We thank all of you for the generous support you showed during the High Holidays and hope to celebrate many simchas together this year and beyond.
Bob Greenstein

Knitting for Charity – Meets alternate Tuesdays at 7:00 pm at the Shul. Next date: November 10. Call Wendy at (708) 205-5109 for more details.

Our Next Jewel Shop & Share Days will be December 7, 8 & 9. Slips will be available in a few weeks.

Post-Chanukah Event - The Women’s Council invites everyone – men, women, teens and children – to a post-Chanukah Game Night on Saturday night, December 19th at the shul. Stay tuned for more details.

Refua Sheleima to: Iris Fagan & Joe Fagan.

Welcome to Skokie: Herb & Rita Lowenstein

At Maariv on December 4th, we begin to say “V’tein tal umattar livracha” in the Shmona Esray. This is a request for rain, whereas Mashiv Haruach is only a praise, not a request. In Israel they began saying it 15 days after Sukkot, but outside Israel, we begin on December 4th, which is the Halachik beginning of winter. This calculation is part of the same equation used in calculation of the seasons in regard to the once-in-28-years Blessing of the Sun we just said the day before Pesach.

Chanukah - December 11 - December 19.
This year we light the first Chanukah candle on Friday, December 11th. We add one candle each night through Friday evening, December 18th. Remember, on Fridays, December 11th & 18th the Chanukah candles are lit before lighting Shabbat Candles. We make certain that night’s candle will burn until at least 75 minutes after sundown.

What does Chanukah commemorate? The Syrian-Greeks, in about 150 BCE, tried to make the Jews adopt some of their pagan practices. They also tried to introduce the sacrifice of unclean animals in the Temple. The Maccabees, a family of Jewish priests turned warriors, managed to vanquish the marauding Syrian/Greek armies. However, the Syrian-Greeks tried to defile all the pure oil for the Menorah by breaking the seals on the bottles. The Maccabees found one vial of pure oil, enough to kindle the Menorah for one day. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish Religious high court, decided to light all of the oil and fulfill the mitzvah (commandment) as required, and a miracle occurred. The Menorah burned for eight days, allowing the Maccabees the requisite time to sanctify themselves and prepare more oil. It was decided to light candles in areas visible to passers-by to publicize this great miracle. We light one candle the first night, and add one every night until the end of the holiday.

There are many special Mitzvot, Commandments, and customs that are observed on Chanukah. In addition to lighting the candles, we eat latkes (potato pancakes), and sufganiyot (jelly rolls), to recall the miracle that took place with the oil. We also add the prayer of Hallel, a prayer of praise and thanks to G-d as well as the Al Hanisim, prayer of miracles which is added to the Amidah and Grace after meals.

Children play with dreidels to remind us how we deceived the Syrian-Greeks. The Syrian-Greeks had a master plan of world domination. It involved the assimilation of those that they conquered to Syrian-Greek culture or else face extermination. By Syrian-Greek law, Jews were prohibited from learning Torah. They had regular patrols to all Jewish schools to assure that no Torah was being taught. The Jews were dedicated to the Torah and devised a plan to trick them. They learned Torah, but each school had a sentry, or look-out student. When the sentry announced the imminent arrival of the Syrian-Greek patrol, all the children hid their books and took out dreidels, which were simple gambling implements. The Syrian-Greeks were always quite happy to see the “progress” being made by the Jewish students who had seemingly abandoned the road of Torah and had embraced gambling. Chanukah calls upon us to fight assimilation and assume Jewish continuity, a task as valid today as it was in 150 BCE.

Asarah B'Tevet - Sunday, December 27th.
Asarah B'Tevet, which means the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a fast day. It was on this day in 586 BCE that the Babylonians began the siege of Jerusalem that eventually led to the destruction of the first Temple. Today, on this solemn occasion, we repent and return to our heritage and observance of the commandments, because it was our departure from these traditions that caused the Almighty to allow the destruction of both Temples. May the Almighty have mercy on His children and speedily redeem us on the merit of the commandment of Tzedakkah, charity and good deeds, that we all perform each and every day.

To sponsor a kiddush or shalashudos, please call Judy Whisler at (847) 677-2281.

WEEKDAY SCHEDULE

Minyan Times Minyanim meet in the Kaufman Bais Midrash Shacharit Sunday: 8:00 am Monday-Friday: 6:00 am   Mincha-Maariv Sunday: 15 minutes before sundown Monday-Thursday: 7:00 pm Maariv

Classes Sunday Morning at 9:40 am: Parsha Class in the Weekly Sedra Given by Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik Tuesdays at 7:20 pm: Boys Mishna Club Given by Rabbi Ben Zion Lazovsky

Malamud Reference Library
Come and learn from any of our hundreds of titles in our library.
Lending Library
Members may borrow books from our Lending Library, located on the southwest wall of the social hall. For hours of operation, more details or to donate books, please call Barbara Pomper at (847) 256-1198.
Tape Lending Library
We have tapes on many topics including Chumash, Talmud and Mussar from many well-known lecturers.