Judith Golden, cantorial soloist for Congregation Or Chadash ( Congregation of New Light ), and two of the three founding members of the congregation, Bob Cohn and Frank Nussbaum, were honored at the congregation's 40th-anniversary gala celebration at the Hotel Allegro April 25.
The congregation, which began as a social club and support group for gay Jewish men, has grown into a Reform congregation of LGBT and allied members.
Gala organizer Robin Sampliner welcomed everyone to the event and introduced Congregation Or Chadash's Rabbi Cindy Enger. Enger asked the approximately 70 people present to remember the victims of the recent earthquake in Nepal and noted that the weekend was the National Weekend of Prayer for Marriage Equality. She also led the attendees in a prayer calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of marriage equality.
Enger asked Sampliner, Golden, Lilli Kornblum ( president of the congregation ) and Carol Goldbaum ( past president of the congregation ) to come forward and help lead the Havdalah ceremony, which marks the end of Sabbath each week.
Norman Sandfield, longtime member and former board member and congregation president, presented Cohn and Nussbaum with their awards while former Congregation Or Chadash Rabbi's Suzanne Griffel and Larry Edwards presented Golden with her honor.
The event featured music by the Stuart Rosenberg Band as well as a silent auction with items from a variety of businesses including Ann Sather, Broadway Cellars, Coffee & Tea Exchange, Edgewater Fitness Center, Court Theater, Mighty Maids/Men, Nookies, Sidetrack, Stella's Diner, Second City, toys et cetera, Unabridged Books and Women & Children First.
Dancing ended the evening's festivities.
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