STAR Suburban Thursday Afternoon Retirees

Suburban Thursday Afternoon Retirees, better known as STAR, meets via zoom every Thursday from 1-3 pm, except on Jewish and national holidays.  This vibrant group includes attendees from West Suburban Temple and Oak Park Temple, as well as the broader community.

This joint endeavor of both Temples offers a place for candid discussions on a variety of topics as well as an opportunity to socialize and to support each other.  Recent STAR programs have included a presentation by The Onion Roll about its history, its remodeled interior and new in-house bagel making; a presentation by Marc Stopeck on "Jews, Monsters, and American Pop Culture," a presentation by Oak Park Temple's Mozel Ginsberg on "Gender Theory in the 21st Century," presentations by the Executive Director/Administrators of both Temples, and a discussion with the head of the USC Hillel on antisemitism on college campuses.  We also heard a program from Robb Packer, a building consultant, on buildings that are current or past homes to Chicago area synagogues, including the history of West Suburban and Oak Park Temples.  STAR has longterm partnerships with Rush Oak Park Hospital, Dominican and Concordia Universities, Brookdale, Oak Park and River Forest Townships, Arbor West Neighbors, Jewish Child and Family Services and more. 

In December, STAR will meet on the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th.  

Our schedule is as follows:
December 1st - Rabbi Mirelman will speak on "1897" - three events that impacted Jewish life 125 years ago
December 8th - Betsy Kelly will speak on the Home Sharing Pilot Program in River Forest
December 15th - Joyce Porter, Oak Park Temple member and an actress, model, and author, will discuss her book, Mastering Senior Life: Thriving and Surviving. Many of us heard Joyce's previous presentation at STAR.  We're delighted to welcome her back, and we encourage you to join us!
December 22nd - A chance to schmooze and perhaps a surprise speaker
December 29th - Our presenter will be Tim Mellman, a graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School.  Tim and a group of fellow students successfully advocated to have Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur become non-attendance days on the OPRFHS calendar.  Tim subsequently addressed an online session hosted by the Anti-Defamation League about antisemitism at OPRFHS and in the community. We are grateful that he, and perhaps some of his fellow students who were part of this effort, will present to STAR. 

We are planning future programming and hope to include a presentation by women in the rabbinate.  Other programs are in the works!

We are currently meeting via Zoom. If you'd like more information about STAR, contact your Temple office.  We at STAR feel like a small community learning and growing together.  Please join us!