Finally a New Calendar for the Tribe
For years, ChiTribe has been the go-to resource for Jewish events across Chicago, offering a comprehensive and constantly updated calendar of programs, social gatherings, and religious services. Since 2018, this calendar has served as a vital tool for the community, helping thousands of users find meaningful connections and events that fit their interests. In the past 6 years, the calendar has had some makeovers, filters were added, and a few other features. However, as technology has evolved, so have the challenges of maintaining an efficient and user-friendly calendar.
We are excited to announce that as of March 2025, ChiTribe officially launched a brand-new calendar platform, designed to streamline event submissions, improve accessibility, and reduce the hours of manual upkeep required to keep it running. It has a new look and even more functionality. Add your events to the calendar easier than ever before here>>
The Problem: A Calendar That Couldn’t Keep Up
Over the years, maintaining the ChiTribe calendar has become increasingly time-consuming, requiring significant volunteer hours for data entry and troubleshooting. Originally managed by ChiTribe founder Rebecca Schwab, the responsibility was taken over by Board Chair and Calendar Operations Manager Matt Weil in the last year. While the old system had served the community well, by mid-2024, it became clear that it was no longer sustainable.
“The calendar was experiencing performance issues,” Weil explained. “Organizers would submit events which we’d never receive. The calendar would slow down, freeze, and sometimes even prevent users from viewing events. This became especially problematic during the High Holidays when demand was at its peak.”
As a result, the board recognized the need for a more stable and automated system—one that could handle the increasing volume of events without requiring excessive manual intervention.
The Solution: A Smarter, AI-Focused Calendar
After careful evaluation, ChiTribe’s board selected a new platform known for its reliability, customizability, and AI-driven automation. This upgrade, spearheaded by Weil and fellow board member Yisroel Ebert, officially launched on March 2, 2025.
Our goal is to make the calendar more stable long-term while also improving the design and user experience. The new system allows us to be less dependent on manual entry, making it easier to keep events accurate and up-to-date.
Matt Weil, ChiTribe Board and Calendar Manager
The transition to this modernized system is part of ChiTribe’s broader mission to embrace technology and ensure that Jewish Chicagoans can easily find and engage with events that matter to them.
What This Means for the Community
While the new calendar may come with a brief adjustment period, the benefits are clear:
✅ Improved Performance: Faster loading times and fewer technical issues.
✅ Easier Event Submissions: A more user-friendly submission process for organizers.
✅ Less Manual Labor: Reduced reliance on volunteers for data entry and troubleshooting.
✅ Better Design & Customization: A cleaner, more modern look that enhances usability.
We appreciate the community’s patience as we fine-tune the new system. We encourage everyone to continue using the calendar and exploring all the great events Chicago’s Jewish scene has to offer.
Matt Weil, ChiTribe Board and Calendar Manager
With this upgrade, ChiTribe is ensuring that Jewish Chicagoans have a seamless and reliable way to stay connected—now and in the years to come.
🚀 Check out the new calendar at ChiTribe’s website and start planning your next Jewish experience today.
The new calendar updates would not be possible without the tireless efforts of Matt Weil. Thank you for all the hard work and sleepless nights making sure ChiTribe lived to see another day, and that our calendar remains supreme.
