[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1166-E1167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING RABBI NEIL BRIEF

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 28, 2021

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th 
Anniversary of Rabbi Neil Brief's service to Ezra Habonim Niles 
Township Jewish Congregation and the Skokie, Illinois community. In 
1971 Rabbi Brief became the Rabbi for the Congregation, and he became 
Rabbi Emeritus in 2004.
  Rabbi Brief overcame poverty as a child and developed his leadership 
skills by becoming president of the Brooklyn Brownsville Boys Club and 
coaching two club championship basketball teams.
  He attended New York University and distinguished himself at Hebrew 
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion through his study of 
numerology, which he later adapted to meet the needs of his 
congregants. He worked throughout his higher education, as a waiter, 
busboy, camp counselor and teaching religious school. He then served 
his country as an Army Chaplain, counseling soldiers of all faiths and 
rising to the rank of Captain within two years.
  Rabbi Brief helped bring people together. He brought Skokie's clergy 
closer together through spearheading the creation of and serving as 
president of the Niles Township Clergy Forum. And he helped strengthen 
his congregants' marriages through his leadership in Jewish Marriage 
encounter.
  Rabbi Brief helped lead and serve his community through his work with 
the Skokie Commission on Family Services, the Rotary Club, the United 
Way of Skokie Valley and many other service organizations.
  He has always stood by those who were oppressed and through his 
congregational, interfaith, political and humanist work, helped create 
Skokie spirit and become a true leader in the community. He helped 
organize rallies drawing thousands of people to protest prejudice in 
the community.
  Rabbi Brief trained as a Reform rabbi and is a member of the 
rabbinical organizations of Judaism's Reform, Conservative, and 
Reconstructionist.
  Rabbi Brief and his beloved late wife Erica, raised three children in 
Skokie--Dena, David, and Debra--all of whom graduated from Niles North 
High School. They were married for 57 years.
  On this momentous occasion, I wish to congratulate Rabbi Neil Briefs 
50 years of service to Ezra Habonim Niles Township Jewish Congregation 
and the Skokie, Illinois community. He has been a treasured friend to 
me and my family, and an inspiring leader in our community.

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