Max and Dan: A Therapist and a Transit Planner’s Journey to Parenthood

Max and Dan are residents of Chicago’s delightful Andersonville neighborhood, who work as a self-employed psychotherapist (Max) and civil servant in the Federal Transit Administration (Dan). When Max and Dan met in 2015, things got serious quickly, and one of Max’s first big questions for him was whether he was interested in having children. When Dan said yes, Max knew it was the right match. As it turned out, that was also the beginning of Max’s journey towards Judaism and towards Mishkan, a progressive Jewish congregation that Dan introduced him to.
After our wedding in May 2022, Max decided he was ready to make it official. He joined Mishkan’s conversion class, and in August 2023, had his ritual mikvah immersion and was blessed in front of our whole congregation. As we plan for parenthood, we are excited to raise our children with progressive Jewish values of tefillah, teshuvah and tzedakah.
Max and Dan are recipients of the Path to Parenthood Grant from the Jewish United Fund – Chicago.