The congregation began as a branch of the oldest synagogue in Illinois, Congregation Kehilat Anshei Maavriv – Congregation of the Men of the West, located on Chicago's South Side. When a group of families moved from the South Side to the North Shore suburbs of Highland Park, Glencoe and Winnetka, they sought to create a similar congregation in their new community. KAM's rabbi at the time, Jacob Weinstein, planned to move to the North Shore to lead the congregation. After one year of traveling back and forth between the two synagogues, Rabbi Weinstein made the decision to stay in Hyde Park, and KAM-North Shore, hired its first full-time Rabbi, Arnold Jacob Wolf.
Rabbis
Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, 1957–1972
Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf began his storied career at Congregation Solel. He is said to have suggested the name Solel, which had never previously been used as a name for a synagogue. The Hebrew word Solel means "pathfinder," or "trailblazer." Under Rabbi Wolf's leadership, the congregation grew rapidly, and instituted an array of new programs including free trips to Israel for students who completed four years of Hebrew education, havurot, and an emphasis on lay involvement and participation. The temple inaugurated annual Holocaust remembrance weekends, one of the first synagogues to do so. The temple pursued an agenda of social justice. Martin Luther King accepted an invitation from Rabbi Wolf and spoke at Congregation Solel on June 30, 1966. Rabbi Wolf also invited the Chicago Seven to speak at the synagogue in 1968. In the late 1960s, Congregation Solel was among the first American synagogues to begin to "transform themselves along the havurah model." Under the leadership of Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf, the new community was "intellectual, political, and exceedingly innovative and radical in its expectations." Solel was a community that would pioneer egalitarianism, and focus on study, prayer and action." Assisting Wolf was Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, who held the position "Rabbinic Fellow." The congregation also kept a capped membership, seeking to preserve an intimately sized community where people would know one another and the rabbi. Rabbi Wolf left in 1972 to become the Jewish chaplain at Yale University.
Rabbi Robert J. Marx, 1973–1983
Rabbi Robert Marx left his position as the regional director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations office to become the rabbi of Solel. In 1964, Rabbi Marx had founded the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, an organization that "combats poverty, racism and anti-Semitism in partnership with Chicago’s diverse communities." During his tenure at Solel, the congregation expanded its social justice programs.
Rabbi Dov Taylor, 1984–2009
Rabbi Dov Taylor was senior rabbi of Temple Ohabei Shalom, in Brookline, Massachusetts, when he accepted the invitation to serve as Rabbi of Congregation Solel. Rabbi Taylor deeped the congregation's commitment to Jewish learning, teaching an array of adult education classes that drew participants from throughout Chicago. During Rabbi Taylor's tenure, the congregation also became a tremendous leading force in the movement to free Soviet Jewry, with many congregants traveled to the Soviet Union, and working throughout the country to mobilize support for the refuseniks. The religious school and membership continued to grow, and the membership cap was repeatedly increased to support the growing Jewish community. Rabbi Taylor was one of the first Silver Fellows at Harvard University, and he also spent a sabbatical at Oxford University. After 25 years in the pulpit at Solel, he left to become the Rabbi of the Woodstock Jewish Congregation in Woodstock, VT.
Rabbi Evan Moffic, 2009–
Rabbi Evan Moffic began at Congregation Solel in July 2009. Rabbi Moffic has brought a new emphasis to welcoming interfaith families to the synagogue and renewed the synagogue's renowned religious school, along with educator Geoffrey Prass. Rabbi Moffic has also made social justice and renewing the synagogue connection to Israel a key focus. The rapidly growing synagogue has since added staff and a new building addition, which opened in March 2010.
Music
Congregation Solel boasts a large volunteer choir and outstanding musical reputation.
Social Justice
The Congregation remains involved in an array of social action projects throughout Metropolitan Chicago, including membership in Lake Country United and a strong connection with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Members of the synagogue are also involved in an array of significant civic activities and organizations in Chicago.
Inclusiveness
Congregation Solel welcomes interfaith couples and families, and offers them full participation in lifecycle events, such as bar and bat mitzvah, weddings and baby namings.
