Prospective Members

View details about how to become a member of
Congregation Hakafa and the financial commitment.

About Hakafa...

Hakafa means "encirclement." We are a Reform Jewish congregation that, for almost 40 years has met at various locations on Chicago's north shore. We are a congregation of people: No building (and no plans for one), no board of directors, and no fund-raising. Congregation Hakafa began as a small chavurah, or self-led assembly, in the autumn of 1983 by gathering in living rooms on Friday evenings, just an informal group celebrating Shabbat, honoring Torah, and embracing social issues.  Learn more about our history. 

Worship and Ritual

We are a Reform Jewish Congregation (and a member of the URJ - the Union for Reform Judaism) that enjoys an informal warmth in prayer and song.

We pray in Hebrew and English in several different places: usually at the Winnetka Community House, but also in members' homes or even at the beach.

Kabbalat Shabbat services are held every Friday night. Shabbat morning minyan is held twice a month. We observe all Jewish holidays and festivals.

We do not assign dates for b'nai mitzvah celebrations. Families and the Rabbi choose a day and time together.

Learn more about worship and ritual at Hakafa.

Study

We value study, providing Religious and Hebrew School for our children, weekly Torah study, Midrash class, Musar class, and Sunday morning study sessions for adults.

Religious School is active, participatory, and engaging. We begin together with a family service and end together by enjoying bagels. We do not meet one Sunday each month, leaving it open for family time.

We gather to meet Jewish authors, enjoy our film group, engage in a Lattes & Limmud series, or become adult b'nai mitzvah. We offer a class in Yiddish for adults, and our book group meets monthly.

Our goal is to create learning opportunities according to members' interests and needs.

Learn more about study at Hakafa.

Justice

We commit to social justice, protesting with people who are oppressed and feeding those who are hungry.

We assist abused women and children, help build affordable housing, and care for the environment.

We provide religious services to residents in assisted living facilities and connect to Jewish communities around the world.

We comfort our own members who are ill or in mourning.

We teach our children to care for themselves and for others.

Learn more about justice at Hakafa.

Please visit and get to know us...

... at Friday night services, held year-round at 7:30 p.m. See the website calendar for location details.

... at Religious and/or Hebrew School at the Takiff Center (999 Green Bay Road, Glencoe). To visit our school, please contact our Director of Education, Bibi Patt. During the school year (September through May), Religious School is held on Sunday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with the exception of one Sunday per month (usually the last Sunday of the month), which is designated as a “family day.” Hebrew School (Grades 3-7) is held on Tuesday afternoons from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.

... at any of our congregational events listed on our website.

If you would like to join Hakafa...

View details about how to become a member of Congregation Hakafa and the financial commitment.

If you want to learn more....

If you are interested in learning more about Hakafa, fill out an online form, and we will be in touch with you!
 

Experience Judaism with Congregation Hakafa.

Connect with your heritage.
Deepen your spiritual experience.
Work to create change in the world.