60 Rabbanim and 25 Rebbetzins attended the 13th annual Midwest Conference of Synagogue Rabbanim with one question in mind: “How can we help our kehillos
West Rogers Park, officially designated by the city of Chicago as the West Ridge community area, is home to the midwest’s largest Haredi, or strict Orthodox, Jewish community (some members view the term “ultra-Orthodox” as disparaging.) It’s known for the dark suits, fedoras, and beards, or headscarves and long dresses, worn by many adherents. By some estimates, Jews of various stripes make up about one in three of the 77,000-plus residents of West Ridge. The area also includes vibrant Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Assyrian communities.
Nowadays West Rogers Park’s strict Orthodox community is primarily located between Peterson Avenue and Howard Street, and concentrated west of California Avenue. That boundary gave its name to neighborhood native Adam Langer’s 2004 memoir “Crossing California.”