Longtime Beth Shalom Rabbi To Retire

Submitted by Congregation Beth Shalom

Rabbi Carl Wolkin, who has served as Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom for 35 years, and his wife, Judy, will retire effective June 30, 2015.

He became Congregation Beth Shalom’s third rabbi when he was hired in 1980. Under his leadership, the Northbrook congregation grew from 500 families to more than 1,200 families. During his tenure, he started the popular “Shabbat Under the Stars” services and led or participated in more than 20 trips and missions to Israel.

Rabbi Wolkin has served as president of the Northbrook Clergy Association, the Chicago Region of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Chicago Board of Rabbis. He has been a member of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Board of Directors. He also served as president of the Community Mikvah of the Conservative Movement, and is on the Rabbinic Advisory Council of the Chicagoland Jewish High School.

In 2004, Rabbi Wolkin was in the first group of graduates of the Center for Rabbinic Enrichment of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. This group of North American rabbis completed a three-year program of study at the institute in Jerusalem and in the United States.

His interest in becoming a rabbi began as a teen when he became involved in United Synagogue Youth (USY) and attended Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. Rabbi Wolkin received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1973. After teaching at Temple Israel in Great Neck, N.Y., he was hired as its assistant rabbi. Eight years later, he received the offer from Congregation Beth Shalom.

Judy Wolkin – who swore she’d never marry a rabbi – met Carl at Camp Ramah and they dated while both attended universities in New York. They married in 1969, and raised two sons. Her cooking classes for Congregation Beth Shalom’s Sisterhood and the JCC led to the creation of two cookbooks. She recently retired after teaching more than 20 years at Solomon Schechter Day School.

Calliing his wife “the most important person in my life and the key to my success as a rabbi,” Rabbi Wolkin added, “I’ve lived a charmed life for which I’m very grateful. I’ve worked with marvelous people, and I’d like to be known as a rabbi who helped people grow.”

Carl and Judy Wolkin will be honored at a program and reception on Sunday, June 28. They plan on staying in the community, and Rabbi Wolkin will serve the congregation as Rabbi Emeritus. Rabbi Aaron Melman, who was hired at Congregation Beth Shalom in 2002, will assume the position of Head Rabbi.

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