The Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park, shortened to JCCWRP, is an organization that promotes and strengthens Jewish presence in the community of West Rogers Park, Chicago. From their website, located at gowrp.com, one is able to view the message and activities of this community from an outsider perspective. In the site’s “About” section, the organization’s mission statement is found: “Our mission is to sustain a vibrant Jewish community in West Rogers Park for generations to come.” The Council creates this environment through community events and activities and continued neighborhood development activities and projects. From an outsider’s perspective and using only their website for reference, the community can be analyzed from …show more content…
There is clear emphasis on family activities from the Events of the Council, from “Family Fitness Day” to “Family Safety Day”. Rituals based on family show the intention of the community to create strong familial identities and bonds. Furthermore, while the Council promotes more secular activities to strengthen the community, there is also an emphasis on the practice of Judaism, which is what the community’s shared values are based on. Through the rituals of Chanukah and Sukkot events, the community is able to express and strengthen their beliefs, which ultimately strengthens the foundation of JCCWRP’s …show more content…
Of the things that community members are encouraged to do in order to help the cause are “buy local”, “Encourage shopkeepers and landlords to beautify their premises”, and “Let shopkeepers know you appreciate their efforts to upgrade their storefronts”. These actions contribute to two main goals: to transform the community for the better experience of community members as well as visitors and tourists. The JCCWRP reports that “The population is growing, pushing the limits of imagined borders, fueling expansion. Synagogues are pulsing with worship and communal activity. New and remodeled homes, day schools, and adult Jewish-learning centers are multiplying exponentially.” They attribute the reinvigorated livelihood of the neighborhood to the recent transition and development of the neighborhood. Perhaps recent global religious resurgence, as well as local revitalization, accounts for the vibrancy of the West Rogers Park Jewish