Arrangements to Observe Yom Kippur During RE 2012

Operation Sandy Koufax

(Google "Sandy Koufax Yom Kippur World Series" if you don't understand the name of the operation :-) )

As some of you have noticed, due to a scheduling mistake, the first day of RE 2012 is Yom Kippur. RE 2012 was scheduled the week that includes Yom Kippur to avoid overlapping with Rosh Hashana, without an awareness that only ten days hence, in the middle of the following week, a conflict with Yom Kippur would occur.

We understand if you have decided not to attend RE 2012 at all. However, in an effort to encourage you to attend, we have made some arrangements that permit you to attend all of RE 2012 except for the 26+ hours of Yom Kippur and to observe Yom Kippur in Chicago not too far from the conference venue and the main conference hotel.

First, we have offered to any speaker the opportunity to to schedule his or her presentation at times other than the 26+ hours of Yom Kippur. If by any chance you were not contacted and wish to reschedule your talk for this reason, please contact Pete Sawyer, the PC Chair, at <p.sawyer AT lancaster DOT ac DOT uk> ASAP.

Second, we have made arrangements for anyone who wants to attend services to do so at any one of six synagogues near the conference venue and the main conference hotel.

Some of these synagogues require that you have a ticket to attend. In those cases, we have arranged that you will be admitted to the synagogue of your choice on a recipricity basis, i.e., that you provide a letter from your home synagogue on its letterhead and signed by an appropriate officer indicating that you are a member in good standing with the right to attend Yom Kippur services. Go here for a sample letter. Please get this letter produced and signed as soon as possible. Some of the synagogues want to deal with the tickets well in advance.

We have found six synagogues, two orthodox, two Conservative, and two Reform, with the orthodox ones being within the indicated walking distance. For all synagogues, we indicate the distances by public transportation.

If you wish to participate in this Operation Sandy Koufax and attend a synagogue as describe herein, please send a message to Daniel Berry at <dberry AT uwaterloo DOT ca> giving

  1. your name
  2. your preferred synagogue from among the list
and he will begin a process of asking you to send the reciprocity request letter and of securing the invitation and ticket.

If you plan not to attend the conference at all on Wednesday, Yom Kippur day, then the option exists to do a day registration for only Thursday and Friday and to buy a ticket for the banquet Thursday night. This represents a small savings over the full conference registration. You could even consider donating the savings to the synagogue of your choice.

Sincerely,

Daniel Berry, Chair, Operation Sandy Koufax
Mats Heimdahl, General Chair, RE 2012
Pete Sawyer, Program Committee Chair, RE 2012
Jane Huang, Local Chair, RE 2012

Conference Venue and Synagogue List

The conference venue is
Gleacher Center
North Cityfront Plaza Drive
Chicago, IL 60611

The recommended hotel is
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
505 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Near by synagogues are:

  1. Chicago Sinai Congregation (Reform)
    15 West Delaware Place
    Chicago, IL 60610
    (312) 867-7000
    <http://chicagosinai.org>
    By Buses 147, 146 and Walking from Hotel (11 minutes)
    By Buses 151, 146 and Walking from Gleacher Center (16 minutes)
  2. Temple Sholom of Chicago (Reform)
    3480 North Lake Shore Drive
    Chicago, IL 60657
    (773) 435-1559
    <http://www.sholomchicago.org/>
    By buses 145, 146 from Hotel (17 minutes)
    By buses 146, 145, 135 from Gleacher Center (20 minutes)
  3. Central Synagogue (Conservative)
    3712 North Broadway St # 318
    Chicago, IL 60613
    (312) 787-0450
    <http://centralchicago.org>
    By buses 146, 151 or Red Metro from Hotel (31 minutes)
    By buses 146, 151 or Red Metro from Gleacher Center (35 minutes)
  4. Congregation Rodfei Zedek (Conservative)
    5200 South Hyde Park Boulevard
    Chicago, IL 60615-4213
    (773) 752-2770
    <http://www.rodfei.org/>
    By bus 6 from Hotel (32 minutes)
    By bus 6 from Gleacher Center (33 minutes)
  5. Lake Shore Drive Synagogue (orthodox (at least mechitza))
    70 East Elm Street
    Chicago, IL 60611
    (312) 337-6811
    <http://lsds70.org>
    By bus 151 from Hotel (10 minutes)
    By bus 151 from Gleacher Center (13 minutes)
    Walking distance from Hotel .88 mile
  6. Lubavitch Chabad (orthodox)
    1236 North Dearborn Street
    Chicago, IL 60610
    (312) 664-7770
    <http://centerforjewishlife.com>
    By bus 151 from Hotel (15 minutes)
    By bus 151 from Gleacher Center (18 minutes)
    Walking distance from Hotel 1.2 miles

Sample Letter

Your-Home-Synagogue Letterhead

To: Synagogue-of-Your-Choice
Address
Chicago, IL zip

From: President Chaim Yankel
Your-Home-Synagogue
Your-Home-Town

This is to certify that Your-Name is a member in good standing of Your-Synagogue and has (purchased|received) tickets for the High Holidays of 5773. Please permit Your-Name to attend Synagogue-of-Your-Choice on Yom Kippur on a reciprocity basis.

Thank you

Shana Tova v'Gmar Hatima Tova

signed

Chaim Yankel