THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

The Chicago-based group has announced that Rabbi Cindy Enger will be filling that role come July.

Enger, who previously worked in Chicago as a lawyer, is a former President and service leader of the organization.

She will be moving from Bellingham, Wash. where she served as Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel for seven years. Her past experience also includes serving as director of the Hewish Program at the FaithTrust Institute, an organization that works to end sexual and domestic violence.

Enger, who identifies as a lesbian, said she is excited to relocate to Illinois, where equal marriage appears to be on the horizon. She said she hopes to encourage a deepened communal spiritual experience in her new role at Congregation Or Chadash.

"I'm very excited," Enger said. "It's a great opportunity with lots of potential to grow with the community and to deepen what it means to be in synagogue community together."

The organization's current rabbi is Larry Edwards.

Congregation or Chadash was founded in 1975 in response to prejudice against LGBT Jews in other synagogues at that time.