SR0827 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0827 LRB104 22212 MST 38523 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Rabbi Michael Siegel on the occasion of his retirement as Senior Rabbi of the Anshe Emet Synagogue; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Siegel was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1982, where he received his Master of Hebrew Letters; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Siegel joined the Anshe Emet Synagogue as Assistant Rabbi in 1982 and was named Senior Rabbi in 1990, and for 44 years, he has committed himself to the development of an open, caring, and spiritual community and has sought to further the historic role the Anshe Emet Synagogue has played in Chicago and on the national Jewish scene; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Siegel, beloved by his congregation, has served as a dedicated leader in the Jewish community in a variety of roles, including on the Rabbinical Assembly of America Executive Council, the Jewish Theological Seminary Chancellor's Rabbinic Cabinet, and the MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger Executive Board; he is a past president of the Chicago Board of Rabbis and has served as national co-chair of the Magen Tzedek Commission; he helped to form the Hayom Coalition, which is committed to the transformation of institutions and a reenvisioning of the Conservative Movement; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Siegel has striven to establish dialogue and deepen understanding between Chicago's African American and Jewish communities through outreach to clergy, recently working to create a joint study group for religious leaders; he has helped to develop teen programming that brings these communities together to create partnerships and has conducted Hunger Seders to change perceptions and build relationships; he currently serves on the Bright Star Community Outreach (BSCO) TURN Center Board of Directors; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Siegel has represented the Anshe Emet Synagogue in Washington, D.C. on numerous occasions, including as a member of the United States Honorary Delegation commemorating the 60th anniversary of Israel's statehood in 2008 and as a guest chaplain of the United States House of Representatives in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Siegel and his wife, Janet, are the parents of four children, Joseph, Rebecca, Deena, and Emma; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rabbi Michael Siegel on his retirement as Senior Rabbi of the Anshe Emet Synagogue, and we thank him for his commitment to his community and to the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rabbi Siegel as an expression of our esteem and respect.