By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News Reni Dickman, a Reform-ordained rabbi, was inspired by many things to become a Jewish spiritual leader — her parents, her rabbi, her temple, her camp, her youth…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News A Jewish student leader at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said campus Jews are satisfied with an unprecedented step taken by the chancellor to condemn a…

By Carin M. Smilk (JNS) Like any American high-schooler, Riva Weiss started the school year off with a flurry of activity, albeit with a new development she has been mulling over since late spring. That’s…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News Bond Coffee Collective recently joined two Dunkin’ Donuts as certified kosher coffee shops in the Jewish community. But Dunkin’ Donuts can’t enhance the coffee experience and coffee…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News Eighth-graders at Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School are  moving full steam ahead with fundraisers for their graduation trip to Israel in May. The Hyde Park students are selling…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News Lex Rofeberg is okay with Jews who don’t go to services on the High Holidays. The Strategic Initiatives Coordinator of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News A website has been created honoring the World War I military service of Illinois Army Company, Company L, which  by a scan of surnames and other evidence…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News The asylum seekers are dropped off by bus in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar city without so much as a meal or shelter to…

By Ellen Braunstein, Special to Chicago Jewish News When Rabbi Nate Crane was seven years old, he sat timidly in the large sanctuary of a synagogue in his hometown of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The…