The evening with begin with a brief Havdalah service followed by a dinner catered by Manny's Deli!

After dinner we will view Remembering Jewish Lawndale, a short film, followed by a discussion led by Professor Keith Yearman.

The rich history of Chicago’s southwest side neighborhood is examined in Remembering Jewish Lawndale, a short film coproduced by the College of DuPage geography program and the Illinois Geographical Society.  Launched by Keith Yearman, associate professor of geography at College of DuPage, and Irving Cutler, former geography chair at Chicago State University, the 30-minute film details how Lawndale’s Jewish population grew to more than 100,000 in the 1930s and 1940s, representing 40 percent of Chicago’s overall Jewish population.  Famous residents included Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and big band leader Benny Goodman.  

More than just a lovely memory, the film offers a vital connection to the past and a true appreciation of the substantial contributions made to the city by those first Jewish immigrants.

RSVPs for this event are now closed.