Shalom Klein’s Blog

Kick-Off Event to Revitalize West Devon Launches “Storefront Makeover Contest,” Says Former Chicago Housing Commissioner

Posted on by Shalom Klein
West Rogers Park' Devon Business Community
Dozens of business owners gathered together for the first ever meeting of the Devon Merchants, facilitated by the West Rogers Park Jewish Community Council

A Storefront Makeover Contest for Devon Avenue businesses between California and Kedzie will pay $2,500 to the winning storeowner, with cash prizes of $1,500 and $1,000 to the second and third place winners, respectively, announced Michael Schubert, a former Chicago commissioner of housing.

Schubert, special consultant to a committee of the West Rogers Park Jewish Community Council focused on strengthening West Rogers Park as a desirable neighborhood, unveiled the contest at a networking event for Devon Avenue merchants held July 30 at newly remodeled Ted’s Fresh Market, 2840 W. Devon.

“This is the first of many programs aimed at recreating Devon Avenue as an exciting international marketplace,” said Shalom Klein, community organizer and business consultant and vice president of Moshe Klein and Associates.

The program, featuring a continental breakfast, attracted some 20 storeowners, business people, and community activists who share a common goal of upgrading Devon Avenue.

“Communities go through stages,” said Schubert, who played a key role in the revitalization of Bucktown and Wicker Park. “First, cynicism, that things won’t get better. Then that gets chipped away and attitudes change as momentum builds.”

Howard Rieger of West Rogers Park, past president and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America, the national umbrella organization of federated Jewish philanthropies, who volunteered to convene the community-revitalization committee with Rabbi Leonard Matanky of Cong. KINS, said, “The Jewish community has a huge stake in preserving West Rogers Park because this is the core Jewish neighborhood in Chicago, with an enormous investment in institutions that would be impossible to recreate.”

The Storefront Makeover Contest is set to run September 1 through November 30.

Schubert explained that once entrants file an application, a “before” storefront photo will be taken. Rejuvenation projects – whether involving new signage, doors or windows, or improved window displays – can then begin. “It’s pretty much anything that will make your store more welcoming to customers.” After the work is completed, an “after” photo will be taken. A panel of design professionals will review submissions.

The first 25 entrants will receive a $25 gift certificate from Home Depot.

Among those who attended the reception hosted by George Ballis of Ted’s Fresh Market were Esther Sabo, Tel Aviv Bakery; Richard Trumbo, Music House Academy of Music and Dance; Amer Chaudhry, Care & Care; Drs. Fatima and Anwar Mohiuddin, Universal Medical Center Rehab; Irv Loundy, Devon Bank; Rabbi Tzvi Bider, Chicago Center for Torah & Chesed, and Barbara Singal, principal of Business Operations Solution, and Amie Zander, president and executive director, respectively of the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

“Devon is a diamond in the rough, and now’s the time to make it shine,” said Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th Ward). Silverstein assured storeowners that Devon Avenue streetscape improvements set to begin within the coming year will not upend parking on both sides of the street at the same time.  “Wider sidewalks will be great for sidewalk cafes,” she said.

For further information about the Storefront Makeover Contest, contact Mike Schubert at mfscds@aol.com

What's your BIG business idea? Arevim Entrepeneurship Panel has an opening for 1 idea pitch on Thursday evening at 6pm and we want to hear from YOU!

Posted on by Shalom Klein

Have you launched your new business, or are you ready to?

Arevim Entrepeneurship Center

About Arevim Entrepeneurship Center 

By helping small businesses launch, expand and improve their profitability, we’re also helping them create jobs in the Chicago area.  This helps everyone. That is why we offer support and educational training programs for all entrepreneurs, even home-based businesses*.

We provide one-on-one business advice at no charge for existing and start-up small businesses. We offer entrepreneurial training, business assistance, and mentoring.

Submit your idea at: http://www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/arevim-entrepeneurship-program

Join me at Downtown Skokie's Wednesdays on the Green TONIGHT with the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band

Posted on by Shalom Klein

The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band will play at 7PM on August 7th.

Maxwell Street Klezmer Band
All the Wednesdays on the Green events begin at 7PM and are held on the Village Green.
The Village Green is located in between the Skokie Public Library and Skokie Village Hall on Oakton Street.
Plenty of free parking all around the event.

 

What is Maxwell Street?
Maxwell Street was to Chicago what the Lower East Side was to New York. At the turn of the century, when the first wave of immigrants came to America, Maxwell Street became famous for its open-air Sunday marketplace crowded with Jewish pushcart peddlers, creating a carnival atmosphere enjoyed by Chicagoans and visitors alike. Like the Yiddish theater of yesteryear, a performance of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band brings the optimism, pathos, irony, zest for life, and unique humor of the American Jewish immigrant to the modern stage.

Band Biography
In 1983, before klezmer music gained its recent popularity, Lori Lippitz founded the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band. Working within the Chicago Jewish community, the band reintroduced traditional dance music to weddings and other Jewish celebrations. Over the years, the band has performed on stages across the country (including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center) and played nine tours in Europe. Their third CD, You Should Be So Lucky!, is one of the ten best-selling klezmer recordings in America.

Maxwell Street is:

  • The founder of the Klezmer Music Foundation and organizer of the Midwest Klezmer and Yiddish Music Institute (since 1995) at the Kaplan JCC, the Midwest’s only annual forum for klezmer and Yiddish music workshops. The Institute attracts over 800 participants a year and trains musicians of all ages.
  • The sponsor of the Chicago Junior Klezmer Orchestra, a training ground for young klezmer musicians, since 1993
  • A founding partner of the Yiddish Arts Ensemble, scoring and staging original English-language musicals based upon Yiddish folklore.
  • On the roster of the Illinois Arts Council Artstour of recommended performers.

The Style
Clarinet, saxophone, violin, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass and percussion make up the band, rounded out by a duet of female singers. Musical Director Alex Koffman spices the band’s potpourri of Yiddish songs, dance and theater music with his original arrangements, inspired by his classical and jazz background. With its big band instrumentation, Maxwell Street moves easily among various styles: Russian and gypsy music, folk songs, theater songs and Yiddish pop songs from the 1920′s-50′s. Their performance creates a multi-dimensional picture of the lost Jewish culture of Eastern Europe, spiced with vignettes of America seen through immigrant eyes.

"Papa Was a Rolling Stone"… Did you know that Keshet and the Professional Leadership Board has secured The Temptations for our annual concert on November 16th?

Posted on by Shalom Klein

Keshet hosts The Temptations

A special rate of $50 is available for young professionals to attend our annual concert, featuring The Temptations. So, what are you waiting for?

RSVP via Facebook at: 
The Temptations! A Benefit Concert for the Children and Adults of Keshet

AND purchase your ticket at:
www.Keshet.org

 

 

Thank you to U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider for his remarks to Congress congratulating Jewish B2B Networking on our growth and community resources

Posted on by Shalom Klein

Representative Brad Schneider Congressional Remarks on Jewish B2B Networking

HON. BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, August 1, 2013
 

  • Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of Jewish B2B Networking (B2B) and its founder, Shalom Klein, for his tireless work to connect people and promote the benefits of professional networking in the Jewish community.

 

  • Still early in his career, Mr. Klein has developed a reputation for bringing people together and forging relationships. B2B began in in 2010 and has achieved great success. Mr. Klein understood that in times of economic contraction, building relationships is just as important as having the rights skills.

 

  • By setting out to build powerful professional networks, Mr. Klein has offered help to thousands searching for jobs, employees or new resources.

 

  • At any one of the many B2B-sponsored networking events, you may find hundreds of professionals–young and experienced–looking to make meaningful contacts. I am pleased that many of these events take place throughout my district.

 

  • Even with B2B’s incredible success already, Mr. Klein has not slowed his initiative. He is constantly looking for new ways to expand and new tools and resources to share.

 

  • Mr. Klein has worked so hard to ensure that the success of B2B is enjoyed by the entire community.

 

  • After all, fostering these connections not only helps the jobseekers and businesses, but strengthens the whole community by bringing all of its members together. I congratulate Shalom Klein and B2B on its success and look forward to following its future.

 

 

The Skokie Review recently profiled my community involvement: Small business guru Shalom Klein takes on robust schedule

Posted on by Shalom Klein

Shalom Klein in Skokie ReviewThere may be no busier person in Skokie than Shalom Klein who lives there, works there and volunteers much of his time there.

And there may be no busier month for Klein than June.

Klein helps run Moshe Klein & Associates Ltd., his father’s bookkeeping and accounting firm that helps small businesses. It has two offices on Dempster Street in Skokie – on the east side and the newer office on the west side near the Skokie Swift train station.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding Klein’s activities, especially in helping small businesses grow and connect with job-seekers.

Next week, he will stage the third annual free The Business Event at Evanston High School. It will host important small businesses and key speakers and will draw thousands of people. Later this month, he will chair Skokie’s first Economic Development Commission meeting. He is founder, steering committee member and former chair of The Dempster Street Merchants Association. Newly married, he is also pursuing an advanced degree in Jewish professional studies in business and administration.

Read more at Skokie Review…

I am joining the Dempster Street Merchants Association and the Skokie Chamber of Commerce in supporting the investment of high-speed internet options from AT&T Illinois in Skokie

Posted on by Shalom Klein

Letter of Support for AT&T

 

 

Dear Skokie Mayor Van Dusen and Village Trustees,

 

The Dempster Street Merchants Association is a team of businesses focused on revitalizing and modernizing this historic street, especially here in Skokie.  We recognize the past, but we are building for the future.

 

In today’s economy, access to high-speed data networks, or high speed Internet, is essential to operate efficiently, better serve customers and truly compete in a global marketplace.

 

Businesses in surrounding villages are benefitting from the faster internet speeds and competition in communications networks provided by the U-verse network from AT&T.  Businesses in Skokie should too.

 

That’s why the Dempster Street Merchants Association strongly supports bringing AT&T U-verse to Skokie.

 

High-speed internet networks are essential to virtually every business in every industry, including our members in professional services, retail, automotive, education, health care, insurance and news and media services.

 

This is a very good product from a reputable company seeking to bring new services to benefit our village.  We’re fortunate to be a community with a strong economy.  But we must continue to advance our infrastructure, and broadband is the economic development infrastructure of the 21st century.

 

For our businesses and our economy, we encourage you to take action to bring the AT&T U-verse high-speed internet network to Skokie.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Shalom Klein

Dempster Street Merchants Association