Administrative Director’s Message - By Lea Grover

Seven years ago, my family moved to McHenry County and found MCJC. In Chicago, we sent our kids to a Jewish preschool and kindergarten, but we feared finding a Jewish community in which our kids could thrive would be impossible out in the sticks. What we found in MCJC was tremendous kindness and love, and a place where we could put down our roots.

A year and a half ago my husband, Mike, died. Despite the pandemic, the MCJC community was there:  sitting shiva on Zoom, bringing meals, standing in the snow in front of our home to say the Mourner’s Kaddish with me and my children.

When the MCJC board reached out to me to become the new Administrative Director, I had to say, “Yes!”  I’m a graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, where I majored in public administration. Since then I have worked in non-profit administration and project management, working primarily with organizations combatting sexual violence and human trafficking. My work has included fundraising, social media management, and community outreach.

There hasn’t been anyone at the administrative helm at MCJC in quite some time, and as a result many incredibly dedicated volunteers have taken over as much as they can in regards to running the shul. My role is to help the shul simplify and streamline, so we are able to do more to support each other and our congregation as a whole. 

Anything I can do to help MCJC grow and thrive, I want to do. I want to give back. I want to help MCJC do for other families what it has done for mine - give Jewish families in McHenry County a home, a family, and what I know will be lifelong friendships.

Thank you for the chance to use my skills and experience to help MCJC thrive.