LACH addresses the need for developing new and innovative women leaders for the Chicago Jewish community. These women, in turn, will empower others with the knowledge they have acquired, ensuring a strong and continuing Jewish community.

The LACH program involves three-hour sessions once a month at the Hadassah Chicago Chapter offices, 4711 W. Golf Road, Skokie, for ten months. Their curriculum weaves Jewish and Zionist education as well as the teaching of leadership and advocacy skills. It is peer-led, using Hadassah materials and utilizing local women scholars to teach new approaches to Jewish texts. Each session starts with a review of the previous month's current events and is intended to introduce the women to the available resources on events in Israel and the world Jewish communities.

This year, Year Two, will focus on developing a core competency of advocacy and leadership skills and continue with a text-based study of Jewish life and Zionism. The first two years of study will conclude with a trip to Israel.

Year Three will find the participants taking on a commitment to leading a project in the community. Many women have chose to spearhead new and creative projects and will use their skills to promote the image and role of Jewish women and their communities.

The women in LACH are between 28 and 60 years of age. One woman is an attorney; others are accountants, health care professionals, educators and stay-at-home moms. They represent all facets of Judaism: Reform, Reconstructionist, Traditional, Conservative and Orthodox.

The first year class included: Renee Cohen, Karyn Davidman, Marla Ferencz, Laura Fishman Eglash, Silvi Freedson, Jeanette Garber, Sherri Goltz, Andrea Leiberman, Hyman Levin, Faye Levinson, Robin Neidich, Darcee Rabinowitz, Audrey Rosenblatt, Tamar Rubenstein, Debbie Seidner, Lauri Serber and Toby Warnick.

The facilitator of LACH is Leah Polin, Education Vice-President of Hadassah Chicago Chapter and a life member of Hadassah. Polin was the Executive Director of the Dawn Schuman Institute for Jewish Education for 23 years and has been an adult Jewish educator for most of her life. For further information, contact Debby Oshri-Pintel at (847) 675-6790.