Jewish Chaplaincy Services

Rabbi Joe has enjoyed a fulfilling career as a pulpit rabbi, educator, prolific author and board-certified chaplain for more than 40 years. He has worked full-time at JCFS Chicago since 2005 and presently serves as Rabbinic Counselor and Jewish Chaplaincy Services Chaplain.

Rabbi Joe is the immediate past President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis and currently serves as a national officer of Neshama: The Association of Jewish Chaplains. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Rabbi Joe completed his undergraduate (honors) work at Loyola University Chicago, was ordained with Semicha at Skokie’s Hebrew Theological College, and received a Doctorate from Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania.

Rabbi Joe’s first book, To Walk in God’s Ways: Jewish Pastoral Perspectives on Illness and Bereavement is considered a standard in the field of Judaism and Pastoral Care.

Fortunée is a Conservative Cantor and board-certified Jewish Chaplaincy Services Chaplain. She is a member of the Cantors Assembly and Neshama: The Association of Jewish Chaplains, and enjoys the best of both worlds.

As an educator, Cantor Belilos is an innovator of inclusive Jewish Sabbath and holiday programming suitable for seniors in residential settings, replete with opportunities for self-expression and interaction. She also serves NorthShore University Health System hospitals, CJE SeniorLife and Ezra Habonim Niles Township Jewish Congregation in Skokie.

Cantor Belilos graduated from Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Rabbi Paul is a Reform Rabbi and Jewish Chaplaincy Services Chaplain. He has worked with Hillel at several universities, and served as Executive Director of The Hillels of Illinois from 1995-2012.

He completed chaplain training with an internship at Rush Medical Hospital and was a resident chaplain at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He was ordained by Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, and received a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Missouri and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago.

Rabbi Paul has been a member of Orthodox synagogues for 30 years and is a long-time member and former president of Congregation Anshei Sholom, B’nai Israel in Chicago.

Rabbi Eliezer “Lazer” Hershkovich is a Russian speaking Orthodox rabbi who was raised in Chicago. He received his ordination from Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch France and has held rabbinic internships in Germany, Italy, Morocco, the Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Since returning to Chicago in 2010, he has worked with his family at F.R.E.E. the Russian Chabad program. In addition, he founded Chabad Cares, a program that he leads with his wife. This organization provides programs and services with volunteers in several health care facilities. Lazer is participating in Clinical Pastoral Education at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

Rabbi Suzanne Griffel has enjoyed a varied rabbinic career for nearly 30 years. She has served as a Hillel rabbi at the University of Chicago, Rabbi of Congregation Or Chadash, a synagogue with special outreach to the Jewish LGBTQ community, and after a year-long residency in Clinical Pastoral Education at Rush University Medical Center, she served as a chaplain at JourneyCare hospice. In 2017 she became the rabbi of Sinai Temple in Indiana and recently became a Jewish Chaplaincy Services Chaplain. Rabbi Suzanne is a board-certified member of Neshamah: Association of Jewish Chaplains and a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.  She has served on the Chicago Board of Rabbis and the Chicago Association of Reform Rabbis, is an active member of the Progressive Chevra Kadisha, and serves on the board of the Selfhelp Home.