Passover at Beth Torah 2023

Rabbi: Louis J. Sachs

Cantor: David Edwards

Executive Director: Raquel Black

President: Stan Freedman

Gabbai: Mark Krantzberg

Ba'al Korei: Nathaniel Callen

PASSOVER SERVICE SCHEDULE

Honouring The Past By Building The Future from Rabbi Louis J. Sachs

forearmAndiftheHolyOne,BlessedOnehadnottakenourancestors fromEgypt,weandourchildrenandourchildren'schildrenwouldbe .enslavedtoPharaohinEgypt

These words open the Maggid section of the seder, in which we retell the story of the Exodus and our ancestors’ journey to freedom. The prominent place this reading is given at the beginning of this section illustrates the importance of its message- we would not be here today if it weren’t for those who came before us.

I can’t believe how quickly time has gone by since my family and I first joined Beth Torah last Summer. Throughout the blur of holidays, lifecycles, meetings, Shabbatot, and more- I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of you personally. I’ve had the privilege of both celebrating joyous occasions with you and standing with you in moments of difficulty and pain. Throughout it all, I’ve had the opportunity to learn some of our shul’s history, and also to learn some of your stories- the members and families who make up our community.

As I prepare for my own seders I keep thinking about this passage- “And if the Holy One, Blessed One had not taken our ancestors from Egypt, we and our children and our children's children would be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.” We owe a debt of gratitude to those who came before us, who labored to lay the foundations for the blessings of today.

Joining Beth Torah has been a blessing, and I know this community has been a blessing for so many of you over the years. Many of you celebrated grew up here, celebrating some of the most important moments of your life.

Someofyouraisedyourchildrenhere,watchingthemgrowupinthe warmthofacaringcommunity.Somehavebeenblessedtowatch theirgrandkidsgrowupinthesameway.Others,likemyself,have joinedmorerecentlyandareonlybeginningtoexperienceallthis communitycanoffer.

Butallofusoweadebtofgratitudetothosewholabouredtobuild BethTorahintowhatitis.

Tothefoundingmemberswhobondedtogetherinasharedvisionof thefuture.Tothecountlesslay-leadersandvolunteerswhogavetheir timetoturnthosedreamsintoreality.Toeachandeverypersonwho hassupportedtheshulfinanciallyoverthedecades,ensuringthat therewasaspaceforthosedreamstotakehold,andthosedreamers togathertogether.

I’mproudofallthatwe’veaccomplishedthisyear.I’mhonouredbythe privilegeofservingasyourrabbi.PerhapsmostofallI’minspiredby thelegacyofthosewhobuiltthiscommunityintowhatitistoday,and excitedtoworktogetheraswecontinuetolaythefoundationforthe next60years.

Weoftenthinkthesederisjustaboutrememberingthepast,butdon’t forgethowitends-lookingtowardsthefuture.L’shanahHaba’ah b’Yerushalayim!NextyearinJerusalem!Togetherwelooktowards tomorrowwithexcitementforallthatitmaybring.

Togetherwewillcontinuetheworkofthosewhocamebeforeus; togetherwewillpayourdebttothepastbybuildingourfuture.

Frommyself,Lauren,andLillie.

WewishyouaChagSameach-HappyPesach!

-RLS

TherearestillmanyofyouIhaven’tyethadthepleasuretomeetin person,andevenforthoseIhave,I’dlovetocontinuetogettoknow youbetter.Ifyoueverwanttochatoveracupofcoffeeattheshulor inyouhome,pleasejustreachout.Youcanemailme,calltheoffice,or usetheQRcodebelowtobookatimeatyourconvenience.I’veonly beguntolearnyourstories,andIlookforwardtonotonlycontinuing tolearnthem-buttobeingapartofthemwithyou.

rabbisachs@bethtorah.ca

BookaCoffeeWith RabbiSachs

A Passover Message from Cantor David Edwards

AsthePesachseasonisonceagainonourdoorsteps andthoughtsofSpringbegintopercolateinour minds,itbringsaboutatimeofrenewalandhopeas wewillsoongathertoreadtheancientstoryofthe Haggadahandsingthewonderfulsongsassociated withtheholiday.

Thisisthetimetocelebrateourfreedomandyetthisyear,itseems hardertounderstandthatconceptgiventhenewsthatwehear everydaydomesticallyandinternationally.Thestoriesofincreased antisemitismeverywhere,thefactthatvariousgroupswould happilywatchourdemise,therawhatredandterribleshootings withinourownsocietyisreallyquitefrightening.Whatisworse,the divisionsthathavedeepened androckedIsraelisocietytothecore,crowdourpagesanddefinea pictureofutterchaos.

But….WehavetosetthegloomasideonPesach,thetimeto celebrateourfreedomandthinkaboutourglassesthatarefullas wesitaroundoursedertables.Inthisworld,weareblessedwith choicesandoptionsandoneofoursagestellsawonderfulstory aboutanelderlyfatherandhis3sonsashecontemplates retirementfromhisverylargeandsuccessfulbusiness.Thisfatheris facedwithachoiceastowhichsonmightbethemostsuitableone toassumetheroleofCEOofhisorganizationandbetrustedwith the reinsofthecompany.Hecalledameetingofhischildrenandgave themeachaproposition.Hetookthemdownstairstoanempty roominhisbasementandinstructedthemthateachonewouldbe given24hourstofillthisroomwithwhatevertheindividualson thoughtwasmostappropriateandbestutilizethespace.

Thefirstsonwasasuccessfullawyerandhedecidedtoshredasmuch paperaspossibleandfilltheemptyroomaccordingly.Bagsandbags ofshreddedpaper!Thefollowingday,thefathercamedownand whenthesonopenedthedoor,hewaswithallthisshreddedpaper! Thefatherthankedhislawyersonandmovedontothesecondsibling. Hemadehislivingintheexcavationandconstructionindustryand decidedthebestwaytoutilizethespacewastofillitwithearthand hence,assembledateamofworkerstoensuretheroomwasfilled accordingly.Thenextday,thefatherexaminedtheroom,thankedhis sonandmovedontohisotherbrother.Onceagain,thethirdsonwas giventhesame24hourstoutilizethespaceinthedarkenedroom.The fatherreturnedthenextday,openedthedooranddiscoveredthe roomwascompletelyempty.Heaskedhissonwhathedidandashe wasabouttoleave,disappointed,thesonstoppedhimandsaid“Wait amoment!”Hetookabookofmatchesoutofhispocketandontaking acandle,struckthematchandlitthecandlefillingtheroomwith light!“Iwantedtoremovethedarknessandgiveyoureasontohope thatIwouldbeabletocarryonyourlegacy,ethically,fairlyandgive thosewhohavedealingswithmethehopeandtrustthattheir experiencewouldbeahappyone!”Thefatherimmediatelyhadhis answerastowhowouldtakeoverthebusinessandthe lessonforusisclear.

Althoughthisisnotaparticularlyeasytimeformanyofuscoming outofthepandemicanddealingwithalongandverydarkWinter, whenwesitatourtablesandremembertheageoldHaggadahstory, wewillbeenlightenedbyitsmessageanditsabidinglight.

Withthatinmind,ChagKasherveSameachtoeachoneofyouand Sharonjoinsmeinhopingtoseeyouinsynagogueovertheholidays.

CantorDavidEdwards

A Passover Message from President Stan Freedman

Itiswithhumilityandsomemeasureofdisbelief thatIamwritingthisfirstmessagetoyouas PresidentofBethTorah.

ItisfittingthatthisfirstmessageisatPassover,asitisatimewhen weremember,studyandreflectonwhatourancestorswentthrough fromslaverytofreedom.Thereweresetbacksandchallenges,butin theendtherewassuccess.Thereisnoquestionthattheseare challengingtimesfororganizedJudaism(aswellasotherreligions). Thereseemstobeageneralsocietaldriftawayfromreligionwhichis compoundedbythefinancialpressurestowhichyoungfamiliesare subject,withmanyquestioningiftheywilleverbeabletoafforda house,letalonesynagogueaffiliation.

SurveyshaveshownthatamongJewishCanadians,particularlythose undertheageof40,synagogueaffiliationandattendancerankatthe bottomofalistofactivitiesthatareimportanttotheirJewish identity.Covidhasactedtoaccelerateandamplifythosechallenges.

Havingsaidthis,therearemanyreasonstobeoptimisticatBeth Torahandforitsfuture.Mostsignificantly,thisisBethTorah’sfirst PassoverundertheleadershipofRabbiLouisSachs.Hebringsanew andinvigoratingcommitmenttoBethTorah,bothspirituallyandfor greaterengagementinthecommunity.Youmayhavenoticed increasedprogramingandeventsatBethTorah thisisjustthe beginning.Together,ourRabbi,staffandvolunteershavemany additionalplansaswebuildforthefuture.

WhileattendingservicesonShabbat,theholidays,suchas Passover,andtheSundayMinyanarewaystoparticipateand engage,therearemanyotheraspectstooursynagogue community,andweencourageyoutoparticipateinandattend these.AllIcansayatthispointis“staytuned”.Thereisalotmore tocome,withsomethingforallofyou,adultsandchildren,family andfriends,toengagewithandparticipateinourcommunity,and totakeonleadershiproles.

IfyouhavenothadtheopportunitytomeetRabbiSachs(hiswife, Lauren,orhisyoungdaughter,Lillie),Iencourageyoutoattend services,programs,orjustsetupatimetomeetandspeakwith him.Andifyouknowofindividualsorfamilieswhoarelookingfor increasedJewishidentityorspirituality,pleaseencouragethemto alsomeetwithRabbiSachs.Youandtheywillbeimpressed.

OnbehalfoftheExecutiveofBethTorah,theBoardofTrustees, andourstaffandvolunteers,allofwhommakewhatwedo possible,mywife,Melissa,andourchildren,Jared,JuliaandEric,I wanttowishyouaChagPesachSameach.

StanFreedman

RAQUEL’SCHOCOLATEPASSOVERPIE

(PARVE)

ByRaquelBlack

Ingredients:

FORTHECRUST

1½cupsslicedalmonds

⅔cupsweetened,shredded coconut

6Tbspmargarine

⅔cupdarkchocolatepieces (dairyfree)

1tspsalt

FORTHEFILLING

8largeeggs,separated

10ozdarkorbittersweet chocolate(dairyfree)

¾cupsugar

½cupoliveoil/vegetableoil

1tsporangezestormarmalade

FORTHETOPPING

Freshraspberries

Orangezest

NonDairywhippedcream

Powderedsugar

Yield:2pies

Time:24hours

TO MAKE THE CRUST TO MAKE THE FILLING

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a glass or microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and margarine for 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely smooth and glossy. In a food processor fitted with blade attachment, add almonds, coconut, salt, and margarine-chocolate mixture. Pulse until mixture is like thick, crumbly sand.

Split the mixture into two pie pans. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, push mixture into pie crust pan until bottom and sides are covered. This takes a little time and patience. Chill for 10 minutes. Bake crust for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate for 30second intervals until melted. Stir with spatula until completely smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool slightly.

Beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale yellow in color. Whisk in oil, zest, and orange liqueur. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture until color and consistency is uniform. Divide mixture and spoon into pie crusts. Smooth out top.

TO ASSEMBLE THE PIES

Split the mousse in half and fill each pie crust with the mousse filling.

Chill overnight until completely set.

Garnish with raspberries and orange peel; a dusting of powdered sugar; or fresh nondairy whipped cream.

FamousPassoverFlourlessChocolate

TorteWithRaspberryCoulis

ByLoriGoldenberg

Ingredients:

12ozsemisweetchocolate(Liebers)

1/2cup+2tbspbutterormargarine 4eggs

2tbspsugar

1tbsppotatostarch,sifted parchmentpaper-cutintoan8inch circle

Preheatovento425°F

Brushan8inchspringformpanwithalittlemeltedmargarineThenput yourparchmentpaperoverthemeltedbutterPlaceeggs(inshell)in warmwaterbath

Meltchocolatewithbutterormargarineoverdoubleboiler.Remove fromheat

Beatwarmeggswithsugarinmixeruntillightandfluffy

Gentlyfoldinpotatostarchwithwhisk

Fold1/4cupofeggmixtureintochocolatemixture

Foldallchocolatemixtureintoeggsandwhisk

Pourbatterinpreparedpan

Bake15minutes,coolslightlyandremoveouterringfromspringform

Whencooled,sprinklewithPassovericingsugar

Servewithraspberrycoulis(RecipeBelow)

Ingredients:

RaspberryCoulis

ByLoriGoldenberg

1cupfrozenraspberriesor fresh,unsweetenedand thawed1/2cupsugar(orless)

1tsplemonjuice

Pureeraspberriesinfoodprocessor

Taste,addsugarandlemonjuiceasneededPushcoulisthrougha strainertoremoveseeds

Servewithchocolatetorte.Coulisfreezeswell.

Beth Torah is a special place. At holidays, we always sit at the same area and have all of our most near and dear surrounding us (friends and family). I always feel like I’m around an extended family at Beth Torah.

-Lori Goldenberg

Ingredients: 4CupsofDryCurrants

Almondorwalnuthalves

Washthecurrentswellandputinabowlwithwater.Letthemsoakfor onehour.

Putinastrainerandletallliquidstraincompletely.Allowtodry(20-30 min).

Placeinafoodprocessorandblenduntilsmoothorconsistency desired.

Keepitintherefrigeratoruntilserving.

Placethemixtureonaservingplateandgarnishwithnuts.Simpleand delicious.

BETH TORAH KIDS!

OurB'MitzvahKidshavebeenhavinglotsof greatexpieriencesinourprogram!

Loadsoffunfortheyoungeronesallour

PASSOVER FOR KIDS AT BETH TORAH

OTHER UPCOMING PROGRAMS

PASSOVER POEMS BY

SHARRON ELKOUBY

MATZAH, 5783

M oses led the people to the promised land, A nd the Red Sea parted, by God’s holy hand; T he slavery, the suffering, they left it all behind, Z ion-- their identity, together, they did find; A nd so we tell our children the story of those days, H allelujah, and Dayenu, we sing in songs of praise.'

Passover Quiz

What food is square, crunchy, thin, and bland?

What crumbles easily in your hand?

What’s the “bread of haste” in Exodus?

What’s disliked by so many of us?

(Ok, the first day or two it’s yummy,

But after that, causes stress for your tummy);

What, however, as balls in your soup, Causes us, with joy, to whoop?

What, for 8 days, do we substitute For baguettes and bagels if you know, you’re astute!

The answer? It’s matzah! And oy, what a treat (?),

Now stop your kvetching, sit down, and eat!

©Sharron Elkouby, 5783/2023

Thank you to our Amazing Donors (December 2022-March 2023) We

AviLibman,RachelSheps

1998435OntarioInc

AdamPolansky

Adrian&RhondaFeigelsohn

AllanWeinbaum&KarenEidinger

AnnaliseNielsen

Archie&EllenRabinowitz

AubreySugar

Barb&KennethWeinberg

BernicePenciner

Brian&JessicaKimmel

Brian&ShellyFeldman

ChristopherSloan

ConnieKussner

DanielRabinovits&BarbaraGreenspoon

DavidEdwards

DavidGoodbaum&CandaceVogel

DavidSmith

DavidWaldman

DeborahKleiner&LawrenceZucker

Dubros,Lorne

Eddie&KaraReinish

Eddie&SusanGlick

EdelmanMD,DavidS

EllenFeldman

Ephraim&PennyFiksel

Ernie&NormaKirsh

EstherGoldenberg

EstherYermus&StephenFarb

FDAVIDROUNTHWAITE

GaryAbrahamson

GeraldEstrin

Gordon&RickiFenwick

GregoryBaylin&ChristineAllan

HarrietDeKoven

HarveyHochberg, HelenMueller

HelenYermus

HowardShiffman&DeborahAnschell

IlanaBirnbaum

Jack&TolsaGreenberg

JaredFreedman

JeffreyWaldman&SimoneCollier

JenniferProuse

JenniferSernaker-Tytel

Jeremy&MindyAlter

Joel&GailFenwick

JonathanRobertStrauss&Shawna-Gay

ColletteEllisStrauss

JosephineSalvaggio

JoshuaArossi

JoyceMonson

JustinBeber&ElissaKline-Beber

KellyElder

Kenneth&GaylaSchwartz

Larry&CindyTurk

Leon&FredaYermus

LillianSokoloff

Lorne&JillGaffe

LukofskyHoldings

MaiaIbarra

MarcRapuch

MarciaBernick

MarkKrantzberg&IrisRosenbluth

MarleneBaranek

MaureenWarren

MayaPearlston

MichaelGangel

Michelle&JoshuaFrost

MitchellAbbey

PadmaLama

Peggy&JoelFrankel

Peter&RandiSatok

RaquelBlack

Robert&AnnaMiller

RobynSolomons

Rochelle&MarkStenzler

Rosenblatt,Reuben

SamanthaBarkin-Budd&JeremyBudd

SandraBernofsky

SarahErlichman

SarahKnaster

SaulLibstug

Shawn&LoriGoldenberg

ShelbyAltbaum

Sheldon&GillianGlazer

SheineMankovsky

SherylCape

ShirleyGlick

Stanley&MelissaFreedman

Steinberg,Jeffrey

StephanieStarr

StephenTurk&MauraLevine

Steven&DonnaGoldenberg

SusanSpeigel

SusieSzainwald

TammyJoffe

Todd&AlisonSheriff

VernFreedlander&WendyKosky

WarrenIkeman&JillWagman

William&LyndaCastor

Zeno&EvyStrasberg

ZoeKlein

Remembering those we have lost (December 2022 - April 2023)

CharlieBigenwald

MartinBaranek

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Oneofthewordscommonlyassociatedwithspringis renewal,anditisrightaroundthecorneratBethTorah,too! Wewillbesendingoutourmembershiprenewalpackageat thebeginningofMaytoallcongregants.

Ifyouhaveanaddresschange,emailchange,orjustwantto checkyouraccount,logontowww.bethtorahto.ca.Werely ontheinformationheldonfileforallmailings,including membershiprenewalsandyahrzeits.Pleaseensureall familymembersareuptodate.

Ifyouonlycheckyouraccountonceperyear,letthisbethe time.Youcanpayformembershiprenewalonlineaswell.

Here'stoanotherterrificyearatBethTorah!

-RaquelBlack,ExecutiveDirector,BethTorah

Beth Torah

LouisJ.Sachs Rabbi DavidEdwards Cantor

RaquelBlack ExecutiveDirector

YanaKirichenko Accounts

JoanneShinwell Lifecycle /Membership

LenaPalumbo FacilitiesManager

GarrettRyan Programs /Communications