Mishkan Chicago

If you are looking for spirited, Spiritual, joyful, smart and loving Judaism, Mishkan is the place for you. The post-​denominational congregation that shouldn’t work — some Reform Jews, some Conservative, a smattering of Modern-​Orthodox, gays, lesbians, people of color, Jews by Choice, vegetarians, vegans, and people who eat Anything — it is an effortlessly-​inclusive community which has not only worked, it has thrived.
This is NOT your grandmother’s shul. That’s important. First of all, Mishkan is young. Like really young. But also, if what you are looking for is to sit rigidly while someone talks over your head three or four times a year while a choir shrieks music at you that you couldn’t possibly relate to, keep looking. This isn’t for you. But if you are looking for a Spiritual community to welcome you, a service to engage you, a Rabbi to challenge you, music to move you, and a religious experience to change your perceptions of Judaism, of G-​d, of the world and of yourself… well, this might be the place for you.
The Rabbi will not try to dazzle you with her intellectual gymnastics. She could if she wanted to, but I think she has better things to do. But you will find yourself remembering her sermons, thinking about her lessons, and seeing how relevant they are to your everyday life.
Give Mishkan a try.

Okay, so I’ll admit I’m slightly partial. As the founder of this community I can say unequivocally that there’s nothing else like this in Chicago– a space that is simultaneously spiritual and irreverent, unapologetically Jewish and uncompromisingly inclusive of different peoples’ cultural and religious backgrounds. We work hard to engage, educate, empower and inspire people in this great city through dynamic experiences of Jewish prayer, learning and community building, believing that Judaism done right is a vehicle for bringing more light, more love, more healing, more justice and more joy into the world. And that’s what it’s about. Come check us out at
, get on our Facebook group and on our Twitter feed and find out what’s on.

The moment I walked into Mishkan I felt at home. I moved back to Chicago from New York this past summer in search of a Jewish community. I attend Mishkan as often as they meet and when they don’t I try to connect with the other people that go. This is a warm, inclusive, inspiring community. Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann has created a utopia of Jewish spirituality.