“Where did the name River Grove come from?”. You may ask. Well, it all started with the Des Plaines River, a muddy, shallow stream. German and Nordic settlers came to this place and were amazed by the towering ash trees that lined the river. They had great respect for the “mystic ash” and felt they were home again. They named this place River Grove. River Grove was home to Cook County’s second oldest ash tree, estimated to be 240 years old. However, it’s sad to say but the invasive emerald ash borer killed off the ash trees, including the old one. The village has a long history that goes back to the Potawatomi tribe. In 1833, a half-French, half-Native American man named Claude LaFramboise owned the land that would later become River Grove. He sold the land to his sister and Jesse Walker. Walker’s son-in-law, David Everett, held Methodist services in his cabin. Today, Triton College stands on the site of Everett’s land. The village still has open green spaces: 350 acres of forest preserve, 290 acres of golf courses, and cemeteries, 35 acres for schools and six acres of parkland. River Grove is a place where you can appreciate history and nature.
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