Congregation Beth Judea Man of the Year honored
The Midwest region of the Federation of Jewish Men's Club held its Man of the Year brunch on Feb. 19 at Beth Hillel Congregation B'nai Emunah in Wilmette. The brunch honored the Men of the Year from various Conservative Jewish congregations.
Congregation Beth Judea's Men's Club of Long Grove honored Jerry Sakol at its 2012 Man of the Year. Sakol has been a member of Beth Judea and its adult choir since 1994, and is now a member of the synagogue's board of directors.
Sakol is a professional electrician and has been a member of the Electrician's Union since 1976. He personally built Beth Judea's solar Ner Tamid. He is also involved in musical theater as has performed with the Glenview Theatre Guild for the last eight years.
What makes Sakol special in his commitment to doing Mitzvot? Before joining Beth Judea, from 1983-1986, he was a para chaplain under Rabbi Charney at Northwest Suburban Congregation and visited the ill and those in nursing homes and on a one-on-one basis. He was a leader in the Boy Scouts and on Beth Judea's Mitzvah Day and arranges to have congregations bring their dogs to the Brentwood Nursing Home in Riverwoods. Since 1998, Sakol has helped feed the homeless through PADS. From 2002-2005 he volunteered at the Jewish Home for the Blind.
Sakol has become active in Beth Judea's Men's Club the past few years and has stepped up his commitment to doing Mitzvot. He is presently on the Men's Club board of directors, and is currently the co-chair of its Mitzvah committee. He is responsible for the men's club PADS program and works at finding volunteers to help at the Lieberman Geriatric Center.
Fred Rabinowitz, president of Beth Judea's Men's Club, said, “Jerry can always be counted on to pitch in and help with whatever the Men?s Club needs, from playing Haman in a play the Men's Club puts on for the preschool kids or helping at the Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, even though he doesn't play. What best typifies Jerry was when we were at the Lieberman Geriatric Center together, after helping the residents back to their rooms, he spent time just sitting, talking and listening with one lonely, elderly gentleman. Jerry is just a good man.”
Sakol said, “Being selected Man of the Year is a very humbling experience when one considers previous honorees and all that they have done and continue to do. I am deeply honored to be included among such a fine group of individuals. Thank you.”
Sakol is married to Hedi and they live in Buffalo Grove. Their adult children are Lauren (Marty) Bolger and Daniel.
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