Meet Our Rabbis
Rabbi Yitzchak Falk
Rabbi Falk is honored to serve as the Rabbi of Congregation Ezras Israel. Rabbi Falk received semicha in 2004 from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and from Yeshivat HaMivtar under the auspices of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Rabbi Chaim Brovender, and Rabbi Yehoshua Reich. He is a board certified Health Care Chaplain and he has worked as a Hospice Chaplain for NorthShore University HealthSystem.
Prior to joining the Ezras Israel community, Rabbi Falk served as the rabbi of Park Plaza Jewish Senior Living Community for over seven years. Rabbi Falk has also taught at Ida Crown Jewish Academy, and has been a member of the Chicago Kollel Torah Mitzion. Both Rabbi and Mrs. Falk were Jewish Educators for the OU’s partnership with Hillel, the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Rabbi Yitzchak Falk is married to Rachel and they have five children between the ages of 5 and 15. Both Yitzchak and Rachel were born and raised in the Chicago area.
Rabbi Emeritus Burton H. Wax
Rabbi Burton Wax was born in Chicago in 1936 and grew up in Albany Park. A product of the Chicago Public Schools (Volta and Von Steuben), he attended Hebrew School at Congregation Beth Itzchok, where his parents, Jack and Lillian Wax, z”l, were active members. His father served two 3-year terms as president in the 1940’s, and his mother was sisterhood president for several years.
After graduating Hebrew School in 1948, Burton began high school level Torah studies at the Albany Park Branch of the Hebrew Theological College. In 1950 he began commuting to the HTC on Douglas Blvd. He completed his rabbinic studies in 1959 in the last class taught by Rabbi David Kaganoff, z”l, and was formally ordained in 1960. He was awarded a BA from Roosevelt University in 1955 and an MA in Education Administration from Northwestern University in 1958. He also took several courses at Spertus College of Judaica.
In addition to being in the Jewish book business from 1956 until 2001, Rabbi Wax taught Bar Mitzvah preparation and Hebrew School at Kehilath Jeshurun Synagogue from 1953-1959, and served as Hebrew School principal at Cong. Bnai David from 1959-1961. As a student rabbi, he served synagogues for the High Holidays in Ambridge, PA and Seminole, OK, as well as Mikro Kodesh Anshe Tiktin Congregation and Congregation Beth Itzchok in Chicago. He also “substituted” at Beth Shalom of Rogers Park, Cong Anshe Yanova and KINS when they were between rabbis. From 1963 to 1976 he was part-time Rabbi of Congregation Agudath Jacob in Evanston. He was also Baal Koreh at KINS Congregation from 1982-1991.
In 1991 he was engaged as Rabbinic Associate at Cong. Ezras Israel, and subsequently promoted to Assistant Rabbi. Upon the retirement of Rabbi Kaganoff z”l in 2003, Rabbi Wax was elected to fill the pulpit. He retired in 2008, but was recalled in 2012 when Rabbi Grussgott resigned. (He is the Grover Cleveland Rabbi of Ezras Israel.)
Rabbi Wax has served on the Boards of Directors of the Religious Zionists of Chicago, Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School and the Associated Talmud Torahs. He has held elective offices as President of the Religious Zionists of Chicago, Vice-Presiident/Education, and subsequently President of Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, and Vice-President/Finance of the Associated Talmud Torahs. He also was chairman of the ATT-Jewish Federation Liaison Committee. In addition, he served several years representing the cRc at the jewish Community Relations Council.
Rabbi Wax taught a class at the Ida Crown Jewish Academy during the 2001-2002 school year. And was also on call there as a substitute in all areas of Judaic studies, as well as selected secular subjects.
Maxima and Burton Wax were married in January, 1957. They are the proud parents of Ora (Maury) Aaron and Ari (Pola) Wax, and grandparents of Yoni (Jessy) Aaron, Ilana (Chanani) Teller and Jake and Joshua Wax. They are also the proud great-grandparents of Emma, Daniella and Nicole Aaron.
Wed, December 11 2024 10 Kislev 5785