Register for HIAS Chicago's 100th Anniversary Celebration
Join us on Thursday, June 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Channel Runne Park in Lincolnwood, IL as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary and the dedication of the HIAS Chicago Freedom Grove. Please register and learn more about the 100th Anniversary Celebration and the HIAS Chicago Endowment Foundation.
The HIAS Chicago Freedom Grove Celebrates Our Immigrant Past, Present and Future
One hundred years after its beginning in a humble storefront at Maxwell and Morgan streets, HIAS Chicago continues to help immigrants resettle, connect with the community and advance toward United States citizenship.
“All of us have been touched by our immigrant roots. It defines who we are,” said Suzanne Franklin, Executive Director of HIAS Chicago.
Marking a century of service is an important milestone that calls for a meaningful celebration.
“We really wanted to do something symbolic,” Franklin said. “Immigrants plant roots in our communities, helping them grow and flourish.”
HIAS Chicago is partnering with the Village of Lincolnwood, which also is celebrating its Centennial, to create the HIAS Chicago Freedom Grove at Channel Runne Park, along the North Shore Channel between Touhy and Devon avenues. One hundred trees will be planted during a dedication ceremony on June 21, 2012. The Freedom Grove will honor, remember and celebrate family members and friends who have been touched by HIAS’s services.
The dedication of the Freedom Grove will spotlight HIAS Chicago’s newly launched three-year campaign to raise $2 million for the HIAS Chicago Endowment Foundation. Income from the endowment will help support essential services for the next 100 years and beyond. All commitments are considered gifts to the Jewish Federation’s Centennial Campaign. Group and individual plaques listing donors’ names will make the HIAS Chicago Freedom Grove a legacy for generations to come. Read more…
Share Your Story
Your personal story is HIAS Chicago's history. HIAS Chicago is collecting and preserving the poignant stories of your family’s immigration. Help make your story a chapter in HIAS Chicago's history as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary. Please visit our Share Your Story page to share your own with us.
And be sure to visit our Your HIAS Chicago Stories page to read about others' histories.
News and Announcements
HIAS Chicago Citizenship Classes Begin in June
HIAS Chicago invites you to our Citizenship Classes to help you prepare for your citizenship interview and exam.
Classes will be taught in English by volunteer teachers.
Please check our HIAS Calendar for dates and locations.
HIAS Chicago 2012 Scholarships Announcement
The 2012 HIAS Chicago Scholarship Application period is now closed.
Please check back soon for more information about our Scholarship Awards Ceremony on May 22, 2012.