(L-R) Dan Cedarbaum and Bob BarkinDaniel Goldman Cedarbaum of Evanston, IL, immediate past president of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation (JRF) was honored at a luncheon on Sunday, February 28th. The event was held at Ezra Habonim, The Niles Township Jewish Congregation in Skokie, IL.
Over 170 people from the area and from around the country participated. Rabbi Rachel Gartner, Rabbi for Campus Ministries at Earlham College, Richmond, IN and Rabbi Brant Rosen of the Evanston-based synagogue, the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, led the program. A Conversation about Spirituality. Also participating in the program were Rabbis Jonathan Ginsburg of Ezra Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation, and Moti Rieber of Beth Sholom in Naperville, IL.
During Cedarbaum’s four year tenure as president, the JRF purchased a permanent camp site in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania and launched No’ar Hadash—the Reconstructionist youth movement, now planning its first teen trip to Israel. Additionally, Cedarbaum was a delegate to the World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem in the summer of 2006, the first time the Reconstructionist movement was represented there. He also continues to represent the Reconstructionist movement as a member of the Synagogue/Federation Commission of Metropolitan Chicago.
As president of JRF, Dan also served as a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. In addition, he served for two years as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the United Jewish Communities.
Carol and Howard Ellegant of Evanston were co-chairs of the event.