THE BETH HAMEDROSH HAGODOL KESSER MAARIV ANSHE LUKNIK NEWSLETTER ADAR I-II 5774 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2014

www.KesserMaariv.org UPCOMING EVENTS & DATES TO REMEMBER Classes for Women on Megillat Esther Serve Dinner at Caf ARK Women's Learning Opportunity - Series of text-based Volunteers are needed to Serve dinner at Caf ARK on classes on Megillat Esther taught by Sarah Kramer, Wednesday, March 19 at 5:00 pm. Please call Cookie Instructor at ICJA and Hillel Torah continues on Goldrich at (847) 673-8149 to sign up. Monday nights February 10, 17 and 24 at 7:30 pm at Card Standings the Shul. Due to popular demand the class has been Card Standings renewals are due! To have your name extended and will also meet on March 3 and 10. Join included when we send out a card for an occasion, the excitement of learning. No charge. please contact Wendy Hartz. Thanks to the new Talmud Class on Wednesday Night families who have joined the standings. Rabbi Benzie's Wednesday Night Shiur is studying Beautiful All Occasion Cards are available for Gemara Brachos! Shiur meets Wednesday after purchase from the office for $1.50 each or 13 cards for Maariv, at about 7:15 pm and is open to men and $18. Parsha Podcasts women of all levels. Rabbi Louis Lazovsky's morning Vort on the Parsha ARK Food and Toiletry Drive are now available as podcasts online at Our annual ARK Food and Toiletry Drive is now KMvort.podomatic.com (a link is on our homepage, underway. Non-Perishable Kosher Food Items Needed: www.KesserMaariv.org). On the right side of the Canned vegetables & fruits, canned and boxed meals Podomatic page you can subscribe via iTunes. (i.e., soup, macaroni & cheese), canned or dried beans Purim and peas, pasta, rice, Low sugar cereals, peanut butter, The Fast of Esther will take place on Thursday, March jelly/jam; condiments (i.e., ketchup, mustard); baby 13. The fast begins at 5:43 am, and ends at 7:25 pm. formula & baby foods; cake, cookie, pastry mixes; We will read the Megillah after Shabbat on instant mixes like potatoes, gravies and sauces; canned March 15, and on Sunday March 16th. We will read tuna, salmon ; Toiletries Needed: Shampoo, the Megillah after Shabbat is over on Saturday night conditioner, body wash, hand soap, deodorant, plastic March 15 at 8:20 pm. Make havdalah at home, and bags, diapers, baby products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, you may drive to shul for Megillah reading. floss. On Sunday March 16 we will daven Shacharit Please drop off food donations in the blue bin at 8:00 am and read Megillah at about 8:25 am. Last located in the shul lobby. Questions or for a pick-up Chance Megillah reading will be at 4:45 pm, and enjoy call Larry Weinger at (847) 677-2198. We will be a Purim Seudah (reservations required) at 5:30 pm collecting donations through Sunday, February 16th. with comedic entertainment. See the enclosed flyer for Annual JUF Event details on the Purim Seudah and Last Chance Please join us for our JUF dessert reception on behalf Megillah Reading. of the 2014 Jewish United Fund - Israel Emergency Coat Room Fund which will take place on on Sunday March 2 at If you have any clothing or other items in the Coat 7:00 pm. The Guest Speaker will be Dr. Bernd Room (not in a locker), please remove them by Wollschlaeger, a physician who was born, raised, and February 23, 2014 so we can clean and reorganize the educated in Germany. The son of a highly-decorated Coat Room. Thanks for your assistance. WWII tank commander and Nazi officer, Dr. Weekday Minyanim Wollschlaeger will share his story about the journey Weekday Shacharit is at 6:00 am. With Daylight from his Nazi father's house of hatred to the ranks of Savings Time beginning on March 9, we will have to the Jewish people. For reservations contact Sandi start Shacharit a few minutes after 6:00 that week. Kaplan at the JUF at 312-444-2841 or Sunday, Mincha-Maariv 10 minutes before sunset. SandiKaplan@juf.org. MondayThursday, Maariv only at 7:00 pm. We hope to resume Daily Mincha-Maariv in mid-March.

Stop By the Shul to... ! Pick up a Kesser Maariv Pushke (Tzedaka Box). ! Borrow books from our Lending Library, located on the south side of the Social Hall (for members only). ! Borrow Shiurim from the Tape Lending Library E-mail List We occasionally send e-mails with important information. To receive our emails, please send an e-mail to bhhkmal@yahoo.com indicating that you wish to be placed on the e-mail list. We are happy to have more than one e-mail address per family. Rent the Shul for Your Simcha For information regarding renting the Social Hall for

Congregation B.H.H. Kesser Maariv A.L. 4341 W. Golf Skokie, IL 60076 (847) 679-9800 fax (847) 679-5041 e-mail: bhhkmal@yahoo.com www.KesserMaariv.org Rabbi Louis A. Lazovsky Steven D. Goldrich, President Rabbi Ben Zion Lazovsky, Associate Rabbi & Executive Director Nasrin Kheradyar & Saretta Lazovsky, Co-Presidents, Adele Goldblum Womens Council Committee Contact Information: Bricks Saretta Lazovsky (847) 676-0556 or lazovsky@juno.com (847) 673-2904

Chesed Fund Anne Elovic

Donate Books & Siddurim Office (847) 679-9800 or bhhkmal@yahoo.com Endowment Michael Hartz (708) 366-7662

Happy Day Cards Wendy Hartz (708) 205-5109 Kiddush & Seudat Shlisheet Judy Whisler (847) 677-2281 or j5awhisler@aol.com Membership Bob Greenstein (847) 967-7408 Judy Whisler (847) 677-2281 Office bhhkmal@yahoo.com (847) 679-9800

Social Hall Rental Tree of Life Yahrzeit Plaques

your event, please call Ben Zion Lazovsky at the Shul office at (847) 679-9800. Also, book you childs Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the Shul calendar! Contact Judy Whisler at j5awhisler@aol.com Misheberach List If you have names for a misheberach, please send them to the shul office or e-mail to bhhkmal@yahoo.com. Rabbi Meyer Juzint Update Rabbi Juzints Holocaust memoir The Chain of Miracles is available from the office, at local Jewish bookstores and from www.kessermaariv.org/Juzint. The Chain of Miracles is also being sold at the SOY Seforim Sale at Yeshiva University, the largest Jewish book sale in North America. Gold Rush If you have gold, silver, or platinum coins and jewelry that you would like to convert to cash, please contact Bob Greenstein at bobg@hjbltd.com or via the Shul office. Bob can get you a great deal for the gold, and Kesser Maariv will receive most of the profit. If you have jewelry with valuable stones in them, Marty Miretzky will be consulted. PAST EVENTS Melave Malka Rabbi Yona Reiss, Av Beis Din of the cRc, was the guest speaker at our annual Melave Malka, celebrating our 20th anniversary in Skokie on Decmber 21st. Thank you to everyone who joined us... Our annual Oneg Shabbat was held at the Lazovsky home on December 6th. Kumzits thanks to Asaf Erez of Od Yishama Orchestra of Seattle, and to Gershon Meisel, for leading the Kumzits. Send-A-Kid-to-Israel We had another strong enrollment in SKIP, which allows parents to contribute money annually in partnership with the synagogue and the Jewish Federation for an Israel experience for their children. Etty Rubinow Tree of Life Sale Thank you to all who bought leaves on the Etty Rubinow Tree of Life during Shevat. Contact the office at (847) 679-9800, email bhhkmal@yahoo.com or use the online order form at http://kessermaariv.org/tree%20of%20life.html Adele Goldblum Womens Council Upcoming Events GOOD & WELFARE Mazel Tov to: Dan & Faith Harris and Rabbi Moshe & Deborah Soloveichik on the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson Yosef Soloveichik in Maryland...Evelyne Sternfeld on the Bar Miztvah of her grandson Chaim Aharon Rosenberg, and on the birth of twin great-

grandsons...Shelley & Sanford Schwartz on the marriage of their granddaughter Rivka Weiser to Ephraim Schnaidman...Adeline Katz on her 100th birthday. Thank you to our recent Kiddush Sponsors: Moysha Kipnis, Simona Cheskis, Rabbi Louis & Saretta Lazovsky, Evelyne Sternfeld and anonymous sponsors. Thanks to all the sponsors of the kiddush in honor of the first birthday of Guri, Hallel and Zemira Busch. Thank you to our recent Seudat Shlisheet Sponsors: Dan & Faith Harris, Rabbi Louis & Saretta Lazovsky, Marty & Sandy Miretzky, Ellen & Arkady Kats, Wendy Hartz, Noam & Tehilla Ben-Ari, Gilda Allswang, Dr. Joel Feder, and anonymous sponsors. To sponsor a Kiddush or Seudat Shlisheet, please contact the office, or Judy Whisler at j5awhisler@aol.com. DVAR TORAH The Four Parshiot - Before Rosh Chodesh Adar II we begin a series of four special Torah readings and haftarot. Parshat Shekalim is on Shabbat, March 1. It commemorates the annual required donation of a one-half shekel coin that every Jew made to maintain the Temple, to purchase the daily sacrifices and to conduct a census of the Jewish people. Parshat Zachor, Shabbat, March 15, is always read on the Shabbat before Purim. All of us, even children, are obligated to hear every word of the special maftir of Parshat Zachor. In the special reading, we learn about our obligation to destroy Amalek, which is also one of the major themes in the Book of Esther. Haman is associated with Amalek, the grandson of Esav, who was even worse than Haman in that he represented total and absolute evil. The Jewish people have been commanded to wage a never-ending battle against evil. This special Shabbat reminds us how and why. Parshat Parah - Shabbat, March 22. In the time of the Temple, everyone had to eat from the Paschal Lamb (korban Pesach) on Passover. We read about the parah adumah to remind everyone to ritually purify themselves with the ashes of the Red Heifer (Parah Adumah) to be able to eat the sacrifice. This reading, like that of Parshat Zachor, should be heard by everyone, even children. Shabbat, March 29 is Parshat Hachodesh. The additional reading discusses laws pertaining to the Passover sacrifice and the importance of time, which is the defining characteristic of the Jewish people. The Almighty promised that the Jewish empire will be one

over time, as our sages expressed: The nations of the world are like the sun and the Jewish nation is like the moon; despite waning, always regenerating. Fast of Esther (Thursday March 13) Usually the day before Purim is a fast day, commemorating the gathering of the Jewish people for prayer before they defended themselves against their attackers. Because that day this year is Shabbat, we move the fast up to Thursday. Purim (Saturday night March 15 & Sunday March 16) As Megillat Esther teaches, Jews were hated in every one of the 127 countries known in the ancient world. Haman, a former stable worker who was originally a slave to Mordechai, became the richest man in the world. He bribed Achashverosh, King of Persia and emperor of the ancient world, for permission to annihilate the Jews. Unlike our enemies during the time of Chanukah, who would have permitted our survival had we converted, Haman desired the extermination of every Jew. Once permission was granted, Haman drew lots, or Purim, to select the day to implement the final solution. Queen Esther prayed and fasted for three days prior to her request of King Achashverosh that the Jews should not be killed. The original fast began the night of the first Passover seder. Esther was only partially successful in that three-day fast; it led the King to issue a proclamation permitting the Jews to protect themselves, but the Kings original order for the extermination of the Jews was not rescinded. As a result, we prepared for a defensive war on Purim. As during all times of danger, we did teshuva, prayed and fasted for Hashems help. This second fast, a communal fast, was held the day before Purim and eventually became known as Taanit Esther to commemorate Hashems answering the prayers of Esther and Am Yisrael. Four Mitzvot were ordained especially for Purim. They are: 1) Reading or listening to the reading of the Megillah at night and on the day of Purim to remind ourselves of the hidden but ever-present hand of the Almighty; 2) Mishloach Manot, or giving at least two gifts of food to at least one person; 3) Matanot Le'evyonim giving two gifts of charity to at least two poor people; and finally, 4) Purim Seuda, or eating the festive Purim feast where we break bread together with family, friends and strangers on Purim day. These mitzvot help promote fellowship and love among Jews and are as valid now as they were then.

SHABBAT SCHEDULE
Date Tetzaveh Ki Tisa Vayakhel Pikudei - Shekalim Vayikra Tzav - Zachor Shmini - Parah Tazria - Hachodesh Metzora 2/7-2/8 2/14-2/15 2/21-2/22 2/28-3/1 3/7-3/8 3/14-3/15 3/21-3/22 3/28-3/29 4/4-4/5 Candle Lighting 4:54 pm 5:03 pm 5:11 pm 5:20 pm 5:28 pm 6:36 pm 6:44 pm 6:52 pm 7:00 pm Friday Mincha 4:55 pm 5:05 pm 5:15 pm 5:20 pm 5:30 pm 6:40 pm 6:45 pm 6:55 pm 7:00 pm Shacharit 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am 8:45 am Shiur 3:45 pm 3:55 pm 4:05 pm 4:10 pm 4:20 pm 5:30 pm 5:35 pm 5:45 pm 5:50 pm Mincha 4:45 pm 4:55 pm 5:05 pm 5:10 pm 5:20 pm 6:30 pm 6:35 pm 6:45 pm 6:50 pm

If you have a chiyuv - obligation to daven or require an Aliya, please inform Rabbi Lazovsky before Shabbat. WEEKDAY SCHEDULE Classes Sunday Morning at Weekly Sedra. Soloveichik

Minyan Times Minyanim meet in the Kaufman Bais Midrash

9:45 am: Parsha Class in the Given by Rabbi Moshe

Shacharit Sunday: 8:00 am, Monday-Friday: 6:00 am Mincha-Maariv Sunday: 10 minutes before sundown Monday Thursday Maariv only at 7:00 pm.

T u e s d a y n i gh t a t 7 : 15 pm: Given by Rabbi Ben Zion Lazovsky.

Ge ma r a

Brachos.

Shabbat afternoon one hour before Mincha Abarbanel on Parsha. Given by Rabbi Louis Lazovsky. For more learni n g op p o r t u ni t i e s , Ben Zion or Eli Lazovsky contact Ra b b i s

Malamud Reference Library Come and Learn from any of the hundreds of titles in our library. Lending Library Members may borrow books from our Lending Library, located on the south side of the Social Hall. Tape Lending Library We have tapes and digital audio files on many topics including Chumash, Talmud and Mussar.