Have you ever considered the importance of parks in a community? Lan-Oak Park in Lansing, Illinois, has a story that goes far beyond just swings and slides. In 1949, a Park District was established in Lansing, named after the two settlements that formed the village. It started with a competition for the local schoolchildren to name it. The winning children were rewarded with savings bonds and the park was named after the two settlements, Lansing and Oak Glen. This beautiful park, as you see it now, was a key part of Lansing. The Park District acquired more land and developed a diverse collection of parks in the 1960s, some even including pools and sports complexes. The district acquired a vacant Pennsylvania Railroad in the early 2000s, which led to the creation of the Pennsy Greenway, a bike trail that is part of the Grand Illinois Trail.
This means that you can ride the bicycle trail from this very spot all the way to the heart of Chicago. Lan-Oak Park has played a major role in the community of Lansing, from its original commitment to providing recreational space to its ambitious vision for the Pennsy Greenway.
Congregation Or Torah
Rabbi Zvi Engel’s leadership guides Congregation Or Torah. This impressive Modern Orthodox Synagogue stands proudly in Skokie Illinois. It’s one