength” for many years to come.”

“You never know which memories will stick with a child. Rabbi Polish walked into the library one day carrying a stack of Gates of Prayer. As his students, we got a sneak preview of this “new” Reform siddur, and he asked us to look it over. While we examined the text,however,he was examining us. Which way did we open the book? Would we notice that it opened in the Hebrew direction? A small but significant teachable moment. Hebrew was my first love within Judaism, and Rabbi Polish gave me my first book other than a textbook that told me it was Jewish before I even opened 

In this time and place, we are all Jews by choice. We choose Judaism because we recognize the rewards of living (and dying) as a Jew, the vitality of textual study, the redemptive power of a relationship with God. I connected with this spiritual, ritual and ethical tradition that fills my life with sanctity and celebration.

But–leadership development can never forget this –Judaism also chose me. When Rabbi Polish wrote in the synagogue bulletin about my decision to postpone becoming bat mitzvah until I was 15 and praised the low-key, intimate service and celebration, he affirmed the value of my Jewish choices (even though he gave far too much credit to my parents, as I recall). When he encouraged me to apply for the EIE-Leo Baeck scholarship, he asked me to see myself as a Jewish leader. The experience in Israel was extraordinary, of course, but even more significant was the magical hole-in-the-wall Shabbat morning minyan which nurtured my early intimations. I believe it created so many Jewish leaders because it was full of Jewish leaders: people who took prayer and study seriously enough to make it happen in the context of holy community. With the continuing presence of gifted clergy and committed lay leadership, you will go from strength to strength.”

“How did Beth Emet touch my life? Beth Emet was the context of my growing up. I have the most vivid memories of meetings held in our family’s home to address one or another of the crucial issues facing the congregation in the years it was being formed. I played in the first offices of the congregation above the Adelphi Theater, and treasure vivid images of services held at Nichol’s School. More vivid still are the recollections of running around with my sister Judy, Joey Loundy and Eddie Mogul through the halls of that august institution while the grown-ups were enjoying the Oneg Shabbat following the services.I suppose it is the memory of those joyous Oneg Shabbat that drew me to the rabbinate.

The nurturing of Beth Emet, and the love that joined the members of the community one to the other became my image of what a congregation could be, and what Jewish life was all about. The people who have been the congregation over the years touched me and left their imprint on me. Not the least of these, of course, were my own parents. The joyous mages I carry with me have helped console me in times of loss, but it also imbued me with sense of purpose. There is value and meaning to be found in the life of a healthy ongregation. There is solace in times of grief and heightened joy in times that come from living your life as part of community.

Beth Emet has stood as the beacon for the deeper commitments of Jewish life; support for those in need around the world, a mission to perfect the world around us, both in our own community, and in the broader world. Beth Emet has acted on those ideals, and the flame of its commitment has kindled an ark within me.”

“I decided at a fairly young age – 14 – that I wanted to become a rabbi. I know that my conviction was strengthened and encouraged by the Beth Emet family. Beth Emet has always been a second home to me – I always felt that I was welcome and appreciated, and part of a greater community who cared about its members. Beth Emet is a place where all are encouraged to participate, and to explore, to try out new ideas, and to learn together. As I have been privileged to visit other congregations and communities, I have come to realize just how exceptional the Beth Emet community and its vision is. One of the major influences that shaped my desire to become a rabbi was the open atmosphere, the chance to “do Judaism”for oneself,that Beth Emet offered. Rabbi David Polish, Rabbi Peter Knobel, and Cantor Jeffrey Klepper offered opportunities for the young adults of the synagogue to teach, lead services and study, in other words,the encouragement to live Jewishly. I remember as a little girl sitting and listening to Rabbi Polish speak at Shabbat services. His devotion to the pursuit of Jewish knowledge was an inspiration and an example to me. And as I prepared to enter rabbinical school, we sat together one afternoon as we spoke about his own experiences in the rabbinate, the joys he found in the study of texts, and what events had shaped his life.Rabbi Knobel has always been for me a source of guidance, a model of how one can liveas a modern rabbi in the delicate balance of a challenging lifestyle, and now more than a colleague, heis a friend. When he first came to Beth Emet, I met a rabbi who was not afraid to play touch football with the youth group,who was willing to listen and to discuss the difficult intricacies of life, and how Judaism could offer insights and answers. Cantor Jeff Klepper opened many doors for me into Jewish music and kavannah. Again, in the Beth Emet way of “doing Judaism” he has inspired with his music and his neshama a path to prayer through music. From the time he arrived at Beth Emet and took me on as a teaching assistant in the religious schoo1, to the present, he has always been an inspiration and a teacher. Through the years of study and now beyond, into my rabbinate, Rabbi Knobel and Cantor Klepper, Jill Randell, and all of our friends at Beth Emet have offered advice and support.

As I pursued my goal of becoming a rabbi, I came to understand more and more that this was what God wanted me to do with my life – to become a rabbi was the best way that I could serve God and the Jewish people. And as I now enjoy the opportunities, challenges and blessings that are a part of the daily life of a rabbi, I have an even greater appreciation for what Rabbi Polish,Rabbi Knobel,Cantor Klepper and the Beth Emet community have endeavored to create. As a congregational rabbi, my mission is to challenge people to discover what Judaism means for them, to encourage them to express it in their own lives, and to inspire them to have pride in their identity. My ambition is to create in our congregational community an atmosphere that nourishes growth and learning, both on an intellectual and a spiritual level. Because of my experiences growing up at Beth Emet, the synagogue has always been for me a home, a place of comfort, a place where we discover a Judaism that is deep and compelling.”

“I served as Youth Advisor and Religious School Teacher at Beth Emet for three years; 1970-1973. Those were my college years, a time of growth and decision making. Returning from a year in Israel, I started my college education at DePaul University and Spertus College of Judaica. Once settled, I began my search for employment. Since I had a positive experience in NFTY, I considered the position of Youth Director within a Reform Congregation. It was the Chicago regional office of the UAHC which sent my request to Richard Rhodes. After a luncheon,he offered me the position of Youth Advisor for the Senior Youth Group of Temple Beth Emet.

Even now as I recall those years, it is with the feeling of warmth, and love. The kids were great as we worked together on various programs and projects. It was a wonderful experience for me and contributed to my decision to enter the Rabbinate.”

“It was truly b’sheret that I ended up working at Beth Emet going into my senior year of college. At the time, I thought it was a great part-time job for a full-time student. Little did I know that it would be the job that helped shaped my identity and future. I had toyed with the possibility of one day becoming a cantor while a teenager, but my time at Beth Emet is what gave me the final push to pursue the cantorate. I absolutely loved the work I got to do at Beth Emet, leading both the Kahal service and leading t’fillah and a junior choir at Beit Sefer. Working at Beth Emet ended up being not just a job to pay my bills; Beth Emet became my community. My parents didn’t live in the Chicago area, but I knew that I would always have a place to go for all the holidays. I feel so fortunate that Rabbi London and Cantor Luck saw the potential in 20-year-old me and hired me. Marci Dickman taught me so much about our Jewish tradition in the way she shaped the educational programs.

Beth Emet is a special place that dives deep into our tradition. I learned so much about customs and rituals that I hadn’t known, just by being a community member of Beth Emet. Not only did the klei kodesh’s love of Judaism inspire me, but the community’s commitment to our tradition and one another showed me that the cantorate was what I wanted to pursue so I could help facilitate Jewish community out in the world. I am forever grateful that Beth Emet was the place where I started my journey as a Jewish professional, and that it helped me get to where I am today. ”

“Beth Emet is a special congregation that has been blessed with outstanding Rabbis, Cantors, leaders and teachers. I feel truly fortunate to have been a member in the formative years of my life. I have very fond memories of Hebrew School, Post-Confirmation, Youth Group and Services. Teachers such as Irwin Glustoff, Ord Matek and Mr. Bonheim had a profound effect on me. Rabbi David Polish was in many ways a mentor for me. His scholarship, eloquence and commitment set a high standard.

It has been my good fortune to also come to know and be influenced by Rabbi Peter Knobel. As you may know, I succeeded him at Temple Emanuel in Waterford, CT. Trust me, he was a hard act to follow. I am sure he would say the same about Rabbi Polish. I wish you all best as you grow from strength to strength.”

“My insight that Judaism is intellectually profound was inspired by Rabbi Polish. His complex and intricate sermons required my full attention and produced in me a sense of awe. He challenged me to grow intellectually and spiritually as well as to live in accordance with the highest moral standards. Rabbi Polish’s keen intellect was inseparable from his moral integrity. From his example I learned that to be a good Jew, a good rabbi, and a good philosopher are one and the same thing. All three activities mean a devotion to the life of the mind, an awareness of other people (their presence, needs, and feelings), and a desire to serve God. Through his example I became aware that to stand in relationship with God is a daily task that can never be fully accomplished, a challenge that can never be fully exhausted. As a philosopher, a family man, a practising Jew, and a Jewish academic, I try to live up to the lessons Beth Emet instilled in me fifty years ago. I thank the circumstances of my life that brought me to this unusual synagogue and hope that other congregants (past and present) feel as fortunate as I do.”

“From 1988-1992, when I was a student at Northwestern, Beth Emet became my home. I first came to Beth Emet when I was hired (by then Director of Education, Fran Pearlman and Hyma Levin) to teach fourth grade in the Sunday School with my good friend and fellow Northwestern student, Andrea Goldstein. Each Sunday, Andrea and I looked forward to coming to the warm family of Beth Emet. Our fourth grade students were intelligent, creative and loving, which thrilled us. Our fellow teachers, who were also members of Beth Emet, became our friends and served as role models for us. In addition, Fran Pearlman and Hyma Levin not only taught us about teaching, but also cared for us as people, inviting us into their lives for celebrations, since our families were far away.

It is at Beth Emet where Andrea and I discovered the courage to consider the rabbinate. Each Sunday during tefillot, Andrea and I sang and danced with our students to Cantor Klepper’s tunes. Today, now that we are rabbis, we often talk about how magical those moments were for us. From these moments of pure glee with the children we became aware of our own spiritual development, and we gained the self-confidence to become Jewish leaders. As graduation drew near,Rabbi Knobel encouraged us to apply to rabbinical school, and continues to act as a mentor for us, as well as so many other rabbis, today.

In addition to my place of employment, Beth Emet Synagogue was my home. As a college student, I attended High Holy Day and Shabbat services at Beth Emet, which is a gift that Beth Emet gives to the student community, for which you should be recognized. For their care for us as a family we are deeply grateful.

Mazel Tov to the Beth Emet Synagogue family. May you continue from strength to strength!”

“In 2005, I met Cantor Erin Frankel for an informational interview before moving to Chicago. She offered me the opportunity to apply for a position leading the Kahal minyan. Without knowing whether or not I would get the job, I booked a one-way ticket to Chicago one month later, to start my new life. As my duties expanded, I was the beneficiary of much work experience that to this day informs my work as a cantor. The expanded roles also gave me opportunities to deepen my relationships with families in the community. I still consider several families from Beth Emet some of my most precious friends. 

A big part of me longed to be Beth Emet’s next cantor, but I knew that my cantorial style would not meet the community’s needs. That clarity gave me the ability to do my job, knowing that I was exactly where I needed to be, doing what I needed to be doing, and learning hugely valuable things every day. When an opportunity arose to work full time at another congregation, I was truly torn, and sad to leave this very special place. I will always hold Beth Emet in my heart and history as the most formative experience of my career to this day.”

“Throughout my youth, Beth Emet was my second home. On Sundays, I would attend religious school, my dad would participate in Talmud study with Rabbi Knobel, and my mom worked in the gift shop. By third grade, when we added midweek classes, I was at Beth Emet three days a week.

But the space was special because the people were special. I can remember sitting in Mrs. Martin’s third grade Hebrew class and learning Hebrew with her two robots Werbeh (Hebrew backwards) and Nitram (Martin backwards). I learned Torah trope from Cantor Klepper, who came to our midweek class to teach us the cantillation with colors and hand motions.

It was through Beth Emet that my parents and I made friends, that opened new opportunities — such as OSRUI NFTY, Israel — and so many more. Without these foundational experiences I know that I would never have pursued Jewish education as a career and for that I am forever grateful!”