THIS MONTH HaHodesh
AT CHIZUK AMUNO CONGREGATION AND SCHOOLS Engaging Jewish Life & Learning MARCH 2018 | Adar / Nisan 5778
RABBI’S COLUMN The hardest thing about Passover is not schlepping the dishes. It is not finding crumbs constantly RABBI DEBI WECHSLER underfoot. The hardest thing about Passover is not the food bill (though it is always shocking), or squeezing yet another chair around the table. The hardest thing about Passover is the imagination required. We are asked to engage in a great imaginative feat on Passover. Imagine that you have not been enslaved for 430 years. Imagine instead that you are a free person. Try to think of how a free person would eat and drink, how a free person would prepare food and tuck some away for a long journey. Imagine that you are not walking through a wilderness but that you are living in the place you have always wanted to live. Imagine what you would feel like if you were able to transform your life. We are adults and imagination has not come easily to us since we were children. Or at least constructive, positive imagining has not. Instead it has been “catastrophizing”, imagining the worst possible outcome for ourselves, our children, our community. Passover asks us to do exactly the opposite. Imagine the best possible outcomes for ourselves, our children and our community. Continued on Page 2
WHAT’S HAPPENING FOR PASSOVER PREPARING FOR PESAH PRE-PASSOVER FOOD DRIVE: Friday, March 9 through March 23 Food will be donated to local agencies. Please drop off food in bins located in the Chapel Lobby and the Administrative Lobby. For complete details, please refer to the Chizuk Amuno website. Matzah products will not be accepted. Made possible in part by the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Gemilut Hasadim Endowment Fund.
KAVANNOT FOR PASSOVER
A sacred community prepares individually and collectively for significant moments on our Jewish calendar. One of the ways we prepare, is by bringing to mind evocative experiences in our Jewish past and hopes for our Jewish future. Several years ago we began a tradition of kavannot which was much beloved by the congregation. A kavannah is intended to be a highly personal short essay. These kavannot will be shared with the congregation by email and social media during the week before Passover.
POT KASHERING
March 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Members of the synagogue and its schools are invited to kasher certain types of metal flatware and cookware by a method of boiling called hag’alah. Rabbi Wechsler will assist you in this annual preparation for Pesah. RSVP to Judy Simkin at 410-486-6400 x.232
PASSOVER FESTIVAL SERVICES SCHEDULE FRIDAY, MARCH 30 First Seder Night
Shaharit: First Born Siyyum…7:00 a.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv ……………….….6:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 31 Second Seder Night
Festival Morning Service…….. 9:15 a.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv …...……..…….…..7:00 p.m. No Family Service
SUNDAY, APRIL 1
Festival Morning Service…..... 9:15 a.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv……..…..…………..7:15 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 5
Minhah………….....………………….6:00 p.m. Ma’ariv………………..……………..….6:15 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 6
Festival Morning Service…...... 9:15 a.m. Song of Songs Candle Lighting ...........................7:18 p.m. Minhah/Ma’ariv……………………..6:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 7
Festival Morning Service…….. 9:15 a.m. Yizkor Memorial Prayers Babysitting will be available during Yizkor. No Family Service Minhah/Ma’ariv……….……..……..7:00 p.m. Havdalah…….………….......……….. 8:03 p.m. *Please note April 2-5, during Pesah, there will be early morning minyan at 7 a.m.