Would you get on the bus?
Solel pays tribute to the Freedom Riders on the 50th anniversary of their historic bus rides
Congregation Solel is hosting a special speaking event in conjunction with its Mitzvah Day on Sunday, November 6 from 12:30 pm-2:00 pm with an unusually powerful and socially relevant topic.
Fifty years after the historic Freedom Rides, Solel will pay tribute to the past as they renew their dedication to social activism today.
Congregants will start the morning with hands-on activities for all ages to benefit a variety of charities, including Project Linus – making blankets for kids in crisis; Orphans of the Storm – creating toys for animals in this shelter; Jewish War Veterans – assembling care packages for those serving our country in the military; PADS – packing lunches for families in need of shelter and a meal; Sunrise Senior Living – creating homemade Shabbat bags for seniors in this local assisted living facility; Night Ministry – making bags of homemade cookies for distribution on the Health Outreach Bus serving the multiple needs of people in crisis situations, and many more.
In the afternoon, Solel will bring history alive with an unforgettable presentation that asks the question “Would you get on the bus?” From 12:30 – 2:00 pm, there will be a moving workshop and discussion about the Freedom Riders, which will explore this riveting topic and discuss its relevance today. It will include an amazing first-hand account by Candida Lull Pugh, a heroic Freedom Rider who helped change American history in 1961; Rick Segall, a Solel congregant and former producer of the Oprah show who will speak about the memorable 50th anniversary reunion of these true American heroes; and Professor Michael Ebner, Solel historian and former History Chair at Lake Forest College, who will bring the Solel history of social action to life. Artist Judith Joseph will also speak about the commemorative calligraphy she was commissioned to create by Rabbi Philip Posner, a Freedom Rider, on the occasion of the appearance of 170 Freedom Riders on Oprah, aired May 4, 2011. Before it was presented to Ms. Winfrey, it was signed by 53 Freedom Riders as a gift to Oprah Winfrey, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders (www.judithjosephstudio.com/calligraphy.html).
Congregation Solel
Solel is the Hebrew word for “trailblazer, which embodies their founding congregants’ vision of a vibrant, pioneering, progressive institution dedicated to social justice and civil rights. In 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King spoke from Solel’s pulpit on eliminating Chicago’s slums.
Mitzvah Day 2011 will be a day for Solel congregants and guests to stand up, step forward and prove what they can do as individuals and as a congregation.
Congregation Solel
The afternoon program is open to the general public, and all are welcome. Register at www.solel.org or by contacting the office at 847-433-3417. Congregation Solel is located at 1301 Clavey Road in Highland Park.