Rabbi Nancy Landsman’s religious career returned to its roots when she moved her congregation from Deerfield to Glenview in January.
Congregation Ahavat Olam was previously located at Christ United Methodist Church in Deerfield, but when the congregation outgrew the space Landsman said she moved to Emerald Place, a memory care facility in Glenview.
Landsman said she was able to move the congregation to Emerald Place because of the work she does as a rabbi for six senior care facilities.
Glenview’s last synagogue within the village limits was B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim, known as BJBE, which served communities like Park Ridge, Des Plaines and Morton Grove, Landsman said. Glenview has not had a new synagogue in 10 years after BJBE moved to Deerefield. Glenview is home to the Rohr Chabad Center of Glenview.
Landsman first attended the temple as a 4 year old, she said.
“I’m coming back home, bringing my congregation back home to where I started,” Landsman said. “Now, as a rabbi, I feel this is so wonderful. Finally, now, all these surrounding communities, including Glenview, can come to a warm, inviting, welcoming, intimate, reform congregation.”
In 1979, during her senior year at Northern Illinois University, Landsman said she was a cantor for BJBE for one year while the synagogue waited to hire someone finishing cantorial school. Landsman went on to study with Max Janowski, a composer of Jewish liturgical music, and Shlomo Shuster, a respected cantor, she said.
Landsman continued getting hired by various synagogues following her cantorial training until she returned to BJBE in the late 1980s as a cantorial soloist, she said. In 1989, Am Shalom in Glencoe hired Landsman as a cantor, where she worked for 23 years, she said.
In 2012, Congregation Ahavat Olam started with 10 people and the members asked Landsman to lead the congregation, she said. That same year, Landsman went back to school to become a Rabbi, she said.
“Cantors can be the sole leader of a congregation, but I felt that if I’m going to lead these 10 people and to make a living serving those who are unaffiliated with the congregation … that I owe it to all these people to become more educated,” Landsman said.
Another reason Landsman said she became a rabbi was to work with senior citizens, which is what she studied in college. Landsman goes to those who are aging or dying and provides rabbinic counseling, even if they do not belong to a congregation, in addition to being the rabbi for six senior care facilities, she said.
“My niche is seniors,” Landsman said. “My heart just goes out to these people who feel alone or are alone.”
As rabbi, Landsman assists families with baby naming, bar and bat Mitzvah, weddings, clinical pastoral care, funeral ceremonies and counseling, she said. Congregation Ahavat Olam began growing as Landsman started inviting people attending the ceremonies she led to the congregation, she said.
Congregation Ahavat Olam welcomes everyone, but the majority of those who attend monthly Shabbat are adults, which makes the congregation unique because it does not have a religious school for children, Landsman said. The congregation offers adult educational classes, interfaith programs, social action programs and annual activities, she said.
Landsman said she likes to be creative with her services, so she makes it more interactive by having those who attend fill in the blank as she preaches and engages congregants to think. Services are led by Landsman, along with Cantor Joanna Lind, a pianist and a clarinetist.
“We’re welcoming,” Landsman said. “Anyone who has come to our congregation feels really embraced.”
The congregation will hold Erev Rosh Hashana service Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. and morning service Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m. Erev Yom Kippur service will be held Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and morning service Sept. 19 at 10:30 a.m.
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