WHO ARE WE?

Our mission is to meet the diverse spiritual, educational and cultural needs of our congregants and the local Jewish community.  With the philosophy and practice of Reform Judaism as our guide,  we strive to maintain a caring, supportive and inclusive environment. This is accomplished through meaningful worship and spiritual growth, study of Jewish texts, traditions, and values, and acts of gemilut chasidim (acts of loving-kindness), tzedaka (righteous giving), and tikkun olam (repairing the world).  Our members share a love of tradition, an eagerness to pursue a vision of an ever evolving Judaism, and are committed to the total equality of men and women. One of the hallmarks of our synagogue is our accessibility to interfaith couples and families.  Accepting and providing a comfortable place of community for intermarried families makes Or Shalom a unique congregation.  Or Shalom provides a spiritual home for those who seek a meaningful Jewish Life within a caring community.

WE OBSERVE TOGETHER

Our congregation celebrates all the traditional Jewish Holidays.  Our services are welcoming, easy to follow and are family friendly.  During our weekly Friday evening services, we celebrate life-cycle events, offer prayers of healing and acknowledge the anniversaries of the loss of loved ones (Yarhzeits).  During our monthly family services which are geared especially for families with young children, birthday blessings are a highlight. We celebrate our children becoming Bar and Bat Mitzvah on both Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.  At Or Shalom, we believe that the B’nai Mitzvah process provides our children with the opportunity to master a challenge, to learn important values, to take pride in them selves and to secure their place and their future in the Jewish community.  The B’nai Mitzvah experience at Or Shalom is a time of great pride and celebration for the entire Or Shalom community.

WE LEARN TOGETHER

Or Shalom is proud of our pre-kindergarten through high school educational program and is proud to offer a highly regarded family school.  We integrate Hebrew language and Jewish studies.  Our education staff, which includes the Rabbi and Education Director, is committed to enriching the lives of our students and their families by instilling a positive sense of who we are as Jews and members of society.  We believe that Jewish education is a life-long process and offer numerous parent/child and adult learning opportunities.

WE SOCIALIZE TOGETHER

Or Shalom offers many opportunities for congregants to socialize together.  We take advantage of the cultural activities available to us by virtue of our close proximity to the city of Chicago. Our members enjoy the adult, family and “children only” weekend retreats at Olin-Sang Ruby in Oconomowoc, WI. We have an active and enthusiastic Sisterhood and look forward to being able to host more events once our new building becomes a reality.