Chicago Synagogues:  Near North / Downtown Conservative Congregation
 



 

   Chicago's Central Synagogue Central Synagogue of Chicago The South Side Hebrew Congregation    
The Traditional Egalitarian Conservative Synagogue of the Near North Side of Chicago
The spiritual home of people who reside
throughout Chicago and the suburbs.
Affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

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Home: Shabbat Services - Events  Find Us/Contact Us   More About Us  

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Life Cycle Events  
Central Synagogue is ready to help you celebrate life’s great simchas. Whether it is an Ufruf on Shabbat before a wedding, the marriage ceremony, or naming a daughter, you can count upon your Synagogue to facilitate the celebration of life cycle events according to Jewish tradition.

In times of illness, or sorrow, your Synagogue is here to provide comfort and support.

Whenever you require information, consultation, have a question, or need to make arrangements for Jewish life cycle events, contact our spiritual leader.
Hazzan Toby Lou Hayman
Synagogue: (312) 787-0450 

Central Synagogue is a Traditional Egalitarian Conservative Congregation. 
Our services and observances of Jewish holidays and life-cycle events reflect our traditional orientation. Our services follow the traditional liturgy of the Conservative prayer book without the use of an organ or other instrumental accompaniment.

As an egalitarian congregation, men and women participate together and equally. This also means that the Congregation is a community where individuals of all ages and life experiences can participate together in the observance of Jewish ritual and the study of Torah. We are proud that Central Synagogue’s community includes individuals of different ages and life experiences.
 
Please contact us with any questions about Central Synagogue, its services and programs. Contact Information
 

Meet Our Spiritual Leader
Hazzan Toby Lou Hayman is the Spiritual Leader of Central Synagogue. She conducts Shabbat and holiday services. She provides pastoral services to congregants of Central Synagogue times of joy and sorrow. Hazzan Hayman previously served Congregation Ezra Habonim and Temple B’nai Israel. She is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and The University of Chicago. Hazzan Hayman has the distinction of being the first woman Hazzan to serve a Chicago area Conservative congregation. She has served as both Vice-President and Concert Chair of the Chicago Association of Cantors and is a past President of the Midwest Region of the Cantors Assembly. She is a graduate of the first cantorial cohort of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and a participant in its Hevraya (Fellows) Program.
 
Classes & Individual Study
Biblical and Modern Hebrew, Bible, Synagogue Skills,
Torah and Haftarah trope to help individuals prepare to chant during Shabbat services. These classes are offered by arrangement and begin when there are sufficient interested students.
 
B’nai Mitzvah preparation for Adults & Children
Available by arrangement. Children need prerequisite Hebrew skills and nine months to a year of regular study with Hazzan Hayman. Adults also need prerequisite Hebrew skills or they may begin with Biblical Hebrew study, and then prepare a Haftarah through study in our Trope class. A Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony during Shabbat morning services is the culmination of this course of study and preparation.

For children, Central Synagogue provides an opportunity for families to participate in Jewish learning, worship, and ritual observance, both as part of their own family life, and as part of our congregational family. We call it our Family Mitzvah Program.
 
Yom Tov, Jewish Holidays and Events
We observe the cycle of holidays throughout the year with services and special celebrations. Central Synagogue conducts Yom Tov services on the Jewish festivals, Tisha B'Av, Purim, etc. Special events include a Sukkoth dinner celebrated in the Succah; Purim Fest with a traditional reading of the Megillah and, authentic Persian food, ; Erev Shavuot, Shavuot Mini-Tikkun & dinner; Chanukah Party; and Simchat Torah Party. Special congregational Shabbat dinners are proceeded by a Kabbalat Shabbat service, and provide a friendly environment, like celebrating Shabbat at home with a group of friends.
 
Shabbat Services
Saturday morning at 9:10 am.  The services begin with the introductory prayers led by a congregant. Hazzan Hayman begins the Shacharit Service with her beautiful nusach (chant) at 9:40 am. The Torah service is followed by a brief  discussion of the weekly Torah portion. The service concludes with the full Cantor’s repetition of the Shabbat Musaf, most weeks.. Following Shabbat services all are welcome to join us for kiddush and our Shabbat lunch—a nice way to enjoy Shabbat as a congregational family. Services are also conducted on all the Jewish festivals and holidays.
 
 

Our Goals
Central Synagogue is a unique urban congregation that strives to maintain an authentic sense of Jewish community and a warm, personal and friendly environment. Through our religious services, educational, cultural, and social programs, we will provide individuals with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of Judaism and grow spiritually.

We will work to increase the size of our Congregation through increasing the numbers of individuals participating in our religious services and other programs.. We will work to build an authentic sense of community by increasing participation in the Congregational observance of Shabbat and other holidays and of Jewish rituals. We will work towards financially securing the Congregation through the establishment and growth of funding and endowments. An important objective  is to obtain a permanent home for Central Synagogue.

As we grow we will develop new educational, cultural and social programming to meet the needs of our congregants and the Chicago Jewish community, consistent with our mission as a Traditional Egalitarian Synagogue.