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Contact Us
Ohel Shalom
Check out our new and improved website at
ohelshalomchicago.org
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To determine if the Eruv is operational either click on the phone number link below, or call
1-773-74-ERUV-2 (743-7882) after 2pm every Friday afternoon or every Erev Yom Tov.
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Davening Times
Shabbat
Candle lighting
6:50 pm
Mincha 6:25 pm
Shacharit 8:15 am
Mincha 6:35 pm
Regular Weekdays
Shacharit
Sunday
7:45
(SLICHOT BEGIN AT 7 AM)
Monday, Thursday
6:15 am
(SLICHOT BEGIN AT 5:30 AM)
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
6:30 am
(SLICHOT BEGIN AT 5:45 AM)
Mincha/Arvit
Sunday-Thursday
6:48 pm
Late Arvit following Kollel
Sunday-Thursday
10:00 pm
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Regular Shiurim
Kollel
Open Seder
Sunday-Thursday
8-10pm
Rabbi Olstein
Parasha Shiur
Wed 8:30pm (Hebrew)
Thurs 8:00pm (English)
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Rabbi Yosef Asayag
Monetary Issues in Halacha
Shabbat Afternoon
45 min. Before Mincha (Hebrew)
Ateret Chaya
Simcha Hall
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Men and Women
Ner Foundation
Rabbi Raccah
Topic:
Parashat HaShavu'a
Wednesdays at 8:30pm
Personalities in the Bible
Motza'ai Shabbat at
7:45 pm
(winter)
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MEAL
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Seuda Shlishit
$100
Kiddush
$250
Breakfast Fund
Day- $15
Week- $75
Month- $250
Year - $2400
Fish Fund
$20 month
Hamin Fund
Monthly contribution
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SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Chair Sponsors
(127 sold - 133 left)
$20 each
New Set of Artscroll Talmud Yerushalmi
$35.00 for Talmud Yerushalmi
ONLY ONE LEFT
FOR NOW
Siddurim Shaarim Ba'Tifilla
($15.00 each)
Chumash w/simanim
($20 each)
20 New Talitot
(4 sponsored - 16 left)
$75.00 each
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This Week at Ohel Shalom
Mazal Tov
Mazal Tov to Nissim and Avigayil Bejar on the birth of twin baby boys! Mazal Tov to big sister Becca, and to grandparents Mrs. Rivka Bejar and Mr. and Mrs. Art Rousseau.
The Birit will BE"H take place on Sunday, September 11th at 9 am, followed by a Seudah. Please join!
NEW - Shabbat Children's Group
We are pleased to announce that beginning next Shabbat, Parashat Ki Tetzeh, there will BE"H be a Children's Group for boys and girls ages 3-6 from 9.15-11 am. BE"H this will not be mere babysitting. Much work has gone in to creating a weekly curriculum that will provide structure, education and be fun as well. All are welcome to join!
We are continuing to look for group leaders for the older children.
High Holiday Mailing is BE"H Coming Soon
Our High Holiday/membership mailing is being prepared and BE"H will be on its way to your homes very soon. Stay tuned for another e-mail with an electronic version of the mailing with printable links.
This mailing packet will BE"H also include a Yom Tov schedule of Tefillah times and a membership form among other things. Please get your membership forms in as soon as possible.
In order to save time and money, if you would prefer to receive this packet via email, and not regular mail, please click here to sign up.
See more info below, but make your reservations to ensure your child's slot. Reservations must be made in advance. If your children will not be in the babysitting, they must be with you sitting quietly in the Beit HaKinesset.
Outstanding Balances
With the High Holidays soon upon us, please review your records to be sure that you have paid off all of your Mitzvah Purchases from last year. The longstanding policy of the Beit HaKinesset is that Mitzvot may not be purchased during the High Holidays by anyone with an outstanding balance on a Mitzvah Purchase from a previous year. Don't lock yourself out of the bidding frenzy by not dealing with this immediately. Besides that, the Beit HaKinesset could certainly use the funds. Thanks for your attention to this matter. Statements will be sent out, so please address this.
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Recap - Rabbi Uri Zohar Visit
This past Sunday, the Kehilla was honored to welcome the famous pioneer in the Baal Teshuva movement, Rabbi Uri Zohar. Rabbi Zohar spoke on behalf of the amazing work of Lev LeAchim. The event included a sumptuous breakfast. Rabbi Zohar was accompanied by Rabbi Natan Cheifetz. Much thanks to Shai Savy who made this event possible.
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This Week with the Sephardic Community Kollel
The Sephardic Community Kollel meets Sunday - Thursday nights from 8 - 10pm. There is Mincha and Arvit at 7:30 before Kollel starts and then another Arvit at 10pm.
Here are some pictures from this week's learning.
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Amazon Smile
Do you purchase items from Amazon? If so, you are in a perfect position to provide the Kehilla with much needed financial support with zero cost or additional effort from you, beyond following a few easy steps just one time.
Amazon has a philanthropic branch called Amazon Smile. All you need to do is sign up (no cost) and select our Kehilla as your charity of choice and Amazon will give the Kehilla 0.5% of all your eligible purchases! There are millions of eligible items.
Please take advantage of this opportunity
and sign up immediately.
Click here to get started.
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The Geshem Fund
It has been very busy for the Geshem Fund. Significant sums of money have been distributed to dozens of people to help with rent, utilities, food and many other purposes. This has depleted the fund. Please help us help those in need.
Please open your hearts and your wallets and make checks out to the order of GESHEM FUND and give to Rabbi Raccah or put in the mailbox of the office or the shul and Ayelet will give it to Rabbi Raccah. As you thank Hashem for all that He has blessed you with, remember the less fortunate who are struggling and in desperate need of assistance. Thank you.
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Eruv Check-In
Is the Chicago Eruv up and operational for Shabbat? If you utilize the Eruv, it is your responsibility to check each week before Shabbat if it is up. There are now some new and easy ways to do this.
The Chicago Eruv has set up a website with this information, as well as other pertinent halachot and information about the eruv. The web address is http://chicagoeruv.tripod.com/
You can call the hotline on Erev Shabbat after 2pm and listen to the recorded message or sign up to receive a weekly e-mail update on the status of the eruv.
Click here to sign up to have the eruv weekly email update sent directly to you!
To Determine if the Eruv is Operational either click on the phone number link here, or call 1-773-74-ERUV-2 (743-7882) after 2pm every Friday afternoon or every Erev Yom Tov.
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Kollel Korner of the Sephardic Community Kollel
Come learn with the Sephardic Community Kollel from 8:00pm to 10:00pm, Sunday through Thursday. Please contact the Kollel Coordinator, Rabbi Yosef Olstein to arrange a learning partner or to receive information about the Kollel and its programs. Rabbi Olstein can be reached at 773-338-8046 or by email at Sephardic Community Kollel.
Donations to the Kollel
Donations to the Kollel can also be made via credit card. Please call the shul at 773-465-5274 or email the Kollel for details.
Sponsor Learning in the Kollel
Our Rabbis tell us of the great power and merit associated with supporting Torah learning. To that end, consider sponsoring a night, a week or a month of learning in the Kollel. Examples of sponsorship purposes include: in memory of a deceased loved one for their Azkarah, to merit a Rifuah Shilamah, or to honor a loved one or friend. In addition to the great merit of supporting Torah in our community, your sponsorship will be marked with printed pages noting the intent of your support that are placed in stands on the tables in the Beit HaMidrash for the duration of your sponsorship period.
Here are the costs for the various sponsorships:
A night of learning - $52
A week of learning - $100
A month of learning - $400
The Kollel appreciates the following sponsors of learning:
A day of learning has been sponsored by Rabbi and Mrs. Akiva Goldstein for September 7-8 in memory of Mrs. Goldstein's father, Yechyah ben HaRav Yaakov. May his Neshama merit an Aliyah.
A week of learning has been sponsored by Julien Partouche for September 6-13 in memory of his father, Nissim ben Avraham and Gamara Levana. May his Neshama merit an Aliyah.
A month of learning has been sponsored anonymously for the month of September. The Kollel thanks the patrons for their generosity.
Halacha of the Week
selected by Rabbi Yaakov Azose
The Words of Maran zt"l-Distancing One's Self from the Evil Inclination
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt"l writes that Hashem bestowed a great kindness upon his Jewish nation by revealing to them that the Day of Judgment is on the First of Tishrei, as the verse states, "Blow the Shofar on the [new] month, on the designated day of our festival. For it is a statute for Israel, a [day of] judgment for the G-d of Yaakov." In truth, Hashem decides the fate of the other nations of the world for the coming year as well on Rosh Hashanah; however, the other nations of the world are unaware that they are being judged on Rosh Hashanah and they continue with their actions as usual without any introspection or prayer and as such, they lose out on tremendous goodness in this world and the next.
Usually, if one breaks the law and is caught by a police officer, if the officer takes him immediately in front of a judge to be judged in a swift manner, it is almost certain that the defendant will not be able to cope with the charges being leveled against him. If, however, he is made known of the court-date and given the chance to meet with and seek adequate legal counsel and know who will represent him in court, he surely has more of a chance to be found innocent in his case.
Similarly, from the day of Rosh Chodesh Elul, we begin blowing the Shofar and waking up early in the morning to recite Selichot (prayer service for atonement) in preparation for the Day of Judgment when we will proclaim, "Today is the world's birthday; today He shall make [everyone] stand for judgment, all creations of the world," and is likewise the day we begin to recite "Ha'Melech Ha'Kadosh" and "Ha'Melech Ha'Mishpat" in our prayers. During Elul, we prepare great "attorneys" before Hashem; one's "attorneys" are Torah, Mitzvot, and worthy deeds (Shabbat 32a). The Tosefta states, "Charity and acts of kindness are great defenders between Israel and their Father in Heaven." We have also learned in Pirkei Avot, "One who performs one Mitzvah acquires for himself one defending attorney." If the defender is strong and mighty, such as one formed by a Torah scholar who delves in Torah, certainly the other prosecuting angels will only be like small foxes in comparison and one roar from the defending angel shall be sufficient to silence them all. As we say in Selichot, "Seal the mouth of Satan so that he may not prosecute us; may a good-speaking advisor stand up for us and speak of our righteousness." This is a tremendous opportunity to allow us be found innocent in the eyes of Hashem, as the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah expounds the verse, "For who is a great nation that has a God who is close to him, like Hashem our G-d [who is close to us] whenever we call him."
Maran zt"l adds that throughout the course of the year, one must distance one's self from the Evil Inclination. Many people unfortunately fail in this area by bringing a television into their home and this is considered bring the Evil Inclination itself into one's home, for one who watches television instigates the Evil Inclination against one's self and transgresses several Torah prohibitions simultaneously since our Sages teach us (Sotah 8a) that the Evil Inclination can only take effect on something one sees with one's eyes.
Regarding this issue, the Sefer Od Yosef Hai (Parashat Pinchas) quotes a very interesting parable: Once, a wealthy man was riding on his horse on his way home. When he was some distance from his city, he saw a crippled man sitting on the road screaming and begging for someone to pity him and help him. Upon seeing this unfortunate man, the wealthy man had mercy on him and immediately opened his wallet and gave him a silver coin. Afterwards, the crippled man slowly limped over to the wealthy man and while kissing the edges of his coat, he told him, "If you wish you wish to perform even greater kindness with me, allow me to ride on your horse, for I also wish to go to the city but I cannot walk there."
The wealthy man had a generous heart and agreed to fulfill the request of the cripple. He got off the horse and after helping the crippled man get on the horse, he handed him the reigns after which he mounted the horse himself and sat behind the cripple. When they arrived at the entrance to the city, the cripple turned to the wealthy man and brazenly asked the wealthy man to get off the horse as he would be riding the horse to his own home. The wealthy man exclaimed, "Why should I, is this your horse? Get off my horse immediately!" The crippled man began to screaming and told all those around him, "Look how this lowlife wishes to steal my horse!" The wealthy man for his part claimed that the horse was indeed his and he had merely done this cripple a favor by allowing him to ride along with me on the horse.
A large tumult ensued and both of them were brought before the local judge and each stated his own claim. Although the judge felt deep down that the horse really belonged to the wealthy man since the truth is recognizable, he turned to the wealthy man and said, "My friend, I realize that you speak the truth, however, what can I do? You relinquished your rights to the horse with your own hands by placing the cripple in the front as the main rider and you sitting behind him. This action clearly displays that the horse belongs to the cripple. You should have put him in the back and held the reigns in your hands. Thus, at the moment, I can do nothing to return your stolen horse to you."
The lesson behind this parable is that one must distance the Evil Inclination from one's self and one who has a television or a computer connected to unfiltered internet in one's home has already allowed the Evil Inclination to take control. What can one reply on the Day of Reckoning when one is asked, "How could you have handed over control of yourself and your family members to the Evil Inclination?" This is especially true regarding children who learn all sorts of horrible obscenities from the television and internet and this is a loss which cannot be undone! A wise person must hear and learn a lesson.
Machshava of the Week
by Rabbi David Shamsi
During the course of my two years at Yeshivah Gedolah of Five Towns in Woodmere, New York, there was one Seudat Shilishit in particular that I will never forget. There had been a record breaking storm outside since morning. The power was out, the streets were pitch-black, and the sound of car alarms could be heard both near and far.
About thirty of us were sitting together in the cramped basement of the Yeshivah with our Rosh Yeshivah, Rabbi Moshe Zev Katzenstein, at the head of the table. Since it was pitch black, the only thing we had to focus on was the sound of his voice. We asked him to tell us a lesson we could learn from the storm. He said as follows:
"If you take a look outside, you will notice a strange phenomenon: There are some incredibly tall, thick trees that are no more - they were uprooted in the storm; on the other hand, you will notice other thin, small, scrawny looking trees that are still standing. How is it possible that some big mighty trees fell yet some little ones still remain? There is only one possible explanation - those small trees may have looked puny - but they were very well connected to their roots."
May we all merit staying very well connected to our roots through Torah, Tefilah, and acts of kindness and by doing so, withstand whatever storms life may at times bring.
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September 18th - Children's Chesed Project #3 Part II
October 2-4 - Rosh Hashana
October 11-12 - Yom Kippur
October 16-25 - Sukkot
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Howard Street Improvement Project
The City of Chicago, the City of Evanston and the Village of Skokie will be joining together to improve safety and traffic flow for motorists and pedestrians on Howard from Sacramento to the bridge over the North Shore Channel.
The Howard Street project will include a new traffic signal at Sacramento and modernization of the existing signal at Kedzie, as well as a complete resurfacing of the street and improvements to the intersections and sidewalks.
The project will begin the week of June 13 at Kedzie Avenue and will be completed in four stages. During construction, one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained on Howard at all times. The street is scheduled to be resurfaced from the bridge to Sacramento by mid-August, and the project should be completed by the end of October.
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