High Holiday Message: "Was that really me?"

One of the features of Hashem that we mention on Rosh Hashana is that He recalls each person and their respective appointments. As we mention this at the beginning of the Zichronos/Remembrances section of the Amidah, the apparent redundancy is striking. Once Hashem focuses upon that human, He obviously knows what their purpose and goal is as well. Yet, explain the commentaries, it is we who need the reminder during our High Holiday prayers. We may have gone through an entire year of serving Hashem, praying, participating in Mitzvos and Chesed, and missed a crucial piece- our individual job.

Such an issue may be born out of looking to others when determining what and how we should be doing as Jews. While we may not have innovated a program, class, or even institution, and our involvement in those establishments is central to our being part of a proper Kehilla, we must also look ourselves in the mirror every day and see what it is that Hashem wants from me on that particular day. That requires owning up to the fact that Hashem has determined that our personality, accompanied by our set of challenges and strengths, is exactly what Hashem wants as part of His 'front lines' of Judaism. A noted Torah scholar was asked on his death bed if he was concerned about what Hashem would ask him upon his death. He replied that he was not concerned about not having lived up to the levels of greater Torah Jews, but rather that he may not have lived up to what he himself was truly able to achieve.

We spend time on these Holidays focusing upon our misdeeds and shortcomings; let us have a look back at what we have accomplished this past year as individuals, realizing that we are cherished by Hashem far beyond our comprehension.

A Kesiva VaChasima Tovah to all!

Rabbi Chaim Yosef Ackerman

Personals:

• Rabbi Josh & Aliza Finegold on the birth of their son, Aharon
• Matt & Mindy Cooper and Yitzy on the birth of their son and brother, Tuvya Yehoshua. Mazel Tov to the grandparents, Paul & Karan Tanenbaum and Barbara Cooper and great-grandfather, Pearson Press and to the entire family
• Dr. Jonathan & Elana Gisser on the birth of their son, Chaim Yisroel Meir
• Yuriy & Jessica Zelikovich on the birth of their daughter, Leah Elisheva
• Rabbi Chaim Yosef & Menucha Ackerman on the birth of their son, Yehuda
• Eddie & Jodi Karmia on the B'nei Mitzvah of their sons, Jacob & Cameron. Mazel Tov to the grandmother, Boots Nutis and to the entire Nutis Family
• Yhezkel & Yael Levi on the 8th grade graduation of their daughter, Noa from the Columbus School for Girls
• Dr. Judy Groner and Dan Meyers on the college graduation of Judy's son, Elan deLevie from Penn State
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol and Dr. Todd & Tammy Lipschultz and their families on the marriage of Garret & Alexandra
• Ira & Laura Nutis, Boots Nutis, Dr. Alan & Ellen Kaplan and their entire families on the marriage of Sam & Ariella
• Dr. Sheldon & Marilyn Estreicher and Dr. Donna Estreicher on the marriage of their daughter, Alissa to Kevin Kashani, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hertsel Kashani of Great Neck, New York. The couple will be residing in Manhattan
• Rabbi Zvi & Sara Beth Kahn on the marriage of their daughter, Atara Kalish to Shmulik Weingot
• Dr. Al & Shelly Dembe on the marriage of their daughter, Leah Lebowitz to Jon Savage
• Brittany Klein on accepting a position as visiting professor of writing at Denison University

• Harold & Elaine Shindel and Yaakov & Brittany Klein for donating books to the library
• The Light Brigade for installing light bulbs: Steve Geiger, Jon Hartstein, Barry Hellman, David Schwartz, and Paul Tanenbaum
• Nat & Myra Goldman for donating a vacuum cleaner to the Shul
• Sefer Torah dedicated by: Dr. Warren and Marlene Sobol in honor of their parents

Donations:

• Enhanced by Jack & Shelley Levey in honor of their 10th Wedding Anniversary
• Enhanced by Dr. Beth Tranen in honor of Joshua becoming regional president of NCSY and Pnina completing shana aleph
• Enhanced by the Friends of Drs. Jared & Jessica Hershenson wishing them Tzeitzchem L'Shalom as they prepare to leave Columbus
• Enhanced by Edgar & Sofiya Karpovich in honor of their family visiting them: their daughter & son-in-law, Chana & Alexander Shor, grandson, Rabbi Moshe Shor, his wife, Devorah and their children Chaya Mushka and Shalom Dov Ber
• Yuriy & Jessica Zelikovich in honor of the birth of their daughter, Leah Elisheva
• Ira & Laura Nutis in honor of the auf ruf of their son, Sam
• Paul & Karan Tanenbaum and Barbara Cooper in honor of the birth of their new grandson
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol in honor of the auf ruf of their son, Garret
• Enhanced by Andrew & Dr. Tricia Rosenstein praying for a safe trip and productive year to all those who will be studying in Israel next school year, including their son, Samuel
• Rustin & Yan Shenkman in honor of the Sisterhood and farewell to Columbus

• Yhezkel & Yael Levi in honor of Yhezkel's birthday
• Susan Bonowitz in honor of Marvin and Anne's 50th wedding anniversary, Sppencer Eppstein's return from Israel for the summer and Austin Eppstein's high school graduation
• Dr. Leon & Lina Margolin in memory of Leon's grandmother, Bat Sheva bas Chaim. Leon did a siyum on Zvachim in her memory
• Cantor Baruch & Minna Shifman commemorating the Yahrzeit of Cantor Shifman's mother
• Mel Freedberg commemorating the Yahrzeit of his mother, Chaya Bluma bas Chaim Yaakov, Rebecca Freedberg, whose Yahrzeit was 7 Tammuz
• Dr. Rick Turkel and Family commemorating the Yahrzeit and birthday of Ariela, a"h
• Drs. Jared & Jessica Hershenson in honor of Jared's parents and the Columbus community for making their three years here so wonderful; Jared did a siyum on masechta Rosh Hashanah
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol commemorating the first Yahrzeit of Marlene's mother, Lillian Ganz, Lea bas Shlomo
• Gary & Lana Covel commemorating the Yahrzeit of Gary's mother, Bettie Rich Covel
• Cantor Baruch & Minna Shifman in honor of the birth Rabbi and Menucha Ackerman's son, Yehuda
• The Berenstein Family commemorating the Yahrzeit of Ruth Seff, Rochel bas Tuvia
• Steve & Kim Geiger in honor of Steve finishing a Mesechta
• Drs. Dan & Leslie Chase in honor of the Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Julie
• Noam & Sigi Even commemorating the Yahrzeit of Noam's mother, Esther Zissel bas Ze'ev Dov HaKohen
• Sanford Lefkowitz commemorating the Yahrzeit of his father, Martin Lefkowitz, Meir ben Moshe
• Drs. David & Miriam Portman in honor of their son, Jacob making Aliyah
• Dr. Moshe & Esther Wilhelm commemorating the Yahrzeit of Moshe's father, Binyamin ben Avraham Abba
• Friends of Rustin & Yan Shenkman wishing them well as they prepare to leave Columbus

• Susan Bonowitz in memory of Dr. Dan Chase's mother and maternal grandmother, Ida Schiffman whose Yahrzeit is the 4th of Av
• Susan Bonowitz in honor of Julie Chase's Bat Mitzvah; Garret Sobol's marriage; Sam Nutis' marriage; and her son, Austin Eppstein's 18th birthday (August 4)
• David & Cathy Schwartz
• Saul Schottenstein Foundation
• Bill Schottenstein
• David & Eda Schottenstein
• Tuvia & Lea Schottenstein
• Perry & Yael Vernikoff
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol
• Ira & Laura Nutis
• Dr. Paul & Kathy Pollack
• Dr. Leon & Lina Margolin
• Avi & Judy Rosenberg

• Michael Berenstein
• Rabbi Noach & Bitsy Burr
• Barbara Cooper
• Rabbi Avrohom & Hope Drandoff
• Dr. Matt & Betty Goldish
• Edgar & Sofiya Karpovich
• Jack & Shelley Levey
• Gary Liebesman & Stacy Leeman
• Ed & Faye Mellman
• Dan Meyers & Dr. Judy Groner
• Joel & Karin Mirkin
• Stuart & Tari Modes
• Dr. Paul & Kathy Pollack
• Pearson Press
• Dr. Victor & Susan Schmelzer
• Saul Schottenstein Foundation
• Tuvia & Lea Schottenstein
• Will & Suzanne Schwartz
• Harold & Elaine Shindel
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol
• Paul & Karan Tanenbaum
• Perry & Yael Vernikoff

• Fanya Korotkina in memory of husband, Sil Korotkin

• Rabbi Shimon David Abrams
• Yehuda Bitton
• Dr. Ron Carmen
• Neil Cooper
• Rabbi Josh Finegold
• Dr. Jonathan Gisser
• Tamir Goodman
• Dr. Jared Hershenson
• Dr. Marvin Hershenson
• Dotan Herszage
• Edgar Karpovich
• Samuel Leifer
• Daniel Libicki
• Aaron Mellman
• Mark Mellman
• Joel Mirkin
• Rabbi Henoch Morris
• Deuel Palmore
• Stuart Perles
• Chaim Schramm
• Tuvia Schottenstein
• Dr. Stuart Shindel
• Dr. Warren Sobol
• Harvey Sukienik
• Marvin Vinar
• Dan Weiss
• Stuart Weltz
• Yuriy Zelikovich
• Anonymous

• Mikhail Tashayev in memory of Vladimir Tashayev
• Drs. Phil & Julie Weinerman in memory of Dr. Dan Chase's mother, Doris Chase, a"h
• Stuart & Tari Modes in memory of Dr. Dan Chase's mother, Doris Chase, a"h
• Dr. Dan & Natalie Cohen and Family in memory of Dr. Dan Chase's mother, Doris Chase, a"h
• Patrick & Diane Wiesel in memory of Dr. Dan Chase's mother, Doris Chase, a"h
• Edgar & Sofiya Karpovich in memory of Thea Press, a"h
• Susan Bonowitz in memory of Mr. Kehath Winiarz, a"h (Susan's second grade teacher at CTA)
• Anne Shindel in memory of Mr. Kehath Winiarz, a"h
• Barbara Trager in memory of Thea Press, a"h
• Yitzchak & Ruth Gold in memory of Yitzchak's sister, Sonia G. Fesman, a"h
• Ruth Quinn in memory of beloved husband, Leonard Quinn, z"l
• Jack & Shelley Levey in memory of beloved father, Yaakov ben Yeruchum HaLevi, z"l
• Edgar & Sofiya Karpovich in memory of Ruth Seff, a"h
• Herman Rosen commemorating the Yahrzeits of Alex Rosen and Edward Nusgart
• Sonny & Ellen Romanoff commemorating the Yahrzeits of beloved grandmother, Chaya Mirel Gross, uncle, Israel Gross, beloved mother, Ruth (Rochel) Gross and grandfather, Max Gross
• Ruth Quinn commemorating the Yahrzeits of beloved brother, sister, and son
• Herman Rosen commemorating the Yahrzeits of Joseph Rosen and Yetta Rosen
• Alex & Susan Rosen commemorating the Yahrzeits of Joseph Rosen and Yetta Rosen
• Phyllis Zierler, a"h, commemorating the Yahrzeit of beloved grandfather, Barnett Swissman
• Aaron & Shirley Yablok commemorating the Yahrzeit of Lillian Yablok
• Edgar & Sofiya Karpovich for Yizkor
• Paul & Karan for Yizkor
• Michael Berenstein for Yizkor
• Natalie Berenstein for Yizkor
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol
• David & Eda Schottenstein
• Tuvia & Lea Schottenstein
• Saul Schottenstein Foundation
• Dr. Paul & Kathy Pollack
• Viktor & Tatyana Fedorovsky
• Benjamin Osborne
• Lawrence Gaba
• Rabbi Daniel & Chanie Loew
• Chaim & Judy Waldman
• Leo & Sonia Mirkin
• Daniel Margolin
• Aaron Berkovich & Elena Kuchik
• Jack & Shelley Levey
• Rebbe Yehudah & Navah Lowy
• Andrew & Dr. Tricia Rosenstein
• Dr. Marc & Sharon Schramm
• David & Cathy Schwartz
• Stuart & Tari Modes
• Sonny & Ellen Romanoff
• Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol
• Sanford Lefkowitz
• Rebbe Yehuda & Navah Lowy
• Perry & Yael Vernikoff
• Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Day Camp
• Karan Tanenbaum with Hoda'ah to Hashem
• Elaine Rosenstein in honor of the following graduations of her grandchildren: Samuel Rosenstein from CTA, Becky Rosenstein from OSU with a degree in nursing, Brett Rosenstein from OSU, Eric Rosenstein from OSU
• Irving & Melody Boime in appreciation of Lana Covel's Bed & Breakfast
• Anne Shindel wishing a continued refuah shelaimah to her father, Harold Shindel and in appreciation to both her parents, Harold & Elaine Shindel, for having her home for Shavuos
• Florlyn Freedman in honor of Faye & Ed Mellman's 50th anniversary and in honor of Kathy Pollack for visiting her in the hospital
• Perry & Yael Vernikoff in honor of the engagement of Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol's son, Garret to Alexandra Lipschultz
• Patrick & Diane wishing mazal tov to the Ackerman family on the birth of their son, Yehuda
• Susan Bonowitz wishing mazel tov to Yuriy & Jessica Zelikovich on the birth of their baby girl, Leah Elisheva; Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman on the birth of their baby boy, Yehuda; Shelly & Al Dembe on the marriage of their daughter, Leah to Jon Savage; and in honor of the upcoming marriage of Nechama Lidsky to Avrumy Fergusson
• Nat & Myra Goldman wishing mazel tov to Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman on the birth of their baby boy, Yehuda
• Stuart & Tari Modes in appreciation to Jon Hartstein, Ira Nutis, Sonny Romanoff, Michael Berenstein and Rabbi David Ginsburg
• Jerrold & Deborah Wicentowski in honor of Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol
• Dr. Marvin & Michelle Hershenson in honor of Dr. Jared Hershenson's siyum
• Perry & Yael Vernikoff in honor of the birth of Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman's baby boy, Yehuda
• Yuriy & Jessica Zelikovich in gratitude to Hashem for the birth of their daughter, Leah
• Dr. Marty & Sherry Hellman in honor of Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman's hospitality
• Rick & Terri Barnett in honor of the birth of Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman's baby boy, Yehuda
• Harold & Elaine Shindel in gratitude to Hashem for Harold's continuing recovery
• Nat & Myra Goldman wishing a recovery to Fred Goldman
• Harvey & Lisa Sukienik in honor of the wedding of Sam Nutis & Ariella Kaplan and in honor of the birth of Matt & Mindy Cooper's son, Tuvya Yehoshua
• Hal Tanenbaum in honor of Dr. Paul & Kathy Pollack for their hospitality
• Hal Tanenbaum in honor of the bris of Tuvya Cooper
• Patrick & Diane Wiesel in honor of the birth of Dr. Jonathan & Elana Gisser's son, Chaim Yisroel Meir
• Stuart & Tari Modes wishing mazel tov to Ira & Laura Nutis and Boots Nutis on the marriage of their son and grandson, Sam to Ariella; wishing mazel tov to Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol on the marriage of their son, Garret to Alexandra; with sincere appreciation to Dr. Jonathan & Elana Gisser and family
• Dr. Dan & Natalie Cohen and Family wishing mazel tov to Drs. Dan & Leslie Chase and family on the Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Julie and to Ira & Laura Nutis and Dr. Alan & Ellen Kaplan on the marriage of Sam and Ariella
• Perry & Yael Vernikoff wishing mazel tov to Drs. Dan & Leslie Chase on the Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Julie
• Drs. Phil & Julie Weinerman in honor of new babies to Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman, Yuriy & Jessica Zelikovich, Dr. Jonathan & Elana Gisser, Matt & Mindy Cooper, Rabbi Josh & Aliza Finegold
• Drs. Phil & Julie Weinerman in honor of the weddings of children of Ira & Laura Nutis, Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol, Dr. Sheldon & Marilyn Estreicher, Dr. Al & Shelly Dembe, Dr. Avi & Karen Mikalov
• Andrew & Dr. Tricia Rosenstein wishing mazel tov to Drs. Dan & Leslie Chase on the Bas Mitzvah of their daughter, Julie; wishing mazel tov to Dr. Warren & Marlene Sobol on the marriage of their son, Garret to Alexandra; wishing mazel tov to Ira & Laura Nutis on the marriage of their son, Sam to Ariella; wishing mazel tov Dr. Jonathan & Elana Gisser on the birth of their son, Chaim Yisroel Meir; wishing mazel tov to Rabbi & Menucha Ackerman on the birth of their son, Yehuda; in appreciation to Michael Berenstein for preparing the shul's freshest coffee; in appreciation to Elliot Fineberg for his help