Approximately 500 people attended the annual Purim Carnival at Am Shalom in Glencoe on Sunday, March 5.
Am Shalom Senior Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein once again presided over a significant attraction of the Purim Carnival which was the head shaving event to benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Am Shalom has incorporated the head shaving fundraiser to its Purim Carnival for a decade. Newer to the head shaving spectacle is an antique barber chair with Jewish heritage that Lowenstein procured a few years ago via auction.
“Every year I have a goal of (raising) $36,000,” Lowenstein said, of the desired amount to donate to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charity which supports research to find cures for childhood cancer.
“We’ll make the goal, we always do,” Lowenstein said. “This is my 10th year shaving and up ’til this year, I’ve raised $233,000.”
Ally Engel of Deerfield indicated feeling, “so proud,” of son Jacob Engel, 11, a fifth-grader, who had his head shaved in support of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
“I’m so appreciative that he’s learning to give back so young,” Jacob’s mother said.
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-10th) stopped by to visit the Purim Carnival and had the role of shaving Lowenstein’s head on a raised stage which overlooked carnival games.
“It’s important to celebrate Purim,” Schneider said with a smile.
More Top Picks Best Medicine Cabinets
This year Purim began on the evening of Monday, March 6 and ended on the evening of Tuesday, March 7.
Purim is a joyous Jewish holiday marking the saving of the Jewish people who were delivered from a fulfillment of a royal death decree during ancient Persia.
Purim is celebrated with costumes, carnivals and holiday desserts, among festivities. Philanthropy and helping others are traditional to Purim.
At Am Shalom, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation head shaving fundraiser became a part of the Purim Carnival in memory of Sam Sommer, son of Am Shalom’s director of congregational learning Rabbi Phyllis Sommer of Highland Park.
Sam died on Dec. 14, 2013 when he was 8 from Acute myeloid leukemia.
“He had the worst kind,” Sam’s mother said of her son’s aggressive cancer form diagnosis in 2012.
Sam went into remission until a relapse. Sam received a bone-marrow transplant.
Phyllis and Michael Sommer are also the parents of David, 21, Yael, 16, and Solomon, a sixth-grader. Michael Sommer is rabbi at Har-Shalom Synagogue of Northbrook.
“Sam was an amazing young man who loved the Purim Carnival,” Lowenstein said. “And about two months before he died, he asked me a question.”
Lowenstein, Sam and Sam’s mother were at a Highland Park restaurant so Sam could have French fries and perhaps his favorite grilled cheese. Sam knew that his cancer had progressed and was incurable.
At the lunch, Lowenstein recalled, “He (Sam) asked who was going to officiate at his funeral and I looked at Phyllis, his mom, and I said, ‘I will.’
“And I said (to Sam), ‘Well, is there anything that you want?’ He said, he would like two things, one is fireworks and the second is carnival games,” Lowenstein said. “So I took a deep breath and I said, ‘I’m not sure I can do fireworks at your funeral, but what if we do fireworks right away?’ and we organized the fireworks and to this day, 10 years later, every year in December, Am Shalom hosts a fireworks display at the Glencoe golf course (golf club) to remember Sam.”
“And we decided that it would be at the Purim Carnival that we would remember Sam, because this is where we have carnival games and prizes.”
Phyllis Sommer said about Sam, “He loved the Purim Carnival and he loved Rabbi Steve. He thought Rabbi Steve was the coolest person, one of his favorite people.”
“He was a great kid,” Sam’s mother said, recalling, “He had just turned 8 years old and I had to tell him that he was going to die … the hardest thing in the world. It was pretty unbelievable.”
At the Purim Carnival, Sam’s name was spoken in his memory.
“I have three other children who also love the Purim Carnival,” Phyllis Sommer said. “To my family, it’s a special day, not only because we know that we’re having a wonderful time in this way, but that we’re remembering Sam.”
Sam Sommer was known as “Superman Sam.” There were youngsters attending the carnival wearing costumes that channeled superheroes and popular characters beloved by children.
“This is so much joy,” Sam’s mother said about the Purim Carnival. “It brings so much joy to so many people. It’s really important.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.