The Venues

Oak Park Temple is located at 1235 N. Harlem Ave in Oak Park, IL, 60302 just north of Division Street, and a few blocks south of North Avenue. 

Plane

O'Hare and Midway airports are equally accessible from Oak Park - about 30 minutes by car from either.  If you choose to stay in the city of Chicago, Midway is more convenient. While there are some public transportation options, we recommend taking an uber/taxi to your accommodations.

Car

From the Western suburbs, take I-290 and exit Harlem turning left to go North. From the Southern suburbs, take I-55 and exit Harlem Northbound.  From the Northern suburbs, take I-90/94 East to I-290 West and exit Harlem turning right to go North. 

Parking is most easily accessible just north of the temple off Berkshire.

The 19th Century Charitable Association is located at 178  Forest #1 in Oak Park, IL, 60302 just north of Lake Street, and a few blocks south of Chicago Avenue. 

Plane

O'Hare and Midway airports are equally accessible from Oak Park - about 30 minutes by car from either.  If you choose to stay in the city of Chicago, Midway is more convenient. While there are some public transportation options, we recommend taking an uber/taxi to your accommodations.

Car

From the Western suburbs, take I-290 and exit Harlem turning left to go North. From the Southern suburbs, take I-55 and exit Harlem Northbound.  From the Northern suburbs, take I-90/94 East to I-290 West and exit Harlem turning right to go North.  

Turn right off of Harlem and go east on Lake Street. Then turn left (north) onto Forest. If you reach Oak Park Ave, you've gone too far.

Parking for the 19th Century Club is in the paid garage on Forest Ave. next to the 19th Century Club facilities lot. Please bring your garage ticket so we can cover the parking!

Oak Park Temple B'nai Abraham Zion is one of Chicago's oldest Reform Jewish congregations. In 1919 two congregations merged and built a temple on West Washington Boulevard (photo below right): the North Lawndale early American reform Zion congregation (top left photo) with the orthodox B'nai Abraham congregation from the Maxwell Street neighborhood (bottom left photo) . To accommodate growing membership and shifting populations they built the current temple in Oak Park in 1957 that now serves over 550 family members. 

Established in 1891 by members who realized that charitable activities, education and civic involvement were essential elements in building a community, the Nineteenth Century Club has been a leader in providing opportunities for women and in developing support systems for families within the community. Upon its incorporation in 1909, the Club adopted as its purpose “the intellectual advancement of its members, the promotion of higher social, educational and moral conditions in the community, and a united effort toward the higher development of humanity”. The organization continues to follow the vision of the founders with membership that welcomes all men and women.

The founders were active in campaigning for women's rights. They initiated many local organizations such as traveling libraries, day care (including founding the Oak Park-River Forest Day Nursery), the local mental health organization now known as THRIVE Counseling Center, and other early local women's organizations that led to such groups as the League of Women Voters and the Infant Welfare Society.