From Rabbi Yehoshua Karsh:

“I am very grateful that my friend Chana Levenstein has taken the baton and is running with Friday night dinners from her home. I was heartbroken thinking about each of our Friday night ‘family’ and what would happen to their Shabbosim once our program ended. Baruch HaShem it hasn’t. Please donate generously so Chana can continue to do her holy work. 

 Proudly, 

 Yehoshua Karsh”

My name is Chana (Anne) Levinstein.

Twenty years ago, I stumbled upon a book in Barnes & Noble involving some “pretty letters” as part of the artwork. 

I impulsively bought the book and brought it home.

After paging through it, I learned the “pretty letters” were Hebrew script. This was the beginning of my spiritual path. I knew almost immediately that a kosher conversion was in my future; I just didn’t know how or when.

At the time, I was a police officer in Wisconsin - nowhere near an Eruv - and I was certain the chief would look at me quizzically (and then encourage me to find a different job!) if I mentioned something like “I need off work every Saturday to observe Shabbat.”

So I settled for a Conservative conversion, figuring it would serve as a step towards my ultimate goal.

In the meantime, I read everything I could get my hands on about Kabbalah and Judaism.

But reading about Shabbat without actually keeping Shabbat felt like reading about nutrition and fitness without ever making a healthy meal or going to the gym.

Fast forward 15 years, three kids, and one divorce later.  

I got out of law enforcement, into real estate, moved to an Eruv, and began an Orthodox conversion process under the auspices of the CRC.

My first exposure to the Friday night meal was a community gathering hosted by Rabbi Yehoshua Karsh, who later became my sponsoring rabbi.

The weekly meals were funded on an annual basis by a generous donor through The Torah Learning Center (TLC) of Northbrook.

Those Friday nights were the highlight of my week for the next four years. My children were 4, 9, and 11 when the dinners began. I have no doubt those magical evenings will forever be ingrained into their consciousness.

R’Karsh’s children, wife, and grandchildren shopped for, prepared, and hosted the meal each week. It was an incredible amount of work. There was always plenty of food, and no RSVP was ever needed.

The dinners attracted singles, individuals undergoing conversion, travelers, non-religious Jews seeking to connect, and sometimes, non-Jews simply interested in learning about Jewish observance. From time to time, couples from the community joined as well.

Attendance was varied, ranging from nine to 30+ guests.

But, all good things must come to an end. Or at least, change form.

At the end of 5785, we learned that the program was ending.

Since completing my conversion in 2023, my home, which is just down the block from the shul, became the “back-up” location in the rare event the TLC dinner did not take place.

It appears that my home has now become the “primary” location.

Donations will cover paper and plasticware, food and wine, and, hopefully one day, a second fridge.

Please consider donating so that these dinners can continue. I am honored and excited that this mitzva/torch has been passed along to me, and I need your help to make it happen.

Those in our core group, which continues to grow, and countless others have benefited from this dinner in ways that words cannot touch.

With your help - we, and others like us, can continue to deepen our spirituality, grow, and spread, the Light of Shabbat.

Finally, if you or anyone you know would like to join us for this dinner, RSVP is appreciated by Tuesday evening of each week.

Please call or text [phone redacted] to RSVP.