30 Years in Skokie! 156 Years Serving Chicagoland!

THE BETH HAMEDROSH HAGODOL

KESSER MAARIV ANSHE LUKNIK NEWSLETTER
ELUL 5783 / TISHREI / CHESHVAN 5784
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2023
Stay Updated on Facebook @KesserMaariv Twitter @Kesser Maariv
UPCOMING EVENTS & DATES TO REMEMBER
Annual Meeting - August 21st
Our Annual Meeting for members to discuss the past year,
the coming year, and for a nominating committee report,
will meet on Monday August 21 at 6:45 pm (before Mincha)
at the Shul.
Neighbors & Friends Kiddush
Please come and bring a neighbor and friend to Kiddush on
Shabbat August 26th.
Selichot - September 9th
Please join us on Saturday evening September
9 for Selichot, penitential supplications, at
11:00 pm.
High Holidays 5784 & Membership
Rosh Hashana begins Friday night September
15, and continues on Shabbat and Sunday, September 16-
17. Yom Kippur will be Sunday evening and Monday
September 24th and 25th. Membership information is
enclosed!
Upcoming Yizkor
We will recite Yizkor on Yom Kippur, Monday September
25th at about 11:30 am, and on Shmini Atzeret, Shabbat
October 7th at about 10:45 am.
To order Yahrzeit plaques, please call the office at (847)
679-9800.
Lulav and Etrog Sets - Deadline Sept. 18
The shul will once again sell top quality Lulav
sets. Please order your set from the office by
September 18th. Cost per set is $55 for members;
$65 for non-members. Upgraded sets are
available. Please call Rabbi Benzie at (847) 679-
9800 or email bhhkmal@yahoo.com . Sets will
be available for pick-up after Yom Kippur.
Order Form is later in this
newsletter with Membership.
New Year Greeting Card - You can
join the Shul’s New Year Greeting Card
for $26. Please contact Sheryl
Greenstein at oogiah@aol.com, or use
the enclosed Membership flyer, by
September 9th. The festive card is
pictured at left.
Shabbat Shuva Shiur
On Shabbat September 23rd Rabbi Louis
Lazovsky will deliver his annual special Shabbat Shuva
shiur at 5:20 pm, before Mincha.
Hakafot on Simchat Torah & Luncheon
Hakafot will be held on Motzaei Shabbat and Sunday
morning, October 7th and 8th. We hope to have a luncheon
after davening on October 8th. Please make reservations to
www.KesserMaariv.org
Shiurim at KesserMaariv.pododmatic.com áñØã
the office by October 2nd.
Weekly Shiurim
Rabbi Soloveichik’s Sunday Parsha Shiur meets at 10:30
am on Zoom: Meeting ID: 879 4850 7611 Password:
178417. Shiur archives are available online.
Rabbi Benzie’s Gemara Kesuvos Shiur - learning a Daf a
Week, near the end of the third chapter. Wednesdays at 5:15
pm at the Shul and on Zoom. Meeting ID: 810 8264 8249
Password: 028366. Archives are on Youtube.
Rabbi Eli gives a Parsha shiur on Shabbat afternoon 30
minutes before mincha.
Rabbi Juzint’s Nechamas Meyer & Chain of Miracles
Get authentic Slabodka Mussar explanations on the weekly
Parsha (Breishis & Shemos) by Rabbi Meyer Juzint z”l,
Purchase from the office and on our website for $25. The
Chain of Miracles is available for $20. Rabbi Juzint’s
yahrzeit is the second day of Sukkot.
Parsha Podcasts / Social Media - For High Holidays!
Rabbi Louis Lazovsky's morning Vorts on the Parsha are
available as podcasts at KesserMaariv.podomatic.com (a link
is on our homepage, www.KesserMaariv.org). Four years
ago we posted Rabbi Lazovsky’s podcasts on the entire
Rambam Hilchos Teshuva in 33 sub-5-minute chunks, search
by tag “teshuva”.
Facebook: Fb.me/Kesser Maariv Twitter: @KesserMaariv
Pushke - Please contact the office if you need a Kesser
Maariv Pushke (Tzedaka Box), or if you need your full
Pushke to be collected.
E-mail List
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 per family
Send-A-Kid-To-Israel Partnership (S.K.I.P.)
Kesser Maariv is proud to be a participating Congregation in
S.K.I.P. The program allows parents to contribute money
annually in partnership with the synagogue and the Jewish
Federation for an Israel trip for their children. Students in
grades 3-6, enrolled in a day or afternoon school, who have
finished paying their annual membership to the shul, are
eligible to participate. For additional details, a registration kit
or to enroll your child(ren) for the first time, please contact
Ben Zion Lazovsky at (847) 679-9800.
Misheberach List
If you have names for a misheberach, please send them to the
shul office or e-mail to bhhkmal@yahoo.com.
All-Occasion Cards
Beautiful All-Occasion Cards (designed by Wendy Hartz z“l)
are available for purchase from the office, 13 cards for $24.
To have us send out a card for you, please contact Dotty
Levant Chakiris at 773-338-2515.
PAST EVENTS
Shavuot Mishmar - we had a very nice turnout. Rabbi
Louis taught the Book of Ruth, and Rabbi Benzie discussed
Torah Perspectives on Taxation, and Kidney Transplants in
Halacha....We celebrated the accomplishments of our
graduates at the Graduation Kiddush.... in July we hosted
a Family Seudat Shlisheet with speaker Israeli tour guide
Yehuda Liebenson who discussed “The Patriarchs Road:
We Are a Nation of Travelers.”
Rabbi Lazovsky was recently
featured on the J3 Podcast discussing
Rabbi Juzint... A group went to see
the Chicago Dogs Minor League
Baseball team play the Milwaukee
Milkmen. We were welcomed on the
scoreboard, and each attendee received a cap.
ADELE GOLDBLUM WOMEN’S COUNCIL
Past Events
•Thanks to all who bought Shavuot mitzva plants, and to
Brenda Kahn for organizing it. (See Park Plaza’s Facebook
post thanking us, and with pictures).
•We attended Violins of Hope - Chicago
• A Women’s Bonfire was held on a beautiful evening.
Thanks to guitarist Ilana Dress, and to everyone who
attended.
Congregation B.H.H. Kesser Maariv A.L.
4341 W. Golf
Skokie, IL 60076 Fb.me/KesserMaariv
(847) 679-9800 twitter.com/KesserMaariv
fax (847) 679-5041 KesserMaariv.podomatic.com
e-mail: bhhkmal@yahoo.com
www.KesserMaariv.org
Rabbi Louis A. Lazovsky Steven D. Goldrich, President
Rabbi Ben Zion Lazovsky,
Associate Rabbi & Executive Director
Sandy Miretzky, Nasrin Kheradyar & Saretta Lazovsky,
Co-Presidents, Adele Goldblum Women’s Council
Committee Contact Information:
All-Occasion Cards - buy from the office. To have
cards sent, call Dotty Levant Chakiris (773) 338-2515
Chesed Fund Anne Elovic (847) 673-2904
Donate Books & Siddurim Office
All-Occasion Cards, Pushke (847) 679-9800 or
Kiddush & Seudat Shlisheet bhhkmal@yahoo.com
Tree of Life, Yahrzeit Plaques
Endowment Rabbi Louis Lazovsky
Membership Judy Whisler
847-677-2281 j5awhisler@aol.com
GOOD & WELFARE
Mazal Tov to: Steve & Sue Goldrich on the
marriages of their children: Jake to Sarah
Stranieri and Jeff to Naomi Ecanow, and to
Bubby Cookie Goldrich; Barbara & Howard
Pomper on the birth of a great-granddaughter; Gilda
Allswang on the birth of a great-grandson; Myra Goldstein on
the birth of a great-granddaughter Adi Chana Ashkenazy;
Larry & Lora Frazin on the Bat Mitzvah of their
granddaughter, Tziona Casper; Sandy & Marty Miretzky on
the marriage of their son Brian to Stephanie Hoffman; Cookie
Goldrich on the birth of a great-grandson; Barbara & Howard
Pomper and Felicia Bolotin on the engagement of their
granddaughter and daughter Megan Bolotin to Gideon Rov;
Joel & Dr. Gail Scher on the birth of a granddaughter Maya
Shlomit Scher.
Mark a special occasion, milestone or memory with
a leaf, acorn or foundation stone on our expanded Etty
Rubinow Tree of Life! Forms are online or in the Shul.
Refua Shleima to: David Kaplan, Bella Perlman, Ruben
Arciniega.
Condolences to: Kety Ezra on the loss of her husband Sidney
Ezra.
Thanks to sponsors of Weekly Programming: Arkady & Ellen
Kats; The Lazovsky family; Bob & Sheryl Greenstein.
Thanks to Kiddush Sponsors: Steve & Sue Goldrich; Sandy
& Marty Miretzky; the Lazovsky family; Joel & Dr. Gail
Scher; Eleanor & Jeff Greenspan; and anonymous sponsors.
Thanks to Seudat Shlisheet Sponsors: Goldrich family;
Kowitt family; Allswang family; Lazovsky family; Maury &
Tina Pressbuger; Dr. Bruce Gaynes & Leah Cohen.
Thanks to Graduation Kiddush sponsors: Allswang, Cagan,
Elovic, Fensterheim, Frazin, Greenstein, Kheradar, Lazovsky,
Lowenstein, Nissan, Pomper, Schiller, Zaretsky families, and
Myra Goldstein.
Brief Laws of the Month of Tishrei - 2023 / 5784
On Rosh Hashana night after we come home from
shul we make Kiddush with Shehechiyanu. After hamotzi,
many have the custom to eat an apple dipped in honey, as well
as other symbolic foods. Please note that despite what the
Machzor says, it is proper to make the bracha Ha'eitz on dates
(or pomegranates if you don't eat dates) and eat them before
eating the apple dipped in honey.
As Rosh Hashana is the beginning of our Judgement,
we start davening early as we add special prayers describing
G-d as King. In the morning we read in the Torah about G-d
remembering Sarah and in the haftorah how He remembered
Chana (mother of the prophet Samuel) hoping that G-d will
remember us for good. Because it is Shabbat we do not blow
the Shofar until the second day. In the special Mussaf we
mention Biblical verses accepting G-d as King, about G-d
remembering people for good, and about Shofar blasts. After
Shul we have Yom Tov meals at home.
On Shabbat we will not serve Seudat Shlisheet in
Shul. It should be eaten at home before 5:40 pm. We can’t
eat later than that to have an appetite for the Yom Tov
meal that night.
Shabbat afternoon we daven Mincha and
Maariv. Candle lighting is not before 7:41 pm, which is
the earliest time to prepare and
warm food for that night's meal.
Recite the mini-Havdala “Baruch
Hamavdil Bein Kodesh L’chol” at
that time then light candles.
Remember to transfer the fire from
an existing flame; and let that
candle burn out by itself, as we
may not extinguish flames on Yom
Tov. We do recite Shehechiyanu at
candle lighting and in the special
Kiddush that includes Havdala (known by the Talmudic
acronym YaKNeHaZ) and all Siddurim include it. It is
preferable to use clear, incandescent light bulbs in your
room as the candle for Havdala. One should not light a
havdala candle because we are not permitted to blow it
out on Yom Tov. If you don’t have clear incandescent
bulbs, hold 2 regular candles together for Havdala and
then set them in holders to burn out by themselves. Some
have a custom to have a new fruit for the second night
because of the “Shehechiyanu.” The second day is like the
first, except we read about the Binding of Yitzchak
(Akeidah) and we blow the Shofar. For those who have
the custom to say Tashlich at a body of water, they may
do so on Sunday (it is not recited on Shabbat).
During the 10 Days of Repentance
culminating with Yom Kippur we repent for our actions
from the previous year, commit to not repeating them, and
do as many good deeds and give as much Tzedaka as
possible. We also make several changes to Shmone Esray.
TZOM GEDALIA is Monday September 18. The Fast
begins at 5:10 am and ends at 7:20 pm. This day
commemorates the assassination of Governor Gedalia and
this was an event that contributed to the destruction of the
Beit Hamikdash.
On Erev Yom Kippur (9/24) we have a
mitzvah to eat, in order to strengthen ourselves for the fast.
We daven Mincha early with the Viduy confession, as
Rambam says one may choke while eating out of the fear
and dread of Yom Kippur. We gather at Shul before
sunset for Kol Nidrei. On Yom Kippur we abstain from
eating, drinking, wearing leather shoes, using lotions,
creams, ointments or perfumes, washing past the knuckle,
and marital relations. After Yom Kippur we make
Havdala over wine, candle and the last bracha of Havdala.
After breaking our fast there is a custom to
immediately do more mitzvot, so some begin building
their Sukkah, or at least gathering its pieces.
Sukkot has two special mitzvot associated
with it - the Four species (Lulav, Etrog, Hadas, Arava) and
eating in the Sukkah. The Lulav is the tallest of the
species; we hold it in our right hand with its spine (the
darker green vertical line) towards us, with the three
hadasim on the right (as we look at the lulav) and the two
aravot on the left.
On the first night of Sukkot, we make
Kiddush, the bracha “Leisheiv Basukkah,” then
Shehichaynu. While we are exempt from eating in a
Sukkah in the rain, on the first night there is a special
mitzvah to eat in the Sukkah and if it rains we wait out the
storm, even until midnight. (Remember Yaaleh Veyavo in
Birkat Hamazon.)
The first day we make kiddush, leisheiv
basukah, wash, hamotzi and eat a Yom Tov meal. During
Sukkot whenever we eat any mezonos or hamotzi food in
the Sukkah we make the Bracha “Leishev Basukkah.”
The second night we may not light candles or
prepare for that night's meal before 7:25 pm. (See
directions about the special Yaknehaz Kiddush & Havdala
above from the 2nd night of Rosh Hashana), then
shehechiyanu, then Leisheiv Basukah (different than the
first night) and have a Yom Tov meal.
During Sukkot G-d decides how much rain we
will have for the year (which will water the crops, ensuring
our food needs are met). In the Beit Hamikdash, there was
a special water-drawing ceremony called the Simchat Beit
Hasho'eivah, which was the most joyous ceremony all year
in the Beit Hamikdash. In our community we find some
Simchat Beit Hasho’eivas with music and dancing to
commemorate that.
(Many books with the Laws of Yom Tov [like
cooking] and Chol Hamoed, and the Lulav may be found in
the Malamud Reference Library.)
The last day of Sukkot is Hoshana Rabbah,
which is an important day according to the Kabbalah, as in
the Beit Hamikdash they performed a special, lengthy
ceremony, and our prayers that day, as well as beating the
Hoshana bundle, are to commemorate that special service.
Friday night October 7th begins Shmini
Atzeret, a distinct holiday from Sukkot, and therefore we
do make Shehechiyanu at candle lighting and in Kiddush.
However, outside Israel we are required to eat in the Sukkah
on Shmini Atzeret but we do not make the bracha Leishev
Basukkah. On Shabbat morning we recite Yizkor. Later in
the afternoon, before Mincha, we make a special prayer
when we leave the Sukkah after eating in it for the final
time.
The final day is called
Simchat Torah. It is the day we
complete the annual cycle of reading
the Torah, and begin it again. Rabbi
Moshe Soloveichik's grandfather taught
that our joy comes from starting the
Torah again with new depth and
insight, not from finishing the Torah.
On Saturday night we will have seven Hakafot (circling the
Bimah) where we dance joyfully with the Torahs which we
repeat the next morning, along with all males above Bar
Mitzva receiving an aliya, and the traditional special aliya
for all children. We finish the Torah, begin it again, and
finish davening.
 SHABBAT & HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Date Candle Lighting Erev Mincha Shacharit Mincha
Re’eh 8/11-8/12 7:37 pm 7:00 pm 8:45 am 7:25 pm
Shoftim 8/18-8/19 7:27 pm 7:00 pm 8:45 am 7:15 pm
Ki Tetzei 8/25-8/26 7:16 pm 7:00 pm 8:45 am 7:05 pm
Ki Tavo 9/1-9/2 7:05 pm 7:05 pm 8:45 am 6:55 pm
Nitzavim-Vayelech 9/8-9/9 6:53 pm 6:55 pm 8:45 am 6:40 pm
st
1 Day Rosh Hashana 9/15-9/16 6:41 pm 6:45 pm 8:30 am 6:40 pm
2nd Day Rosh Hashana 9/16-9/17 7:41 pm 6:35 pm 8:30 am 6:40 pm
Haazinu (Shuva) 9/22-9/23 6:28 pm 6:30 pm 8:45 am 6:20 pm
Yom Kippur 9/24-9/25 6:25 pm Mincha 2:30 8:30 am 4:45 pm
Kol Nidrei 6:25 Yizkor 11:45 Neila 6:15
1st Day Sukkot 9/29-9/30 6:16 pm 6:20 pm 8:45 am 6:15 pm
2nd Day Sukkot 9/30-10/1 7:25 pm 6:15 pm 8:45 am 6:15 pm
Shmini Atzeret 10/6-10/7 6:04 pm 6:05 pm 8:45 am 6:50 pm
Yizkor
Simchat Torah 10/7-10/8 7:03 pm 6:00 pm 8:45 am 6:00 pm
Breishit 10/13-10/14 5:53 pm 5:55 pm 8:45 am 5:40 pm
Noach 10/20-10/21 5:42 pm 5:45 pm 8:45 am 5:30 pm
Lech Lecha 10/27-10/28 5:35 pm 5:35 pm 8:45 am 5:20 pm
If you have a chiyuv - obligation to daven or require an Aliya, please inform Rabbi Lazovsky before Shabbat.

WEEKDAY SCHEDULE
Minyan Times Classes
Sunday Morning at 10:30 am: Parsha Class in the Weekly Sedra. Given
Shacharit by Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik on Zoom Meeting ID: 879 4850 7611
Sunday: 8:00 am Password: 178417
Monday-Friday: 6:00 am
Wednesdays 5:15 pm: Talmud Shiur studying Gemara Kesuvos in Shul
and on Zoom: Meeting ID: 810 8264 8249 Password: 028366
Mincha-Maariv
Sunday-Thursday: Shabbat 30 minutes before Mincha: Parsha Shiur by Rabbi Eli.
10 minutes before sundown For more learning opportunities, contact Rabbis B. or E. Lazovsky

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.
 MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
KM NEW YEAR GREETING ORDER FORM
LULAV SET ORDER FORM

On behalf of the Board of Directors, President Steven Goldrich and Rabbi Louis Lazovsky, we are proud to invite
you to join us for our High Holiday 5784 Services this year, beginning with Selichot on Saturday evening,
September 9th. Rosh Hashana begins Friday night, September 15th.
Membership & Ticket Rates Family (2 tickets) Single (1 ticket) Additional Seat Dependent Child
Membership $1,300 $650 $200 $75
First Time Good Neighbor Tickets $600 $325 $200 $75
Tickets Only, no membership $700 $200
Friend of Kesser Maariv (no tickets or membership) $200
To serve you better, we accept payments of $500 and above by Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express.

Rabbi Ben Zion Lazovsky at (847) 679-9800 bhhkmal@yahoo.com or Judy Whisler at (847) 677-2281
j5awhisler@aol.com will be happy to help accommodate you and give more information about membership.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G My membership is enclosed.
Number of Men's Seats: ________ Number of Women's Seats: _______

Number of Boys’ Seats: ________ Number of Girls’ Seats: _________

G I would like to order _____ Lulav sets sets. Price: $55 each/members; $65/non-members

G Please include us on the KM New Year greeting card. $26 per family.

Please sign our name as follows: ________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: _______________________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

City, State & Zip Code: _________________________________________ Phone : __________________

E-mail: _______________________________________ and __________________________________________

---------------------------- For Credit Card Payments: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I authorize Kesser Maariv to charge my __________ card.

Name on Card_______________________ Amount to be charged: ________________

Card # _________-_________-_________-_________ Exp: ____ ____ 3-digit Security Code:__________

Signed _____________________________ Date _________