Thousands of families in our community are caught between the rising cost of food and housing and shrinking government safety-net programs. No matter where they turn, it feels like every door is locked—until they come to The Ark, where they are met with compassion and understanding that comes from decades of caring for the most vulnerable.
Our 2026 Dinner-Less Dinner celebrates the power of community to Unlock Possibilities for those who are facing hardships.
Join us with a gift today, and help more than 5,000 Chicagoland Jews find strength, a sense of belonging, and hope for a brighter future.
When Jeremy was laid off, his world began to fall apart. He lost his health insurance and fell behind on his rent.
Thankfully, he turned to The Ark.
Our food pantry unlocked a door to keep food on the table.
Our health clinics unlocked a door to urgently needed care.
Our housing specialist unlocked a door for his family to stay in their home.
Our employment professional unlocked a door to a steady new job and a path back toward stability.
The generosity of our community turns possibilities into reality for people like Jeremy, who urgently need our support.
For more than 20 years, our community has treasured the Dinner-Less Dinner. Last year, nearly 1,500 supporters came together to raise more than $2 million to open doors for everyone in need in our community.
Because our signature annual fundraiser is “Dinner-Less,” with no large in-person gathering, you can give with the confidence that your entire contribution will directly enable vital services to meet urgent financial, medical, and emotional needs.
We recognize with gratitude the following donors of $1,800 or more to The Ark’s 2026 Dinner-Less Dinner, as of December 31, 2025.
It’s not too late to join our Host Committee with a gift or pledge of $1,800 or more, or support The Ark with a gift of any amount.
*Board of Directors **Board of Trustees
Francine** and Dr. Anthony Brown**
The Cohen Family
Klaff Family Foundation
Harriette and Ted Perlman
Karyn* and Bill Silverstein
Taxman Family Foundation
Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation
Daniel and Karen Kales Lee Family Foundation
Michael Lewis Company
Art and Jackie Schneider
The Sheba Foundation, In memory of Paul Wigoda z’’l
Ken* and Paula Weissman
Anonymous
Sarah and Gabor Balassa
Martin and Mary L. Boyer Family Foundation
Robert Cheifetz and Sandra Raitt
Carey and Dr. Cheryl Cooper
The Golder Family
Robert and Debbie Hartman**
Micky Hervitz and Leeatt Rothschild
Jill** and Douglas A. Hirsh
JBS Foundation
Jacob and Edy Kupietzky*
Adam and Lindsey Labkon
Mark and Marilyn Labkon
Laurie** and Todd Lustbader**
Missy* and Allan Malmed**
Jeff and Jill Meltzer
Susan and Leonard Rubin*
Dr. Kenneth Saffir
Kimberly** and Perry Shwachman
Barb and Michael Zaransky**
Associated Agencies
Nina and Arnie Harris
Ben** and Michelle Klein**
Will Lennon** and Shari Helft Lennon
Irving and Roberta Lewis Charitable Foundation
Jen and Andy Lucas**
Dr. Randy and Gila Robinson*
Burton and Sheli Rosenberg
Janet Winter
Robert Wrobel
Anonymous (4)
Robert and Beverly Berman
Vivian and Nathan Bloch**
Stuart and Dafna Gabel
Glenn** and Donna Garfinkel
Ilea Goldberg
Steven* and Pamela Handmaker
Jeffrey Harris
Janice Honigberg
Beverly Horn
Jeffrey and Sandra Kellman
Craig and Carol Levin
George and Sarah Ohlhausen Foundation
Hella and Eli Okman
Jeffrey* and Hilda Piell
Richard and Linda Price**
Sol and Harriet Price
Elliott and Ronni Robinson, Freda Robinson
Jennie and Avi Rothner
M. Rubenstein
David and Aviva Rubin
Steven Rukin
Senser Foundation
In memory of David Shmikler z”l
Marc and Melissa Spellman
Abraham J. and Suri Stern
Todd** and Raphaela Stern**
Jan Tranen
Dr. David and Bonita Turner
Robert and Keren Vishny
Walt and Ruth Weissman
Barbara and Steve Wolf
Debra Wrobel
Matthew Zell Family Foundation
Anonymous
Michael and Helen Arkes
J.R. and Katie Berger
Sharen* and Marc Berman
David and Ruth Binter
Zivit and Steven Blonder*
Dr. Jayme and Anne Brentan
Margie Breyer and Glen Marder
Sheila and David Cahnman
Stan* and Sasha Diskin
Ms. Alexandra Dunietz
Linda Fisher
Dr. Naomi and Jeremy Fogel
Joel and Arla Gomberg
Robert Greenman
Mark and Barbara Gutman
Jonathan Hanus
Debra Korman
Dr. Jerome and Jan Loew
Frank and Karen Metzger
Yossi and Alisa Miller
Alan* and Katie Polansky
Ronald and Linda Rashkow
Keryn and David Schreiber
Alan* and Janet Sear
Jonathan Smith and Nancy Gerstein, In memory of Racheline Schreim z”l
Karen and Sy Zilberstein
Anonymous (5)
Susan and Bill Abrams
Floyd and Elaine Abramson
Amalgamated Bank of Chicago
Susan Ament
Yossi and Robin Azaraf, ATN Inc.
Paula Barnett and Gary Ruben
The Bellick Family
Joan Bellows
Gita and Allan Berk
Alissa Berman
Diane and Norm Blumenthal
Laurie and Jerry Borden
Marc Brenner and Jennifer Diamond
Larry and Janice Brown
Dr. Barry and Dr. Carmel Chiswick
Jane Colman
Randee and Gerry Curciarello
Eliyahu and Chasida Davis
Mariya* and Max Dayan
Dewoskin/Roskin Foundation
David and Susan Diamond
Dr. Nehama Dresner
Dan and Debbie Eisenstein
LaDona and Paul Fishkin
Wendy Fox* and Jon Schneider
David Gewolb
Larry and Marla Gilbert
Ari* and Michael Goldsmith
Jeffrey and Susan Gumbiner
Gurtz Family Foundation
Nancy Gutfreund
Margi and Michael Kahn
Dr. Daniel* and Sharon Katz
Dr. and Mrs. Steven Katz
Steven and Ethel Kikoler
Sue and Jordan Klein
Pamela Kopelman and Ted Gouwens
Gary and Debbie Lindon
Josh* and Elana Lipman
Marjorie and Bret Maxwell
Evan Meyers and Marni Futterman
Steven and Diane Miller
Bryan Mittelman and Adrienne Felder
Aaron and Helene Paris
Carole and David Perlman
Jeffrey C. Rubenstein
Saul and Gail Rudo
Biff Ruttenberg Foundation
The Schnitzer Family Foundation
David Schreibman and Lynne Levey
Hal and Cindy Schwartz
Dr. Lewis Seidenberg
Valerie and Lee Shapiro
In memory of Bea z”l and Nate Sherman z”l
Jay Shmikler and Karen Ross
Ernest and Judith Simon
Dr. Michael and Donna Socol
Michael and Rachel Stein
Unger Family Foundation
April* and Tom Victor
Julie Victor and Clyde Partner
Martin and Naomi Weitzel
Anonymous (7)
Maury and Ora Aaron
Bradley and Beth Alter
Eugene and Julie Amromin
Stuart and Phyllis Applebaum
Jeffrey and Lisa Aronin
Stuart and Nancy Babendir
David and Nicole Berger
Michael Bier and Dr. Susan Sigel
Jonathan and Rayli Blumberg
Rabbi Reuven* and Dr. Nechama Brand
Janice Braude
Barbara Breakstone
Lynne and Fred Brody
John and Jacolyn Bucksbaum Family Foundation
Maree Bullock
Mark and Jean Burnstine
Dianne Casuto
Deborah and Aaron Cooper
Dr. Robert Dann and Erica Regunberg
Morton and Reva Denlow
Scott and Marcia Dodelson
Ehrenfeld-Manaster Foundation
Dr. Arthur S. Elstein
Maury and Eynav Epstein
Burt z”l and Marion Fainman
Scott and Sara Fisher
Fogelson Family Foundation
Ronna and David Friedman
Robbie and Sarina Gerson
William Goldman
Marna and Daniel Goldwin
Allan and Chaya Gordon Burstyn
Rich and Jackie Gould
Janice Halpern
George and Barbara Hanus
Leslie and Richard Hanus
David and Chaya Tova Hartman
Michelle and Steven Hirsch
Gary and Sheri Hokin
Robert and Janey Jakubowich
Avi and Dr. Jami Josefson
Lev* and Orah Katz
Paul Kessler
Adam and Nancy Kibort
Douglas and Deborah Klein
Benjamin and Amanda Kleinman
Judy Kopelman
Jeffrey and Roberta Kwall
Franklin and Deborah Leibow
Joanie and Richard Leopold
Jonathan and Helayna Lewis
Jay Lewkowitz
William and Wendy Lipsman
Rod and Tracy Loewenthal
Monica and Richard Magid
Barry and Mindy Malkin
Steven Miller
Miramar Capital
Brian and Marsha Nagorsky
Douglas and Tracy Noren
Novick Family Foundation
Michael David Pakter
Adam Parker and Tamar Rubin
Ellen Sue and Jon Parker
Ruthie and Alan Pearlman
Michael** and Judy Philipp
Cindy and David Pogrund
Jenny and Max Puchtel
Diana and Bruce Rauner
Dr. Joseph and Dr. Stacy Raviv
David Rebnord and Marilyn Green-Rebnord
Roberta Rosell
Helen Rozenberg
Andrew Rubenstein
Carole Rubin
Rabbi David and Rebecca Russo
Ed and Diana Ruthman
Mimi and Rabbi Samuel Seleski
Marjorie Shafton
Ilene and Michael Shaw Charitable Trust
David and Susan Sherman
Robert and Barbara Shmikler
Lisa Siegel-Zagorin
Dr. Joseph and Renee Silberman
Michael and Teresa Silbert
Ron and Cathy Silver
Marc and Arla Silverstein
Irwin Smiley
Michael and Judy Smith
Adam and Libby Smoler
David Solow and Erin Yancey
Charles and Sondra Sonneborn
Terrie Stainman
Sandy Starkman and Larry Pachter
Dr. Michael Stein
Arthur Susman and Carole Stone
Karen and Jason Sussman
Warberg Asset Management
Dr. Michael and Sherry Warso
Bobby and Elyse Weiss
Lennie and Jessica Weiss
Stanley and Linda Weissbrot
Bruce and Tammy Werner
Dr. Clifford and Robin Wolf
Shabsai and Debra Wolfe
David and Andrea Yelin
Carol and Irv Yoskowitz
