Shalom KJ - Passover Edition

The Good News of Bad News

By Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz

Totalitarians don’t like the truth. In the Soviet Union, reality was consistently denied, and bad news was ruthlessly censored. Josef Stalin’s declaration in 1935 that “Life is getting better, comrades! Life is getting merrier!” was turned into a full propaganda campaign, including a hit song. This joyous slogan was coined just a year after a four-year famine that claimed the lives of 8,000,000 people. A year later Stalin would launch the Great Purge, which would claim the lives of over 700,000 people. Life certainly wasn’t getting merrier.

Throughout history, authoritarian regimes from the Pharaohs down to Putin have hidden their failures. Ancient Egyptian records carry no mention of defeats; much the same is true in contemporary China and Russia, who have turned disinformation into an art form. Bad news is a challenge to the authority of dictators.

The Tanakh is very different. Joshua Berman writes that “the Bible displays a penchant for judging its heroes harshly, and for recording Israel’s failings even more than its successes. No other ancient Near Eastern culture produced a literature so revealing of fault….”

The Tanakh’s willingness to grapple with bad news launches a culture of authenticity and responsibility. Even more astounding is the obligation, found in Deuteronomy (26:5-9), to revisit the worst moments in our history at the most joyous of times. “Parshat HaBikkurim,” or the “The Declaration of the First Fruits,” was a short proclamation read by farmers when bringing their offering of first fruits to the Temple. In it, a short precis of Jewish history is offered:

“My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our

labor and our oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. And He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

While thanking God for the new harvest, a farmer recites a proclamation that tells the Jewish story, starting from the patriarchs. It is a narrative of wandering and slavery, with equal space allotted to the misery of exile and the blessings of redemption.

Parshat HaBikkurim also becomes the central text of the Passover Haggadah, where it is punctuated with additional commentary.  The Mishnah states that the Haggadah follows a format that “begins with the disgrace of the Jewish people and concludes with their glory.” There are two theories in the Talmud about what this phrase means; but Rabbi David Tzvi Hoffman offers convincing arguments that the Mishnah is actually referring to the reading of Parshat HaBikkurim at the Seder, which emphasizes the humiliation of slavery before turning to the story of redemption.

The Seder starts with an extended retelling of the years of slavery. This is particularly notable because being a slave was considered a stigma in the ancient world. Yet for Jews, this section was of such importance that the Talmud says that one should recite the story of disgrace and slavery “in a loud voice.” (Sotah 32b).

But why? What exactly is the point of revisiting slavery?

“Begining with disgrace and concluding with glory” is certainly an effective narrative tool; one truly appreciates freedom after enduring slavery. The Zohar remarks that “one doesn’t understand a sweet taste until they have tasted bitterness.”

the narrative in the midst of the agony of slavery is a far more meaningful and dramatic way to tell the story of redemption.

Remembering the disgrace of slavery also keeps one grounded. Maimonides explains that the shared lesson of the holidays of Pesach and Sukkot is that “man ought to remember his worst days in his days of prosperity. He will then offer a great deal of appreciation for God’s gifts, and learn the importance of a modest and humble life.” Success can corrode the soul, and allow people to imagine that they are invulnerable. The memories of slavery are meant to be humbling, a way to present the comfortable and prosperous with a more authentic picture of life.

A third possibility is that recalling the years of slavery can, paradoxically,  make us more resilient. Nicolas Taleb in his book Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, notes that the opposite of being fragile is not being strong; it is being able to adapt to threats and overcome them. He uses the example of Hormesis, which is the ability of organisms to become stronger when exposed to low-dose stress. In humans, exposure to small doses of poison increases the body’s ability to cope with larger doses of that poison in the future; similarly, vaccines expose people to a weakened or dead form of a virus that triggers the immune system and readies it to fight off future threats.

On a psychological level, the same thing occurs when retelling family stories. Marshall Duke, a psychologist at Emory University, and his colleague Robyn Fivush, director of Emory’s Family Narratives Lab, have found that the most resilient children are those who are deeply familiar with their family's history and are taught an “oscillating narrative”: that the family has had challenges in the past, but then were able to overcome them. Knowing their family history of adversity made the children psychologically stronger.

Resilience is psychological hormesis, where one learns how to transcend their personal challenges by remembering past challenges endured by their parents and grandparents.

Resilience is why we begin the Exodus story with an extended discussion of slavery. The traumas of exile offer us an important lesson: We have transcended slavery in the past, and we can do so in the future. As Michael Walzer puts it: “Wherever people know the Bible and experience oppression, the Exodus has sustained their spirits and inspired their resistance.” We retell the story of slavery because it strengthens us, and helps us transcend future challenges.

Parshat HaBikurrim’s narrative about the Exodus from Egypt stands in marked contrast to the ways of ancient Egypt, which exaggerated its victories and hid its defeats. But that is precisely the secret of Jewish resilience to this day; and these former slaves are still going strong, while their masters have long disappeared from the world stage.

Jews continue to draw incredible strength from the Passover Seder. Natan Sharansky, who was imprisoned by the Soviet Union for nine years after he applied for a visa to emigrate to Israel, has spoken often about the meaning the Seder held for him in his years of imprisonment. During endless KGB interrogations, Sharansky would tell himself: “Your history did not begin with your birth or with the birth of the Soviet regime. You are continuing an exodus that began in Egypt. History is with you.”

Sharansky would explain that he first learned about the Seder when he joined the Zionist movement at 24: “As part of my Zionist activities, I began to learn Hebrew in secret, in an underground ulpan. I celebrated the first Passover Seder of my life with my fiancé at

the time, Avital (then Natasha), in Moscow. …As we didn’t know Hebrew well enough to read from the Haggadah, our teachers gave each of us a short part to memorize.”

A few years later when Sharansky was in solitary confinement, he continued to celebrate the Seder. As he put it, “Recalling the lines I had learned for my first Seder, I felt that our struggle continued…. I repeated the words of the Haggadah: ‘This year we are slaves, next year free men; this year we are here, and next year in Jerusalem.’...And I found out that this is the great place to …enjoy thinking that….next year we could be free people in Jerusalem.”

Here is the secret of Jewish resilience on full display. Sharansky draws strength from the Seder, which tells a story that “begins with disgrace and concludes with glory.”

The same holds true for all of us. No matter how awful the situation, we must remember that Jews have overcome worse in the past. And at the most difficult of times, we must never forget that tomorrow we could be free again.

OuR story

By Rabbi ROY FELDMAN

In constructing the format in which we are to tell the story of our people’s exodus from Egypt, our sages did not select the most obvious text. That would have been, naturally, the first half of the book of Exodus. Sefer Shemot is the primary source that details the narrative. Instead, our tradition chose a few verses from Parashat Ki Tavo in the book of Deuteronomy:

A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a

the attitudes that plagues American Jewry is that of “respect for tradition.” He called it a “theology of respect.” We respect Judaism, respect the tradition, respect our liturgy, respect the Torah, respect the rabbis. But respect means that it is not part of who we are; we respect and revere, and therefore keep a respectful distance from it. Telling the story of our liberation from Egypt by reading the book of Exodus would be an act reflective of such distanced respect and reverence. Instead, the story is ours about our people. We need not even recount all the details – just a few short verses, and we all know the story. We then read the Midrashim, the legends and rabbinic stories that developed around these verses, which form another layer of our intimate relationship with our own story.

Ha lachma anya this is the bread of affliction

By Rabbi Haskel lookstein

Almost at the very beginning of the Seder – after Kiddush, the first washing and the eating of the karpas, and just before the four questions which introduce the story of the Night (Sippur Yetzi’at Mitzrayim) –  there is a paragraph which originates in the Gaonic Period (650-1075) which seems to be an interruption to the proceedings.  In fact, it is not an interruption at all; it presents two of the essential messages of the Pesach Festival.

Let us explain the paragraph:

The leader of the Seder raises the Seder Plate which highlights the matza and proclaims: “This is the bread of affliction which our forefathers ate in the Land of Egypt.”  In other words, the Torah’s command to eat matza is because on the day of the exodus the Jews

freedom). They were eating the same bread that they had eaten as slaves in Egypt, where they ate it as “the bread of affliction.”  How, asked Rav Soloveitchik, could matza symbolize, at one and the same time, freedom and affliction, liberation and slavery?  The answer, he suggested, depends upon the one who eats it.  One can eat matza and feel the depression of slavery or the exhilaration of impending freedom.  It's up to the individual.

In any event, “this is the bread of affliction which our forefathers ate in the land of Egypt.”

And then we say “Let all who are hungry come and eat”.  Why this invitation?  Because we understand what it is like to be needy.  “And you shall not oppress the stranger, for you understand the soul of the stranger because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”  (Exodus 23:9)  This may explain why the Jewish people began its history in poverty and slavery.  This was built into our genome.  Our forefather Abraham was told that “your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs and they will be enslaved and oppressed… (Genesis 15:13).”  This is the ethical moment in the history of our people.  We were created to understand human suffering and, therefore, to give compassionately to relieve that suffering.

This is not an interruption in the story of the Exodus from Egypt; this is the ethical essence of that story.

The two lines that follow in this “interruption” are also essential, but in another way: “This year we are here; next year we will be in the land of Israel; this year we are slaves; next year we will be free.”  According to Rav Kook, zt”l, the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine, before the establishment of the State of Israel, this is the promise that was built into the Exodus and the freeing of the Jews from Egypt.  The likelihood of a slave-people freeing itself from the control of the most powerful nation of the ancient world was nil.  It couldn’t happen; but it did!  The slaves went free.  Darkness turned to light.  An oppressed people was liberated and crossed a desert to enter a Promised Land.  The impossible became possible.

be, we can hope for a much better future.  No matter how dark our times, we can pray, hope and expect light and happiness.  Nothing is impossible with God at our side.

In these very difficult days for the people of Israel, both in the State of Israel and all over the world, it is essential that we as a people retain our hope and confidence that the history of the Exodus can be our history too, whether we are speaking about our national history or our individual, difficult situations.  This year we may be slaves, but next year we will be free.

Ha Lachma Anya is not an interruption; it is an introduction to the ethical and hopeful messages of Pesach.

The Clothes Should Not Make the Man: What Did Moses Wear During the Seven Days?

By KJ scholar in residence Rabbi Dr. Jeremy Weider

In today’s sedrah (Lev. 8), the Torah describes the sacrificial rites that were performed during the shiv’at yemei hamilu’im, the seven preparatory days, which preceded the inauguration of the Temple.  The Torah describes in great detail the process of Moshe Rabbeinu dressing both his brother Aharon and his nephews in their priestly vestments.  And this attention to detail makes sense, because our Sages tell us that a priest who ministers in the Temple lacking any one of his mandated garments is liable for mitah bidei shamayim, the heavenly death penalty (Sanhedrin 83a).  The purpose of the garments, as we read a few weeks ago in parashat Tetzaveh (Ex. 28:2) is to be lekhavod u-le-Tif’eret, for honor and glory, and in the spirit of “the clothes make the man”, a priest when he is not wearing the priestly clothing is not considered to be be-Khihuno, in a complete state of priesthood, and thus is unworthy of ministering before God (Zevahim 18a).  The only garment which Aharon and his sons wore and nonetheless is not mentioned in our sedrah’s narrative is their mikhnesayim, best described as boxer shorts.  They would not have been visible to the onlooker and their purpose was not le-khavod u-le-Tif’eret, but rather as the Torah describes in parashat Tetzaveh (Ex. 28:42), “le-khasot besar `ervah”, “to cover their nakedness”.

But this begs an obvious question –what was Moshe wearing during the seven days when he was the primary performer of the sacrifices?  As our Sages note, he was effectively a priest during those seven days, so what did he wear and why are we not

told about his clothing?  Our Sages do fill in this lacuna.  The Talmud in the first chapter of Ta`anit (11b) tells us that the sage Mar Ukva visited a certain place and was asked three questions to which he did not know the answer. He entered the Beit haMidrash, the study hall, to find the answers.  The last question of the three was “What did Moshe wear during the seven days of the inauguration”.  The answer he received was a “haluk lavan”, a plain white tunic.  Rav Kahana then adds, somewhat enigmatically, “be-haluk lavan she’ein lo ’imra” a white tunic without a hem at the bottom.  What is the significance of the white tunic, and what lesson was R. Kahana trying to impart to us, in telling us that there was no hem.  In addition why doesn’t the Torah mention this haluk lavan?

Furthermore, the Talmud in the first chapter of Yoma (5a) asks regarding our narrative of the enrobing of Aaron and his sons, “How did Moshe dress them?”  The Talmud immediately interjects, “mai de-havah havah”, i.e. “whatever happened, happened”, so what difference does it make?  It’s a historical question, not a halakhic one, because the command was not one that applies in any future generation.  Why then does the Talmud not ask the same question in Ta’anit regarding the question of what Moshe wore during the seven days?  That too would appear to be a historical event not to be repeated.

What’s more, both Aharon and his sons wore a special hat on their heads as part of their ritual raiment – Aharon wore a mitznefet, a turban, and the tzitz neizer hakodesh - a holy crown; and his sons were crowned with the pa’arei hamgiba`ot, the hats or turbans of tif’eret, of glory.  Why then does the Talmud inform us only of what covered his body, but not inquire about Moshe’s headgear?

The answer to these questions, I believe, is hinted to in the tefillah that we recited a short while ago in the amidah of shacharit.  We said:

Klil Tif’eret beRosho Natatta be`Omdo Lefanekha `al Har Sinai

“A crown of glory on his head you placed when he stood before you at Mount Sinai.”

The “Klil Tif’eret” refers to the narrative at the end of parashat Ki Tissa (Ex. 34: 27-35) where Moshe descended from Mount Sinai and his face was emitting “karnei hod”, rays of glory.  In our Amidah, we describe these rays as a crown of Tif’eret, the very same word used to describe the priestly garments in general, and more specifically the headgear that all of Aharon’s children wore.

The Midrash Rabbah there asks:

From where did Moshe received the rays of glory?  The Rabbis said “from the cave” as it is stated, “And it will be when my glory passes.”

According to this midrash, the rays of glory, the Tif’eret of Moshe, were, in their an essence, a divine reflection, that is a reflection of the godly qualities inherent in their emitter.  And what was Moshe’s request that led to God’s placing him in the cave and his acquisition of this glory?  “Let me know your ways” (Ex. 33:13).  Moshe was asking to understand the “ways of God” – as we know we are commanded “ve-halakhta bidrachav”, that is imitatio dei, to emulate the ways of God.  If one doesn’t know the ways of God, how does one emulate them?  Thus he asked “Let me know your ways”.  Once Moshe learned the ways of God, and began to emulate them, the rays of glory, the reflection of Moshe’s tzelem elokim, his godliness, were the natural outcome.  In other words, the ultimate Tif’eret for a person is to carry oneself in a manner that his or her image of God shines through and overwhelms the viewer to the point of obscuring what they are wearing.  Or as R. Yehuda HaNasi puts it in the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (2:1, textual version of Mirkevet haMishnah):

“Which the just path that a person should choose?  That which is glorious (“tif’eret”) for one’s Creator and brings glory to him (“tife’ret lo”) from other people.”

One who walks in a manner that is glorious to their Creator will also be glorious in the eyes of those human onlookers who encounter them.

With this we can now understand the Talmud’s question and the importance of the haluk lavan.  They ask about the omission of Moshe’s clothing from the order of the ritual, what did he wear – and the answer is a “haluk lavan”, a plain white tunic.  Priests who enter to minister before God need to wear clothing – they are commanded to obscure their imperfections and distract from their deficiencies by covering up with garments so that they can project “Tif’eret”.  But Moshe didn’t need these glorious garments le-khavod u-le-Tif’eret, because his very being, his manner in the world, conveyed the “Tif’eret” of his tzelem elokim.  He needed a tunic to cover his physical nakedness, much the way the other priests wore the mikhnesayim, but just as the Torah felt no need to speak of the mikhnesayim which were not there to convey “Tif’eret”, it felt no need to mention Moshe’s superficial covering.  Rav Kahana then comes and adds that there was no hem at the bottom of the tunic.  The purpose of a hem is to make a garment look finished and proper; but Moshe’s tunic wasn’t there to look nice; it was there just to cover him physically, “le-khasot besar `ervah”, and thus a hem was unnecessary.  Moshe had no need for a hat upon his head – his brother wore the tzitz neizer hakodesh; the Aramaic translation of neizer is kelil, and his nephews required pa’arei hamgiba`ot, hats for “Tif’eret”, but he already had a kelil Tif’eret on his head.

Almost a decade ago, NYT columnist David Brooks published an essay called “The Moral Bucket List.” (4/12/2015)  The essay is famous for the terms that he used (he might have been the one who coined them, but I’m not sure) to described two different kinds of aspirations in life – resume virtues and eulogy virtues, and his message was that we all know that the latter are more important, but we all too often focus our energies on the former.  But what left an indelible impression on me was the opening of his essay:

ABOUT once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light. These people can be in any walk of life. They seem deeply good. … They are not thinking about what wonderful work they are doing. They are not thinking about themselves at all. When I meet such a person it brightens my whole day. But I confess I often have a sadder thought: It occurs to me that I’ve achieved a decent level of career success, but I have not achieved that. I have not achieved that generosity of spirit, or that depth of character.

We live in a world, where unfortunately all too much is about appearance and performance, not about inner depth.  There are so many examples that one could cite; much of our media, politics and culture is defined by this shallowness and superficiality and I don’t think I need to elaborate.

But just one example that I encountered this past week really hit home.  In an article

about the frightening events taking place on one college campus, a Jewish student astutely observes this week in the Atlantic (“The War at Stanford”, Theo Baker):

People tend to blame the campus wars on two villains: dithering administrators and radical student activists. But colleges have always had dithering administrators and radical student activists. To my mind, it’s the average students who have changed.

Everyone knows that the only reliable way to get into a school like Stanford is to be really good at looking really good. Now that they’re here, students know that one easy way to keep looking good is to side with the majority of protesters, and condemn Israel. …  I know that among the protesters are many people who are deeply connected to this issue. But they are not the majority. What really activates the crowds now seems less a principled devotion to Palestine or to pacifism than a desire for collective action, to fit in by embracing the fashionable cause of the moment (—as if a centuries-old conflict in which both sides have stolen and killed could ever be a simple matter of right and wrong. In their haste to exhibit moral righteousness, many of the least informed protesters end up being the loudest and most uncompromising.)

What a turn of phrase: “To be really good at looking good.”

It seems that so much of life has become a performance, “life made for Instagram”.

In the world we can be one of two kinds of people.  We can be people who put on an outer shell to present an artificial façade to the world.  We can put on our literal and proverbial performative clothing to show the world, hiding what is underneath.  Or we can pay little attention to cultivating that image and instead attempt to transform our inner being, religiously and ethically, as Torah Jews and as human beings.  That can only be accomplished by not obsessing on how we present ourselves to others and by making time free of distractions for introspection and asking ourselves what God wants from us – ritually and in our compassion and commitment to others; by means of dedication to our principled beliefs – religious and ethical – with both kindness and fortitude; not hiding them when convenient, but living them.  By transforming our inner character, not our outer appearance; and by doing so in a manner that allows the divine radiance of the tzelem elokim with which everyone of us is endowed, to glow.  When Brooks writes about such people,

he is understandably speaking about what we term “bein adam le-haveiro”, interpersonal behavior.  For us that is both necessary and essential but not sufficient; we should aspire to radiate that goodness not only as kind and ethical people, but also as religiously punctilious avdei hashem, servants of God.  We live to serve God and as part of that obligation we serve others.

And if we manage to transform ourselves, we will be the kind of people who don’t even notice, because we no longer focus on ourselves.  It is no surprise that even though Moshe had achieved a state of such radiance, he was totally unaware – “But Moses knew not that his face radiated light” (Ex. 34:29).

When the priests left the Temple precincts, they removed their priestly garments and their “Tif’eret” would disappear; they became ordinary, once again.  But wherever Moshe Rabbeinu went, his him.  That is what a Torah Jew should aspire to become.

teaching the children

By Ruthie Hollander

The Haggadah is a masterclass in youth engagement. One of the primary mitzvot of Pesach is “higadeta l’vanekha,” to teach it to our children. The Haggadah is filled with techniques for this, including the Socratic method (the four questions), humor (chad gadya), repetitive songs (dayenu), acronyms (detzakh adash b’achav), and more.

One of these, the text of the four children, or k’neged arba banim, is especially worth delving into for parents and teachers.

Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, a midrashic commentary, presents one of the earliest introductions of this text, sometime between 100-200 CE. The Talmud Yerushalmi also shares a version, attributing it to Rav Chiyya, who lived from 180-230 CE. Either way, we are talking about a text composed around the 2nd or 3rd Century.

This text is immediately noteworthy because its approach is actually very modern — the approach of differentiated education. When we think about 2nd and 3rd Century classrooms, we probably don’t envision differentiated education.

The mitzvah of the Pesach seder is teaching. And reading this text tells us that close to 2000 years ago, the rabbis and commentators ascertained that properly teaching the exodus story would require telling the story in different ways, according to the educational needs of each child at the table. For the wise child, this means answering his halakhic question with a halakhic answer. For the wicked child, it means matching his pointed question with a pointed answer. For the simple child, sharing more details of the story to answer his broad question. And for the child who does not know to ask — perhaps due to age, lack of knowledge, disability, or something else — we open up the story and provide an opportunity for this child to eventually find the questions.

I think this is actually a more profound approach than we even realize. Our

days contain hundreds if not thousands of communications and interactions. Instinctively, we respond to people in different ways, according to their attitudes, personalities, and abilities. And if we want our interpersonal communications to be effective, that is the way things are supposed to be. This has really important religious, communal, social, educational, and political implications. Are the models for our schools, camps, universities, shuls, and justice systems equitable? Do we meet people within these systems where they are, or do we try to provide a one-size-fitsall solution that leaves people disillusioned and unsupported?

This is not a simple or easy endeavor. But the Haggadah affirms the requirement that we try. Even if the results aren’t what we hope for — even if, in the end, the wicked child turns their back, or the child who doesn’t know how to ask never figures it out — it’s our religious and moral responsibility to try: to look for the humanity, the needs, and the abilities of each person we engage with, and to try to structure our systems to meet them where they are.

The mitzvah of the Pesach seder is teaching.

teaching.

A PASSOVER

TIMELINE: A Basic Guide in Preparation for Passover

If you have any questions, please contact

Rabbi Roy Feldman at rrf@ckj.org

STEP #1

Removal of Chametz - Cleaning the House

Cleaning the house for Pesach means removing all of the edible Chametz from the areas in our homes we frequent. While spring cleaning is a wonderful thing, in depth cleaning is not a required component of cleaning for Pesach.

STEP #2

Kashering Appliances

Gas ovens, both the stove-top and inside (racks as well), should be cleaned with an oven cleaner, and then not used for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, invert the metal spiders and turn the burners on to the highest setting for 15 minutes. (If using an electric oven, turn the burners on the highest setting for 15 minutes as well.) The inside oven should be turned on to its highest temperature (often “broil”) for one hour.

If the oven is self-cleaning, go through one cycle.

Microwave ovens should be cleaned, the glass turntable removed, and not used for 24 hours, after which a bowl or cup containing a few ounces of water should be put in and ‘cooked’ until the water is vaporized into steam. A second bowl or cup of water with a few ounces of water should then be put in a different spot in the microwave, and the same procedure should be followed.

Stainless steel sinks should be cleaned with a cleaning solution, and not used for 24 hours, after which boiling water should be poured on every area of the sink and its parts. Porcelain sinks cannot be kashered. They must be cleaned and covered.

Dishwashers may be kashered for Pesach after cleaning the filter and ensuring the dishwasher and its racks are clean and free of food residue and allowing the dishwasher to stay unused for 24 hours. The dishwasher should then be run on the longest, hottest cycle.

Kashering Utensils

While it is preferable to have as many utensils as possible specially reserved for use only on Pesach, many utensils used throughout the year may be kashered for use on Pesach. Items that are ‘kasherable’ include: metal utensils used for hot and cold, providing they are not difficult to clean (i.e., a sieve, parts that are glued together), hard plastic utensils, and glass utensils that were used strictly for cold food.

Items that may not be kashered are: glassware that is used for cooking, earthenware, pottery, porcelain, Pyrex, and chinaware.

The easiest way to kasher utensils is to bring them to the KJ Kasher-In from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM on Sunday, April 14, or Monday, April 15, from 6:009:00 PM, at which time Rabbis Chaim Steinmetz, Roy Feldman, Meyer Laniado, and Daniel Kraus will supervise the immersion of qualifying utensils in a large sink of rapidly boiling water.

It is also possible to kasher in the privacy of your own home. The procedure for kashering is as follows: Metal or plastic utensils should be thoroughly cleaned with a cleaning solution and then not used for 24 hours. Small utensils such as silverware or other cutlery should be immersed briefly in a large pot containing rapidly boiling water. If the pot is very large, more than one item may be immersed at a time. Each item should then be rinsed with cold water.

Pots are kashered by bringing water in them to a boil and then immersing a hot stone or iron such that the water will overflow onto the sides of the pot. Then rinse the pot in cold water.

Items which came into direct contact with chametz, without the medium of water (e.g. a broiler, frying pan) may be kashered by heating them until they are literally ‘red hot’ or by placing them in a self-cleaning oven during the self-clean cycle.

Glass utensils used exclusively for cold drinks should be cleaned carefully and may be used for Pesach.

STEP #3

The Search For Chametz

One of the most beautiful and meaningful ceremonies associated with Passover is b’dikat chametz—the search for chametz. The ceremony is

1. Reciting a special blessing over the mitzvah of the removal of chametz.

2. The search of the house by the light of a candle to find vestiges of chametz.

3. The reciting of the formula of nullification of chametz. 4. The burning or disposal of any chametz found during the search.

5. The reciting of a final, more inclusive formula of nullification.

The first three parts of this ceremony will be observed this year on Sunday evening, April 21, after nightfall, 8:18 PM. The disposal should be on Monday morning, April 22.  Children especially will be impressed by the ceremony. It should, therefore, be performed with enthusiasm and dedication.

The children should be asked to place pieces of chametz in the various rooms — a practice which ensures that the search will not be in vain. They can hold the candle and the feather and they should examine their own possessions, dressers and desks, for long forgotten relics of chametz.

Passover is a beautiful festival. It is a serious one, too. Both these aspects can be captured in advance of the festival by a careful observance of b’dikat chametz.

Disposal Of Chametz

No chametz may be eaten on Monday morning, April 22 after 10:38 AM.

STEP #4

The Sale Of Chametz

The ritual sale of chametz must be completed by early Monday morning, April 22. There are those who prefer to perform the ritual in person. For those who cannot attend to the matter in person, there is a form provided on page 29 of this Bulletin which authorizes Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz to sell your chametz.  THIS MUST BE RETURNED TO THE SYNAGOGUE BY MONDAY MORNING, APRIL 22, NOT LATER THAN 8:30 AM.

STEP #5

The Burning Of Chametz

On Monday morning, April 22, it is customary to burn chametz. Chametz should be removed from one’s possession and burned by 11:46 AM. The synagogue provides a large, contained fire for this purpose. No bracha should be said, since the one said before the search applies to the burning as well.

STEP #6

After Pesach

According to Jewish Law, chametz that was owned by a Jew during Pesach may never be eaten by a Jew. Therefore, it is preferable that after Pesach one buys food from establishments owned by non-Jews, establishments owned by Jews who properly sold their chametz before Pesach, or after a month (time that a store’s stock has been used up) from any establishment. Any Chametz sold through KJ may be re-opened and used after 9:30 PM on April 30.

EMAIL RUTHIE@CKJ.ORG FOR A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEXT KJYD ZINE.

• Scheduling a one on one Dvar Torah writing session with Ruthie. Torah comes with candy!

• Sharing an idea for the next Simon Clay comic

אובל

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Haggadah

Pesach Games

RSVP ckj.org/form/youngfamilydinnertorah

ckj.org/form/maotchitim

Passover Relief Fund

IN THIS TIME OF ISRAEL’S VULNERABILITY, A FERVENT PASSOVER APPEAL

FROM THE SANDY EISENSTAT BENEVOLENT FUND OF KJ

Dear KJ Family,

Last year, our Passover Relief Appeal letter began as follows: “Extraordinary challenges call for extraordinary responses.” In fact, nobody could have anticipated, back in April of 2023, the truly extraordinary challenges that the Jewish people would face starting on October 7, 2023. The Sandy Eisenstat Benevolent Fund of KJ has responded, through the generosity of all of you, with over $850,000 that we have contributed to help Israel meet the extraordinary challenges of today. In one major grant, we gave $350,000 to Dan Polisar to provide life-saving equipment for Israeli soldiers. That grant served as a founding gift and stimulus for what evolved into a fund of over $6,000,000, largely due to KJ taking the lead and inspiring other communities.

However, as Passover approaches, we have a special need for our Passover Relief Appeal. We must try to replenish as much of that $850,000 as possible while, at the same time, meeting the exceptional needs that the Benevolent Fund has throughout the year and, especially, around Passover time. For example, last year we contributed $35,000 to Met Council to distribute immense quantities of food to the Jewish poor at Passover time. We want to do that again. We normally raise over $200,000 in the Passover Appeal; we need much more than that this year.

In addition, we have great needs throughout the year for needy people in our community and for worthy institutions that call upon us for support.

For the past few years, Audrey and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein pledged $2,000. They have increased their pledge for this year to $3,000. We hope you will follow their example.

Please respond generously by donating online at www.ckj.org/ pay and selecting “Benevolent Fund – Passover Relief” from the pulldown menu, or by mailing a check. May God see our response and may He respond in turn by giving Israel “Nitzachon b’Yachad” – Victory Together – and, ultimately, Shalom al Yisrael, Peace in Israel and healing for all its wounded.

Best wishes for a Chag Kasher v’Sameach, a Happy and Healthy Pesach Festival.

Chaim Steinmetz

Roy Feldman

Haskel Lookstein Meyer Laniado

Rabbi Steinmetz may be appointed in person to act as your agent for selling Chametz on Saturday night following Ma'ariv and morning services Sunday to Friday, or by appointment (e-mail rcs@ckj.org).

If you cannot appoint him in person, you may use this online form or send in the card.

Sell your chametz at ckj.org/form/sale-of-chametz

Shmurah Matzah Pickup will be: Sunday, April 14 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Daniel Kraus

Rachel Kraus

Purchase matzah at ckj.org/matzah

Sunday, April 14 9:00 AM -12:00 PM

Monday, April 15 6:00 - 9:00 PM

How Art responds to Trauma

Featuring Marc Provisor, Artist and Security Expert

Wednesday / May 8 / 7:30 pm

A discussion on “Art in the Shadow of Terror” with Marc Provisor and KJ Member Nadia Olidort

Shabbat / May 11 / Seudah Shlishit

Follo wing 7:35 pm Services

“The Day After” - Oct 7th changed the life of Jews around the world. Marc was supposed to retire from the field of Israel Security in Oct 2023, when his son was at the Nova Festival. Marc will discuss other Security issues facing Israel that are not being discussed in the main media outlets.

Location 125 East 85th Street

Marc Provisor was born in Philadelphia and later made Aliya. He served in the IDF as a Paratrooper, where his early experiences as a combat soldier inspired him take up painting. He studied at The School of Visual Arts in NYC. He left the Art world in 1996 when he returned to his Security background, working in Homeland Security and Counter Terror. Since October 7 Marc has returned to painting, focusing on the beauty of Landscapes, the darkness of Terror, and the sensuality he finds in the land.

CHAZAKIM BYACHAD

Rabbi Mordechai Becher, originally from Australia, is an instructor at Yeshiva University, alumni Rabbi of Neve Yerushalayim College, and Scholar In Residence for Legacy Kosher Tours. Rabbi Becher was senior lecturer for Gateways for 20 years and taught at Yeshivat Ohr Somayach in Yerushalayim for 15 years. He received his ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, served in the IDF and holds an MA in Medieval Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School.

THINGS YOU CAN DO: JOIN THE KJ ISRAEL ACTION COMMITTEE

We are galvanized to action by the war in Israel and our responsibility to be proactive in supporting our fellow Jews under attack. Join the WhatsApp group in formation by visiting bit.ly/498r5Ja, and look for regular email bulletins containing action items. Contact KJIsraelAction@gmail.com to share worthy initiatives and information about becoming effective advocates for the Jewish Homeland, Israel.

CONTACT - ckj.org/appevents

Donate to KJ's Benevolent Fund Israel Campaign

We are not putting ourselves physically on the line; the best we can do is give aid that will help our brothers and sisters in Israel get what they need. There are families that have lost everything and have been displaced, those who have lost their primary breadwinner, children who have been orphaned, and so many more financial needs.

Click Benevolent Fund-Israel Emergency at www.ckj.org/pay

Men's kiddush club discussion

All are welcome (Men and Women) to the Men's Club Kiddush Discussion which sponsers various cultural speakers for the Entire Community

Shabbat / 12 PM

Following Kiddush

Nathaniel Laor, MD, phd

Nathaniel Laor, a collective trauma expert, has a PhD in Philosophy and is a Professor Emeritus formerly with the Departments of Psychiatry and Philosophy, Tel-Aviv University, speaking on “National Resilience in the Face of Our Collective Disaster.”

5/4

4/13

Stay tuned for more information on upcoming events and speakers!

Rabbi aaron frank & Laura Shaw Frank

Rabbi Aaron Frank is the Ramaz Upper School Principal and Laura Shaw Frank is the AJC Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life Department, overseeing AJC's Jewish educational initiatives as well as Jewish communal research and programming in addition to AJC's engagement with university administrators to assist them in preventing and responding to antisemitism on campus.. They will be speaking on “Young Jews and Tough News: Navigating the Impact of 10/7 in American Educational Institutions”

KJB MINYAN Soulful Prayer & Parsha Dive

9:30 am

Where the classical synagogue service meets your spiritual needs!

Upcoming Minyan Dates:

May 4 | June 8

Join us for this welcoming, intimate, and user-friendly service which allows you to pray and explore the Parsha like never before, with a healthy dose of spirit and soul.

Weekly Classes

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Dr. William Major Memorial

Advanced Shiur in Talmud

Continuing our study of Masekhet Brachot with its classical commentaries.

Exploring Jewish Thought

What is the foundation of ethics? How did Orthodox Jews understand the Holocaust? Dive deeply into questions of Jewish philosophy and wrestle with challenging ideas. Appropriate for intellectually curious students of any background. Translated texts provided.

Reading the Prophets: The Book of Samuel

Read Sefer Shmuel closely and explore the literary and philosophical aspects of this book.

Back to Basics - Understand Prayer

Take a deep dive into the amida.

Kitzur Shulchan Aruch

A classic, concise work of halacha that covers the complete spectrum of Jewish law. The class is a text based class and open to all.

The Weekly Parsha Class

A textual analysis of the parasha with the help of classical commentaries and modern Biblical exegesis.

Beginners Hebrew

For those who want to start building a foundation in Hebrew to help them read Jewish Prayer.

Intermediate Hebrew

This popular class enables those with no previous background in Hebrew to learn to read Hebrew in just a short time.

Advanced Hebrew

Designed for those with some ability to read Hebrew, students practice reading skills using the siddur and other Jewish texts.

Meaningful Jewish Living

A comprehensive year-long course covering major themes in Jewish law, practice and thought. Explore how a 5,000 year old religion is more relevant today than ever before.

Bnei Mitzvah

Coby Blatt

Mazal Tov to Karen Blatt and Ari Hirt upon the Bar Mitzvah of Karen's son, Coby, at the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach on Shabbat May 4th, when he will read Parashat Acharei Mot. Coby is a seventh-grade student at the Ramaz Middle School. Mazal Tov to Coby's father, David Blatt.

Andrew Peldman

Mazal Tov to Jeanne and Adam Peldman upon the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Andrew, on Shabbat, May 4, at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, at which time he will read from Parashat Kedoshim at the mincha service. Andrew is a seventh-grade student at the Shefa School.

Simon Weinberg

Mazal Tov to Leah and Joel Weinberg upon the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Simon, at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on Shabbat, May 18, at which time he will read Parashat Emor. Simon is a seventh-grade student at the Ramaz Middle School.

Nili Friend

Mazal Tov to Gealia and Matthew Friend upon the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Nili, on Lag ba’Omer, May 26, at the Edison Ballroom, at which time she will deliver a D'var Torah on “How Dance and Movement Have Deep Meaning Within Jewish History, Jewish Practice, and Jewish Pride.” Nili is a sixth-grade student at the Ramaz Middle School. Mazal Tov as well to delighted KJ grandparents, Adina and Michael Singer.

Within Our Family

Mazal Tov to –

BIRTHS

Arielle and Adam Bauman, upon the birth of a daughter, Tobi Shira.

Jennifer & Saul Burian upon the birth of a granddaughter, Eva Faye, born to Jessica & Matthew Gross.

Sarah and Elie Hirschfeld upon the birth of a grandson, Asher Irving (Asher Yitzhak), born to their children Keagan Kirk-Singer and Josh Frankel.

Sue and Dr. Norman Javitt on the birth of a great-grandson, Roi Yagel, born to their grandchildren Sarah Esther and Elior Bliah of Jerusalem. Congratulations also to the grandparents, Daniel Javitt and Reba Kizner and Philippe and Oriella Bliah, also of Jerusalem.

Becky Rubin and Nisan Lerea upon the birth of a daughter, Aiden Aviah. Mazal Tov as well to KJ grandparents Deborah and Sheldon Rubin.

Gail and Berndt Perl upon the birth of a granddaughter, born to their children, Sandy and Isaac Ohebshalom.

Jennifer and Geoffrey Platt upon the birth of a son, Cameron Shepard (Tzur Rafael). Mazal Tov as well to the overjoyed KJ grandparents, Drs. Vicki Deutsch and Gerald Platt.

Evelyn and Salomon Sassoon upon the engagement of their daughter, Lily Adina, to Daniel Aaron Levine, son of Susana and Jack Levine, of Miami, Florida.

May these children grow up in the finest tradition of Torah, chupah, & maasim tovim.

Bnei Mitzvah

Jennifer & David Mashaal upon the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Evan. Mazal Tov as well to the proud KJ grandparents Lillie & Danny Bensusan.

Jennifer & James Kashanian upon the occasion of the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Juliet.

ENGAGEMENTS

Judy Abel and Michael Brill upon the engagement of their son, Joshua, to Rachel Kalichman, daughter of Kathy Kalichman of Sarasota, Florida, and Mel Kalichman of Harrison, New York.

Jane and Isaiah Gol upon the engagement of their son, Yoni, to Samantha Sterling of Perth, Australia.

Vivian and Josh Kestenbaum upon the engagement of their daughter, Sabrina,

to Shai Hassan, son of Nava and Simo Hassan of Netanya, Israel.

May their weddings take place in happiness and blessing.

MARRIAGES

Robin Muss upon the marriage of her son, Jordan Abada, to Temima Feder, daughter of Rabbi Yankie and Raízel Feder of Lawrence, NY. Mazal Tov as well to the overjoyed KJ grandparents, Harriet Muss and Joshua L. Muss.

Adrian and KJ Executive Director Leonard Silverman upon the marriage of their son, Gabriel (Ramaz ’16 and KJ’s Rabbinic Intern), to Judith Wechter, daughter of Devorah and Pinny Wechter of Teaneck, NJ. Mazal Tov as well to Gabe’s proud KJ grandparents, Donna & Arthur Silverman.

May the newlywed couples be blessed to build homes faithful to the traditions of the Jewish people.

COMMUNAL NEWS & HONORS

Julianna Storch Cohen, granddaughter of Brenda and Albert Bernstein, upon being honored with a Young Leadership Award at the Columbia/Barnard Hillel Dinner.

CONDOLENCES

Gerald Goldstein upon the passing of his brother, Maurice Goldstein.

Adam Gorlyn upon the passing of his father, Rabbi Norman Gorlyn.

Stanley Gurewitsch upon the passing of his brother, Arne Gurewitsch.

Dr. Ira Haimowitz upon the passing of his mother, Sondra Becker Haimowitz.

May they be comforted among all those who mourn for Zion and Jerusalem.

In Memoriam

Albert Fortinsky

Al Fortinsky was a longstanding member of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun. He raised two wonderful children and a beautiful family in our neighborhood. His first and long-time wife, Margerie, was a gifted biology professor who also taught for a couple of years in the Upper School of Ramaz. He lived to a ripe old age, and he thoroughly enjoyed his association with KJ. He was proud of our rabbinic tradition, and he was consistently and generously supportive of our efforts and our activities.

Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun warmly welcomes the following new members who joined the Congregation between the printing of the last Bulletin and this Bulletin:

Sarah & Michael Apfelbaum

Cindy Askowitz

Ally & Avi Baron

Sarah Bley

Johanna C. Moghaddam & Arash Moghaddam

Alison & Jeffrey Granowitz

Ira Haimowitz

Jennifer & Yale Isaacs

Shlomit Kohl

Nicole & Adam Parish

Nina & Benjamin Rapaport

Jason Scharf

Larry Scheinfeld

Kelly Schwab & Jason Kroll

Limor & Joshua Senker

Marianna Shafir & Peter Zinkovetsky

Lexie & Joseph Tuchman

Emily & Michael Zaken

Chevra Kadisha

Join a dedicated group of men and women performing the sacred mitzvah of preparing the recently deceased for proper, dignigied burial in accordance with Jewish Tradition and law. Contact Riva Alper for the women’s Chevra Kadisha at riva@ckj.org and contact Isaac Pollak for the men’s Chevra Kadisha at isaac@ lgpltd.com.

Synagogue Memorial Plaques

Visit ckj.org/plaques to order plaques for deceased loved ones (or to reserve for yourself after 120 years of health and blessing).

Community Resources

Yoetzet Halakhah

Ellin Cooper serves as the KJ Yoetzet Halakhah. This position of great responsibility falls to a woman with recognized expertise in the field of Taharat Hamishpacha and women's health issues who can advise women on topics such as niddah, fertility problems, and sex education for teens. Contact Ellin at 646-598-1080 or nycyoetzet@gmail.com

Community Mikvehs

The Jacques and Hanna Schwalbe Mikveh: 419 East 77th Street (1st & York Ave); 212-359-2020

The Rennert Mikvah at 5th Ave

Synagogue: 5 East 62nd Street (Fifth Avenue); 212-753-6058

The West Side Mikvah: 234 West 74th Street (Broadway and West End Avenue); 212-579-2011

Bikur Cholim

For over 35 years, a dedicated group of KJ members have been visiting patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Karen Lerman at lerman.karenj@gmail.com

Judaica Shop

Judaica Classics by Doina is at 1248 Lexington Avenue, between 84th and 85th Streets. The store has a great selection of Judaica for all gift and holiday needs, including exquisite silver, embroidery, ceramics and all manner of artistic expression.

Business hours: Sunday 10 am–5 pm, Monday-Thursday 10 am–6 pm, Friday 10 am–2 pm, and by appointment. Call Doina Bryskin at 212-722-4271 or email doina@judaicaclassics.com.

Manhattan Eruv

The Manhattan Eruv includes an expanding number of neighborhoods in the city. Please call the hotline to check on the weekly status of the Eruv at 212-874-6100 x 452.

JYC - The Hebrew School with HEART

The Jewish Youth Connection (JYC) is the Sunday morning Hebrew school founded by KJ members Susan and Scott Shay with the goal of providing a meaningful Jewish education to unaffiliated families. A total reinvention of the Hebrew School experience, its focus is to help foster a quality connection to Judaism for students and families alike.

No synagogue membership is required to attend JYC or participate in any of the school programming, and JYC families are invited to take advantage of congregational offerings. Visit jyc. info to learn more.

KJ Caring Initiative

At KJ you are not alone. Homebound? Isolated? Ailing? Our helpful volunteers are available to visit, call, and give emotional support. All interactions are strictly confidential. If you know someone who might benefit from our attention, or if you would like to be called, please contact Leah Modlin at 212-722-6575 or leahm23@gmail. com

Hatzolah

The Upper East Side Division volunteers volunteer EMTs and provides immediate response and the highest quality emergency medical and life-saving services to our community, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 212-410-9796 for information. For emergencies, dial 212-230-1000.

Shabbat Hospitality

Let’s build a warm and welcoming KJ community! Are you new to the community? Do you still feel like you’re new to the community or not sufficiently connected? If you’re interested in meeting new people, hosting members, or being hosted, please contact yael@ckj.org

Dorot

Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Dorot has distinguished itself as a bastion of support for the frail elderly. We encourage our community to participate in their many volunteer initiatives–both holiday related and year-round–that forge bonds between the generations. See dorotusa.org for volunteer opportunities.

Mitzvah Toy Campaign

This heartfelt program encourages children from Nursery School through Grade 8 to donate one or more of their birthday presents to children in need. For information contact volunteer coordinator Joanna Kleinhaus at JoannaKleinhaus@gmail.com.

W Connection

A grassroots organization created to meet the needs of widows. To learn more about the KJ/Ramaz chapter, contact 212-879-4783 or Gabriella Major at gabriellamaj@gmail.com.

Career Network

The KJ/Ramaz Career Network endeavors to help members find jobs, or fill a vacancy with a qualified shul member. Contact Larry Kassman at KasTrade@aol.com

UJA @ KJ

UJA @ KJ is a partnership between KJ members and UJA-Federation of New York that facilitates KJ Members receiving unique opportunities to utilize the resources of UJA-Federation. With an assortment of causes and agencies in need of our support, UJA @ KJ enables KJ Members to become involved in and exposed to the important work of UJA-Federation in New York, Israel and around the world. For more information or to register, contact Atara Burian at 212-836-1267.

KJ Food Pantry

One of the few kosher food pantries in Manhattan, it provides weekly (every Monday) staples as well as fresh fruit and vegetables to those in need in our community. For more information or to volunteer, contact Bernice Kahn at bernice.berman@gmail.com.

Cemetery Plots on Paramus, NJ

KJ Grounds

To purchase burial plots at Beth El cemetery in NJ, visit ckj.org/burialplots

If you would like to speak with someone about this opportunity, please contact Sy Yanofsky in the synagogue office at 212-774-5620 or sy@ckj.org

ZMANIM ZMANIM

DAtes to remember

Monday, April 22nd

Erev Pesach Siyum Bechorot 7:00 AM Friday Morning Services

April 23 -30 PESACH

Monday, May 6th Yom Hashoah

Wed & Thur, May 8th, 9th Roch Chodesh Iyar 7:00 AM Morning Services

Monday, May 13th Yom Hazikaron

Tuesday, May 14th

Yom Ha’Atzmaut 7:00 AM Morning Services

Sunday, May 26th Lag Ba’Omer

Monday, May 27th Memorial Day 8:30 AM Morning Services

Sunday, June 2nd Israel Day Parade

Wednesday, June 5th

DAILY EVENING SERVICES

April 12 - June 20 6:45 PM

June 23 - July 4 6:50 PM

July 7th - Sep 14 6:45 PM

Creative Direction by Esther Feierman, Custom Art & Graphics by Rebecca Silverman

Read online at ckj.org/shalomkj

Yom Yerushalayim 7:00 AM Morning Services

Friday, June 7th

Rosh Chodesh Sivan 7:00 AM Morning Services