In this Issue:

• WYLD Party in the Park: Thursday, August 20

• Save the Date for YLD's Big Event: Sunday, November 15

• Fall LEADS

• YLD Israel Mission: Back from the Holy Land

• Chicago Chuppah Project - Workshop for Jewish Engaged and Newly Married Couples: Sunday, September 13

• Florence Melton Adult Mini-School

Look for "ChicagoYLD" on Twitter!

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Young Leadership Division of JUF on Facebook.

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Join YLD for our largest summer party! YLD’s annual “WYLD” Campaign event, WYLD Party in the Park, will take place on Thursday, August 20. Enjoy a fun, summer night under the stars with friends! This event will be held at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 N Cannon Dr, Chicago) at 7:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $45, which includes open bar and dessert. This event requires a minimum gift of $55 to the 2009 Jewish United Fund Annual Campaign (which is not due until December and can be paid in installments).

Register Online. For more information, please view the WYLD Invitation or contact Lindsay Koltun in the YLD office at (312) 444-2833.

SAVE THE DATE for the biggest YLD event of the year featuring an evening with Andy Samberg! This amazing event will take place on Sunday evening, November 15, 2009. Details to follow. Stay Tuned!

Sign up for one of YLD’s most successful programs!

• Learn about YLD and how you can become more involved.
• Expand your knowledge of issues facing the Jewish community locally and abroad.
• Augment your understanding of JUF’s allocation process to its beneficiaries.
• Discuss and debate contemporary Jewish topics with your peers.
• Socialize with other young adults your age and make new friends.

The LEADS program offers an introductory exploration of the Jewish community and contemporary issues. Groups will be formed in several areas of the city and separated by age first, then location (Gold Coast, Lakeview, and Lincoln Park).

LEADS is a two-month series that will begin this September. Dates: Tuesday, September 29 - Thursday, October 8 - Friday, October 16 - Sunday, October 25 - Wednesday, November 4 - Tuesday, November 10 - Tuesday, November 17 - Monday, November 23. Sessions typically begin at 7:30 p.m., though there will be some variance. Following most of the sessions, groups will meet all together at a bar for a happy hour. The cost of the program is $75.

Register Online. Registration will close at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 10. For more information, please contact Ariel Zipkin in the YLD office at (312) 357-4880.

37 young professionals from Chicago participated in the 2009 United Jewish Communities (UJC) Mission to Israel, along with hundreds of young leaders from across the country. The group spent 8 days traveling and experiencing the country. Time was spent in Tel Aviv, Tiberius, Jerusalem, Caesarea, Tzfat, Masada and the Dead Sea. Highlights included ATV rides in the Golan, rafting on the Jordan River, sunset dinners on the beach, visits to Kibbutzim, Yad Vashem, Shabbat at the Kotel, a boat cruise, "Shuk Ha'Carmel" (Tel Aviv’s biggest marketplace) and so much more. This unique trip also included visits to incredible organizations that receive funding from JUF, including Schneider Children’s Hospital in Petach Tikvah (where the group made kites with children) and an Ethiopian Absorption Center. View photos from the trip!

Join other Jewish couples for a day of learning on Sunday, September 13 from 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. at JCFS (5150 Golf Road, Skokie). Take time out from your busy schedule to focus one day on your relationship, which will enable you to gain skills that will prepare you for your life together. Benefit from meeting other couples and join in discussions led by trained counselors to explore expectations of your marriage, the families you grew up in and the family you are forming, communication, conflict resolution and decision-making. The cost of the program is $150/couple, which includes a kosher lunch. Fees can be adjusted when needed.

For information and to register, call Rosalie Greenberger at JCFS at 224-625-2819.

The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School ranks among the finest programs for adult Jewish education. Melton students represent a committed group of interactive adult learners who represent a great diversity in background, prior level of learning (Hebrew is not required), and affiliation. This program is designed specifically for busy adults and classes are taught in a pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere. Students will engage in meaningful textual study and learn more about their Judaism. There is also a special couples discount! For more information and to register please visit the Community Foundation for Jewish Education Website.