Shalom KJ - The Passover Edition

When History Touches You

By Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz

The casual reader is immediately struck by the pageantry of the offering of first fruits, bikkurim, in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Mishnah offers a vivid description of the bikkurim procession. It tells of how individual farmers would gather in local groups, and “an ox would go in front of them, his horns bedecked with gold and with an olive-crown on its head. The flute would play before them ... when they drew close to Jerusalem ... the governors and chiefs and treasurers [of the Temple] would go out to them, and ... all the skilled artisans of Jerusalem would stand up before them and greet them saying, ‘Our brothers, men of such and such a place, we welcome you in peace.’... When they reached the Temple Mount even King Agrippas would take the basket and place it on his shoulder and walk as far as the Temple Court. When they got to the Temple Court, the Levites would sing” (Mishnah

Bikkurim Chapter 3).

All of this pomp and ceremony highlights how different bikkurim are from other agricultural offerings. Bringing an offering of first fruits or firstborn animals in gratitude to God was common in the ancient world, and is found in the story of Kayin and Hevel at the very beginning of the Torah. But bikkurim are different because they tie the first fruits to the Exodus from Egypt. Here, the farmer speaks to those present and says: “I declare today to the

Illustration by AGPhotography on Adobe Stock. Handwritten quote by Talia Laniado.

Lord your God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.”

The farmer then tells the history of how their ancestors wandered, eventually becoming slaves in Egypt; and “the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and … He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; and now, behold, I have brought the bikkurim of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.”

Even though bikkurim reflect the farmer’s personal achievement, everyone else joins them in the celebration, including political leaders, Levites, and the shopkeepers in Jerusalem. This is because bikkurim are also a national celebration, and commemorate the Exodus and the birth of the Jewish people.

It is fascinating to contrast bikkurim with the rituals of Pesach. Both tell the story of the Exodus, but in very different ways. Pesach takes place on the anniversary of leaving Egypt, and its ritual foods— the Pesach sacrifice, the Matzah and Maror, all relate directly to the experience of liberation. To sit at the Seder is to reach out and touch history, and imagine oneself as part of the Exodus; each person at the Seder sees themselves as if they were the slaves leaving Egypt that very night.

With bikkurim, the process goes in the opposite direction, reversing the narrative of the Pesach Seder. The farmer takes an individual achievement, the arrival of the new crop, and sees within it the story of the Exodus. Bikkurim are a reminder that history is very much a part of current events; as the farmer celebrates their personal good fortune, they make a point of recognizing that their prosperity is rooted in the miracles of the past. Unlike the Seder, the history lesson of bikkurim begins with the farmers, who reflect on their first fruits, and recognize that history has touched their daily lives.

In the past century, Jewish history has been retold in two forums. One is at a commemoration or a

pilgrimage, such as on Yom HaShoah and Yom Ha'atzmaut, or at Auschwitz, Atlit (the prison camp near Haifa) or Ellis Island. The very dates and places are imbued with significance; they stand ready and waiting for their story to be retold. But history is also retold at personal celebrations—at a wedding when the grandfather gets up to speak, or at a Bat Mitzvah when the grandmother addresses her granddaughter. These speeches return to great historical moments, and repeat bittersweet stories of crisis, tragedy, courage and survival. They conclude, always, with the sense that now, finally, there is a celebration!

These are bikkurim moments, when one recognizes how history touches their daily lives. And this is actually a more profound retelling of the past, because it demonstrates how history impacts the life of the individual.

Ultimately, the declaration of bikkurim is included in the Haggadah and read at the Pesach Seder. David Henschke and others have wondered why this passage was chosen for the Seder because it doesn’t fit well. The bikkurim declaration actually had to be edited for the Haggadah, because it made no sense in exile to read the words “He has brought us to this place and has given us this land.” It would have made more sense to use Deuteronomy 6:2124, which tells the Exodus story exclusively, as the foundation of the Haggadah.

I would argue that the declaration of bikkurim was chosen for the Haggadah precisely because it speaks from the perspective of the individual, and reminds the reader that the redemption will bear fruit for everyone. During the bitter years of the diaspora, individual circumstances were shaped by exile; daily life was more a reminder of Tisha B’av than Pesach. In the Haggadah, the section of bikkurim offers hope to the brokenhearted, and reminds them to wait for Elijah to bring them to Jerusalem; then, they too will bring bikkurim.

Contemporary Jews can tell the story of bikkurim as their own; they know the wanderings of their grandparents, and recognize how lucky they are now. One moving example of this is a story told by Daniel Gordis, which he heard from an elderly woman he met. He writes:

“She was nineteen during the war … her father realized that they might not survive Europe, even where they were hiding, and told her he was sending her out … She’d never given much thought to Palestine, but she had a sister who’d already moved here. … she boarded her ship, and sailed for Palestine … At the shore, of course, they were stopped by the British … [and she was] taken by the British to Atlit, the prison camp still preserved not far from today’s Zichron Yaakov. … Here she was, scarcely out of her teens, alone except for a sister, in a country that barely existed.

About sixty years later, she told us, she told her children that for her eightieth birthday, she wanted them all to get in a few cars, and she would lead them, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, around Jerusalem showing them the places that had been important to her over the past decades. Places she’d lived, where she’d worked, where significant memories had been etched. They agreed on a date and time, and a son-in-law knocked at her door to take her to the car. But there was no car. Instead, there was a bus. And instead of her immediate family, it was children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews and many more; literally dozens of people filling a bus. She’d come alone, she told us in a voice quivering with emotion, and now, six decades later, the family she’d created could barely fit into a bus.”

This bus trip is a true bikkurim moment. After all of the wandering and persecution, one branch plucked from the fire of destruction has become a multitude. But stories like this are everywhere; and the next time you drink a bottle of Israeli wine, celebrate that bikkurim moment, and recognize what a miracle that wine, people, and their homeland truly are.

Why is the Seder So Long?

By Rabbi Roy Feld man

about the Exodus makes us better suited to practice Judaism. “Just as the Exodus served as preparation for the Israelites to receive the Torah, telling the story of the Exodus prepares us for the Torah.” And the more we tell it, the better prepared we are. Science has caught up to the Sefat Emet’s idea more than a century later.

Unlike lists of facts, ideas, or rules, stories stimulate our brains in ways that change our perspectives and can even change the way we act.

In his research, Princeton neuroscientist Uri Hasson has shown that telling stories causes listeners’ brains to synchronize with each other in a process he calls “alignment.” Moreover, the brains of the listeners also align with those of the speakers. The greater the alignment—the more similarly the brains are processing information—the better the communication is between the speaker and the listeners. They become more likely to understand each other and to be moved by what the other is saying.

Finally, hearing a story yields almost the same brain activity as actually experiencing the event. The more families tell each other the story of the Exodus, the more likely they are to share similar perspectives on it, to identify with those who experienced it, and to be receptive to the messages contained within the story. Or in the words of the Sefat Emet:

The more people tell each other about the story of the Exodus, the better prepared they are for Torah.

Ideas shared throughout the Seder by children, dramatic presentations by grandparents, and annual schtick from uncles can make the Seder last into the night; that one’s Seder lasted longest is a source of pride for some. It’s not for naught: Early on the Haggadah notes, “The more one tells about the Exodus, the more he is praiseworthy.” But why? There are a plethora of actions that can reveal a person’s merit; one who gives tzeddakah, performs mitzvot, or studies Torah certainly shows that he is praiseworthy. How long or how many times one tells about the Exodus seems inconsequential when compared with those truly praiseworthy acts.

The Sefat Emet (Rabbi Yehuda Leib Alter of Ger) sharpens our reading of the phrase and, in doing so, offers an interpretation that is characteristically ahead of his time. It’s not that praiseworthy people tend to tell more about the Exodus; how long someone spends telling the story does not shed light on that individual’s merits. Rather, the very act of telling about the Exodus serves to improve us. One becomes praiseworthy through it because telling

So encourage words of Torah, dramatic scenes, and activities that add depth to the Seder experience (though perhaps inform participants in advance that they may want to grab an afternoon snack). Telling our story develops deep connections between members of our family and between our family and the rest of our people going back thousands of years.

“What time did your Seder finish?”—no doubt, the most commonly heard question Pesach morning.

Annual Yom Hashoah Program

MONDAY

APRIL 17

7:30 PM

125 East 85th Street

Luna's Life - As a child in the Holocaust, Luna Kaufman experienced horrors unimaginable to most adults. Despite her trauma, she emerged committed to teaching forgiveness and reconciliation, and today she is a tireless champion of Jewish-Christian understanding owing in chief to the example set by Sister Rose Thering, a Catholic nun who led the fight to eliminate antisemitism from school textbooks. Luna dedicates her life to educating children on the Holocaust. Bio at ckj.org/appevents

TUESDAY APRIL 25

8:00 PM Park Avenue Synagogue

50 East 87th Street

From Memorial to Celebration: Honoring Yom Hazikaron & Yom Ha’Atzmaut

Join us as we come together to transition from commemoration to celebration in honor of the state of Israel’s 75th anniversary. Our ceremony is a partnership between Kehilath Jeshurun, Park Avenue Synagogue, and Central Syangogue.

Featuring

• Inspirational words from our rabbis

• Special musical perfomance with our cantors

• In-person program

Livestream on JBS

Malcolm Hoenlein received his B.A. from Temple University and completed his doctoral course work at the University of Pennsylvania where he taught International Relations and was a Middle East specialist at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was the Founding Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York and also conceived of, and ran, the impactful Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry. Mr. Hoenlein appears regularly in the media, including three weekly, nationally syndicated radio broadcasts, and has lectured and met leading officials throughout the world.

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Ha Lachma Anya - What is it Doing at the Beginning of the Seder?

by Rabbi Haskel Lookstein

Ha Lachma Anya – “This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt…” It is an Aramaic introductory paragraph for which there doesn’t seem to be a good reason.

This prayer comes from the Gaonic period. That’s why it is written in Aramaic which was the vernacular of Babylonian Jews. It actually reveals two fundamental messages of Pesach.

I. The first message is an ethical one. Why did God plan Jewish history to require that the Jews begin their national history as slaves? God said to Avram: “You shall surely know that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and afflicted for four-hundred years.”(Genesis, 15:13). Why was this beginning necessary?

The Torah tells us explicitly that we learned from our beginnings in slavery what it is to suffer, so that we would become sensitive to the suffering of others. “And you shall not oppress the stranger, for you know the soul of the stranger because you were strangers in the Land of Egypt” (Exodus, 23:9).

Therefore, we are expected to love the stranger; to give tzedakah, to live lives of chesed. The Talmud says: “There are three characteristics of the Jewish people: merciful, humble, and doing acts of kindness (Massechet Yevamot, 79A.)

This is the first message of Egyptian slavery. This explains why Israel was among the first to rush rescuers to Turkey and Syria to help rescue people buried by a disastrous earthquake.

continued on next page

This is why an Israeli hospital in Tzfat treats Syrian refugees and sends them back home with medications, without Hebrew writings on the containers, because these refugees would have been killed by their fellow Syrians if they were found to be using Israeli medications.

This is why Israel took in 800,000 Jewish refugees from the Middle East between 1949 and 1951, most of them poor, doubling its population at a time when there wasn’t sufficient food to feed the Israelis themselves.

“This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt” and, therefore, “May all who are hungry come and eat; and all who are needy come and join our celebration of the Passover.” This is the ethical lesson of Egyptian slavery.

II. The second message in Ha Lachma Anya is a message of hope. It is contained in the last two lines of the paragraph in the Haggadah: “Today we are here; tomorrow we will be in the Land of Israel. Today we are slaves; tomorrow we will be free people.” What is the purpose of those two sentences?

Rav Kook provides an answer. Jews in exile do not usually have things so good. Even when the situation is good, it is precarious. I visited the new museum of Polish Jewish History in Warsaw some years ago. It has a magnificent exhibit of 1,000 years of Polish Jewish history. If there is one lesson than one learns from visiting that exhibit it is that times were mostly bad, but even when they were good, it didn’t stay that way. Everything depended upon the prince or the lord and his favor. Nothing was permanent. Nothing was forever. This is the story of Jewish exile.

And this is the story of the exodus from Egypt. Things were so terrible. How could they ever get better?

What were the odds of a mass group of slaves gaining freedom from the mightiest power of the day: Egypt?

And yet, says Rav Kook, we were freed. We were

redeemed. And, therefore, says Rav Kook, the author of Ha Lachma Anya reminds us: “Today we may be in difficult exile, but tomorrow we will be in the Land of Israel. Today we may be suffering like slaves, but tomorrow we will be free.” The lesson is: never lose hope! No matter how bad things are, believe in the future and work to bring about a better tomorrow.

It happened in the exodus from a terrible slavery in Egypt. It can happen for us today.

The end of the Holocaust in 1945, with all of its horror, can lead to 1948 and the start of seventyfive miraculous years of Israeli statehood.

The closing of the Straits of Tiran in May of 1967 can result in the greatest deliverance of our time in the form of the Six Day War and its results.

Natan Sharansky can languish nine and-a-half years in the gulag and he can be freed and become a Minister in two Israeli governments and he can serve a term of seven years as the Chairman of the Jewish Agency.

Never lose hope! Today the society in Israel may seem to be in a veritable civil war. We must believe that, as difficult as the issues may be, they will be resolved and there will be peace among Israelis. Today we may be frightened at the rise of antiSemitism. We must believe that as suddenly as it rose it will, please God, recede and diminish.

These are the twin messages with which we begin the Seder.

The ethical message of Egyptian servitude. “This is the bread of affliction; …”, therefore, we live lives of chesed and compassion.

The message of hope and redemption. L’shana ha-ba’a: It seemed impossible, but it happened; and it will happen again.

Please God: we must believe in l’shana haba’a. We must believe in this as individuals, with all of our problems, and we must believe in this as a people, despite all of our crises.

Chag Kasher v’Sameach

what's my hebrew name?

by Rabbi Meyer Laniado

I was in YU at the time and was participating in the YUSSR program (Yeshiva and University Students for the Spiritual Revival of Soviet Jewry) to run community seders and Pesah programming in Belarus and Germany. I was sent with a group to Leipzig, Germany.

When we arrived at the city, the rabbi brought us to the Torah Zentrum known in English as the Torah Center. This is where we would run our three-day seminar and seders. As we passed the iron gates and the small garden, the rabbi stopped and pointed at a concrete valley with a stream flowing through it. He said on November 9, 1938, the night of Kristallnacht, the Jews of the town were gathered at this point to be taken to the camps.

The place where we were going to introduce Judaism to Jews with little exposure was on the exact spot where the community was destroyed 69 years prior.

What a response to Hitler. Right in front of where he sought to destroy Judaism we were working to rebuild it.

There is one participant that comes to mind.

I clearly remember her pink dyed hair. She must have been around 16 years old and barely said a word, besides for “cool.”

Our Seders were quite interactive and involved and continued through the night. We were finishing up around 2:00 am with hagadya, and she pulled me aside and asked if I could come up with a Hebrew name for her.

Just as the Jews in Egypt sought to remain connected to their past by maintaining their Hebrew names, she sought to reconnect, to engage, and be a part of our story, our history and our future redemption.

We need to realize the importance of this night and how impactful it can be.

But even more powerful is our response to Pharaoh and Hitler, and our message to all those who align with them:

Our children still ask us – “What’s my Hebrew name?”

sephardic customs from around the world

by Rabbi Meyer Laniado

PRIOR TO PESAH

Prior to Pesah, from as early as Rosh Hodesh Nissan, Egyptian communities have a Tawahid. They bring musicians and hazzanim and sing bakkashot and pizmonim. They read the Torah portion of haHodesh haZeh laKhem Rosh Hodashim, as well as piyutim and poems, in praise of the Torah and those who study it (See Nehar Misrayim).

THE SEDER PLATE

The הרעק, Seder plate arrangement my family uses, along with many Sephardic families throughout the world, originated with the 16th century Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria, the AR"I. The arrangement aligns with the kabbalistic concept of ten sefirot, the ten attributes of God's emanations. While the AR"I was a contemporary living in the same city as Rabbi Yoseph Karo, the author of the Shulkhan Arukh, Rabbi Yoseph Karo, makes no mention of the special arrangement of the Seder plate. He does mention a הרעק, as does Rambam, although it seems for the Rambam there was a הרעק for each person prepared with all of the items for the Seder. Still, there is no mention of their arrangement in any sources before the AR"I (ו,ד:געת). Rabbi Shemtob Gaguine notes how influential the kabbalah was, and how

accepted this special arrangement became, except amongst those who maintained the older traditions, like the anusim , the once crypto-Jews from Spain, who were, at his time, living in Amsterdam and London (Keter Shem Tob 3:52).

The Rema suggests the foods should be arranged on the platter in the order of the Seder so that one would not reach over one misva to perform another.

Jews of Libya place an egg for each person at the Seder on the הרעק, and some families also include eggs for those who have passed away.

LOOKING INTO A MIRROR

Jews from Kurd-Iran look into a mirror. This custom is seen in one of two ways:

1. They are taking the statement literally by the rabbis that a person should view themselves as if they personally left Egypt.

2. This is in recognition of the righteous women who used mirrors to beautify themselves for their husbands during the Egyptian oppression to ensure the continued growth of their family, even during those difficult times.

KADESH

Four is the numbered pattern we would expect at the Seder, yet some families have a fifth cup. This originates from one of the early versions of the Talmud preserved by the Geonim, the Rif, Rosh, and Rambam. They articulate the beraita, early rabbinic source, with a statement by Ribi Tarfon differently than we have in our current Vilna edition of the Talmud, and they read it as follows: “On the fifth cup we recite Hallel (Talmud Bavli Pesahim 118).” Maimonides (Mishneh Torah Unleavened and Leavened Bread 8:10) sees this as an additional, optional, cup as part of the Seder. This may be aligned with the fifth language of redemption, veHebeiti, our future redemption. Rabbi Yoseph Qafih, a prominent 20th-century rabbi of Yemenite descent, attests that amongst his family, as he remembers from his grandfather, they always had a fifth cup as a regular part of their Seder.

Others, like Rabbi Joseph ben Samuel Bonfils quoted by the Rosh and brought to halakha by the Rema (S” A 481:1), views the fifth cup as only an allowance for an additional cup for those who are thirsty and need another cup to drink to quench their thirst.

The Bukharian custom is to pour Elijah’s cup at the beginning of the Seder, at the same time as Kiddush. After they ‘greet Eliyahu’ by the fourth cup with Hallel, they allocate the wine to the participant’s cups (Edut beYoseph).

The custom of opening the door when shefokh hamatekha is recited, and having the fifth cup, has only recently become a tradition in Sephardic homes (Sefer Derekh Eres Pesah 5). Rabbi Abraham Hamway records this custom being prevalent amongst Syrian Jews living in Syria by the 20th century (Siddur Beit haBehira Pesah).

Egyptians open the door and leave it open to show that Pesah is leil shimurim, a night of guarding, and no harm will come to them (Shemot 12:42). After the door is open, they pour the cup of Eliyahu haNabi, and say that Eliyahu will come after the Seder and drink from it. During the night, one of the adults drinks from the cup, and so the next morning, the kids are in wonder and say to their friends: “Eliyahu haNabi came and drank the entire cup!” This was done to instill hope in the future redemption, that even now in exile, Eliyahu goes from house to house to drink from his cup.

In Minhagei Hatam Sofer ch. 10 note 7 - it is noted that the cup of Eliyahu should be used for Kiddush the next morning.

Originally printed in KJ's 2021 Haggadah Companion

URHATZ

This washing is one that, according to the Taz (S”A 473:6), should be done every time one immerses a food into one of the seven liquids that can become tameh, impure. While not the practice of those who follow Tosafot, Shulkhan Arukh requires netilat yadayim when immersing a food into one of these liquids, such as milk (S”A 158:4). Indeed, there are some who wash netilat yadayim, without a berakhah, when dipping their Entenmann’s doughnut into milk, all year round.

KARPAS

The original practice was to specifically have at least a kezayit, as Rambam states: “and no less than a kezayit (Mishne Torah Laws of Unleavened and Leavened Bread 8:2).” This shifted when some became unsure if a berakha should be said afterwards. So, the practice evolved to have less than the amount of food that would require an after-blessing.

YAHATZ

Afikoman, afikomun or afikomin? The pronunciation varies from community to community. Rabbi Shemtob Guiguine, a prominent Sephardic rabbi who records minhagim of various communities in his book Keter Shem Tob, writes that it is afikomin. Hiding the afikomin is an Ashkenaz custom recently adopted by some Sephardic families.

Iraqis and Egyptians give the afikomin wrapped in a cloth to a child at the table and ask him/her to guard it against theft, and if it gets stolen, they are responsible to pay 100 gold coins! Egyptians then say, but, if you guard it well, you will receive a prize! This is done to keep the child awake (Edut beYoseph).

MISHAROTAM

The Seder is an experiential educational experience that incorporates performances and acting. Many communities have incorporated practices and scripts that have spanned generations that reenact our Exodus from Egypt.

One of the Massot is broken, and the play begins. The larger of the broken pieces is wrapped in a nice fabric (some communities place the smaller piece). This is then passed around the table, with each participant holding the bundle with their right hand over their left shoulder as if they are about to go on a trip. The custom as recorded describes that the person participating would walk a few steps or exit and enter the house or room, but from experience, I have seen almost everyone, except for those few who want to participate further, with some dressing up, holding a staff, donning a turban and sandals, choose to remain in their seats.

In some communities, it is but one participant, such as a child or the leader of the Seder, and in others, each member plays the role of the one leaving Egypt. The other participants ask the following questions one after the next: “Where are you coming from?” “What are you bringing with you?” and “Where are you going?” The person responds: “Egypt,” “Massa and Maror,” and “Jerusalem!” Jews from Arab lands continue to ask and reply in Arabic, while some do translate as well.

Families from Libya and Tunisia and Morocco have the Seder plate waved over their heads by the Seder’s leader during the recitation of Mah Nishtanah.

MAGGID

Sephardic communities, until recently, recited the Haggadah in both Hebrew and the Arabic translation. The ketab, Jewish after-school learning programs in the Syrian community of Brooklyn, continued to teach this Arabic translation of the Haggadah until their closing with the Jewish day school system’s growth.

The Arabic translation includes some additional comments, some of which are still recited even by those who no longer recite the Arabic translation. For example, some say: “Hada Il Jawad’’ after reciting the Mah Nishtanah section, but before starting Abadim hayinu Hada Il Jawad means: Here is the answer. It indicates that what we are about to read is the answer to the Mah Nishtanah question.

Certain parts of the Haggadah are chanted together as a group, such as barukh haMaqom barukh hu, and barukh shomer habtahato, and others are rotated amongst participants. In some communities, for example, as recorded by Nehar Misrayim in Egypt, women participated in the reading as well (Edut beYoseph).

TZAFUN

Some communities (Bukharian, Afghani, Egyptian) keep a piece of the afikomin as a ‘segulah’ for protection and childbearing for the entire year Some Egyptians place a piece of the afikomin in their pockets or purses as a segulah for sustenance and protection. The belief is that with it, one will always have what to eat and if one is in danger from an enemy they can throw the afikomin towards them, and the enemy will run away.

Detail of portrait by Frederic Mouniguet/ Wirestock Creators on Adobe Stock.

The Space Between The Steps

By Rachel Kraus

The design and goal of the Seder is to experientially - through props, song and a bit of live theater - induce curiosity, stimulate the senses and delve into the art and immersive space of storytelling. I was raised in a home that prioritized personalizing ‘vihigadita l’vincha.’ My parents infused within us the importance of sharing and ritualizing every part of our national and personal history.

I am the grandchild of 4 Holocaust survivors. It is an identity of strength and profound significance that I carry with me every single day and one that has added importance on Pesach.

In the liminal space between the 13th and 14th Seder steps, Barech and Hallel, when we open the door and invite in Eliyahu the Prophet, my grandfather had a family tradition that he initiated in the years following the war, to recite a special prayer, an ode to the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto.

My grandfather chanted aloud this sweeping and moving reading about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, about the decimation of a people by a modern day Egypt and Pharoah. His powerful voice was unwavering, and, as he approached the end, would sing in his bellowing baritone voice, ‘Ani Maamin, ‘I believe’.

The room shook. Time stood still. No one could move or even, swallow.

This is a tradition we still carry on, now an ode to my grandfather. Of the 15 steps, it is the white space between the steps where we tell our story, where we personalize and ritualize what this story truly is, what my story truly is.

We have the unique opportunity to incorporate and elevate our own stories and thread that into the Seder. The space between spaces, the white space, the liminal space, is there for us to capture and animate with our stories.

A foundational mainstay of the Seder, and Pesach in general, is the principle of ‘vihigadita l’vincha’ –‘tell this story to your children’.

Illustration by Pascal M on Adobe Stock. Handwritten quote by Talia Laniado.

Questions to Enhance Your Seder Table

Curated by Rabbi Daniel & Rachel Kraus

1. Remember and share a time about an ancestor who had a physical or spiritual struggle. How did it shape that person and how has it inspired you?

2. Reflect on your life. If you can, identify a time of physical or spiritual struggle. How has it generated growth for you?

3. Reflect on your daily life. Where do you feel most challenged? Is it professional? Is it a particular relationship? Identity?

4. Passover celebrates many miracles, such as the Ten Plagues, the splitting of the sea etc. What makes a miracle? What modern day miracles have you witnessed?

5. How do rituals like that of the Seder keep your family and community together? What rituals do you remember from growing up?

6. On Passover, we remember the plight of our ancestors’ struggle for freedom. We also remember the suffering of the Egyptians. Where are other people suffering in the world today? How can you help?

7. As the ‘new employee’ at the matzah factory, you are asked to create a new flavor of matzah. Describe the flavor. Would you make it in a different shape?

8. Why do you think the story of Exodus is so important? Why do we have to keep telling this story?

9. What is slavery? Where does slavery exist today?

10. If you could invite any historical or living person to your Seder, who would it be? Why?

11. What was the best gift you ever received for the Afikoman?

12. Moses had a fear of public speaking. What do you fear? Why?

13. Do you have any family heirlooms used only on Passover? What are they?

14. If the prophet Elijah walked through the door and sat down in his chair, what would be the first thing you would ask him?

15. “Tradition! Tradition!” Does your family have a special Passover tradition or ritual?

16. What is the largest Seder you have been to? How many people were there? What was it like?

17. Jelly, butter or cream cheese? What is your favorite spread on matzah?

18. Is there a special family recipe used on Passover? Who is it from and when was it first used?

19. If you had to leave in haste, what three things would you take with you and why?

20. How is this year different for you?

The Seder is the night of questions. We dramatize and narrate through symbols and experiences, all for the purpose of evoking and provoking questions. These questions prompt discussion, reflection, laughter and debate, and are suitable for all ages and backgrounds.

We cut these out, fold them into little squares, and have each person pick one out of a bowl.

A Purim for the Ages

Dear Parents,

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Purim at KJYD!

This year, our kids flexed their superpowers in an overthe-top, superhero-themed Purim extravaganza!

The 5th and 6th graders started the month of Adar with Hamantaschen Wars, baking creative takes on their favorite holiday treat, and our KJYD families drew their favorite superheroes and discussed the heroes of the Purim story at a special parent-child learning, followed by dancing with the KJ Rabbis and Cantor Berson.

Finally, Purim itself was a fun-filled event with two carnivals, a magic show for our youngest members, and dinner and dancing under a neon bubble canopy that would have made even the crankiest Thanos have a blast.

Chevy & Roni

April Calendar

Saturday, April 1 Chametz Party

Sunday, April 2 KJYD Knicks Game

Saturday, April 15 Shabbat Mevarchim Birthday Celebration

Saturday, April 22 Tot Shabbat Circle Time

Saturday, April 29 3-4 Grade Shabbaton

Purim photos by JJ Ignotz Photography

KJB In Rewind

Chanukah Concert in the Park

Our 16th Annual Menorah Lighting at Carl Schurz Park, in partnership with Chabad UES and Chabad YP, was a huge hit. This year, for the first time ever, we added a concert featuring Jewish music superstars SoulFarm. Over 400 people braved the cold to enjoy the music and entertainment and celebrate Chanukah together. This event has become a strong symbol of Jewish pride and unity each year that truly lights up the Upper East Side.

Shabbat of Soul & Joy

As an antidote to January’s chill, we welcomed the Traveling Chassidim and their families over Shabbat Parshat Vayechi. The group travels across the United States promoting Jewish unity and dispelling myths about the Chassidic lifestyle.

The KJ Main Sanctuary was overflowing for Kabbalat Shabbat with men, women and children joining for what was a rousing and inspirational Tefilah. A sold-out Shabbat dinner followed with over 250 in attendance. The evening concluded with an open and honest Question and Answer session with members of the group, followed by a spirited Kumzitz. Shabbat Day, the group joined the KJB Minyan for morning Services and the day ended with a beautiful, soulful Seudah Shlishit and a Musical Havdalah concert.

Purim Comedy & Soiree

The KJB Annual Purim Eve Soiree was enjoyed by over 150 people. Our interactive Megillah Reading was followed by rounds of laughter with Comedian Eli Lebowicz, savory snacks, desserts & open bar. What a great way to celebrate Purim together!

The KJB community has been bustling with activity beyond our weekly classes and services. Our programs and events are well attended by everyone in our community, members and non-members alike. If you want to stay informed, scan the QR code on this page to join our KJB Community WhatsApp group.

Chanukah in the Park and Purim photos by JJ Ignotz Photography

A Passover Timeline

Below, please find a basic guide in preparation for Passover.

If you have any questions, please contact Rabbi Roy Feldman at rrf@ckj.org

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.

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

STEP 1 REMOVAL OF CHAMETZ

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 stovetop 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.

The easiest way to kasher utensils is to bring them to the KJ Kasher-In from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM on Sunday, March 26, or Monday, March 27, from 6:00 PM - 9:00 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.

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

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 Tuesday evening, April 4, after nightfall, 8:00 PM. The disposal should be on Wednesday morning, April 5. 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 Wednesday morning, April 5 after 10:50 AM.

STEP 4 THE SALE OF CHAMETZ

The ritual sale of chametz must be completed by early Wednesday morning, April 5. 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 online at ckj.org/form/sale-of-chametz.html which authorizes Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz to sell your chametz. A form can also be picked up from the second floor KJ office at 125 East 85th Street. This form must be submitted online or returned to the synagogue by Wednesday morning, April 5, not later than 8:30 am.

STEP 5 THE BURNING OF CHAMETZ

On Wednesday morning, April 5, it is customary to burn chametz. Chametz should be removed from one’s possession and burned by 11:54 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.

MJL Pesach Workshop

THURS / MAR 23 / 7:30 PM

Gain new insights into Passover as we review the ins and outs of the upcoming holiday. Great refresher class! Taught by Rabbi Daniel & Rachel Kraus.

KJ/Ramaz Holiday Interactive Workshop: Ignite Your Seder

TUES / MAR 28 / 8:00 PM

Tips, Tricks and Ideas to Leading an Engaged, Immersive, Well-Paced and Meaningful Seder with Rabbi Josh Lookstein and Rabbi Daniel & Rachel Kraus. Hosted by Rebecca and Harry Ritter. Location Upon RSVP. RSVP jankelovitsb@ramaz.org

Workshop is suited for parents of early childhood/elementary aged children.

Rabbi Wieder on Pesach

SHABBAT VAYIKRA / MARCH 25

Scholar in Residence Shabbat 6:00 pm Pre-Mincha Class - Do We Make a Berakhah on Hallel on the Night of Pesach

Will Elijah Be at Your Seder This Year?

SUN / MAR 26 / 8:00 PM

Join KJ and YU for an evening celebrating Rabbi Sacks Book Prize winner (Funded by the Rohr Family), Dr. Daniel Matt, author of “Becoming Elijah” (Yale University Press), in conversation with Dr. Shira Weiss, Assistant Director of the Sacks-Herenstein Center. Dessert reception will follow program.

125 East 85th Street RSVP ckj.org/appevents

MJL Model Seder

THURS / MAR 30 / 7:30 PM

First time Seder Guest? Looking for new insights? Forget why we dip? Join Rabbi Daniel & Rachel Kraus and experience the 4 cups, bitter herbs, and everything else you need to create a memorable Seder and holiday experience. There is no charge to attend this Model Seder. RSVP kjb@ckj.org

Senior Lunch & Learn on Pesach

WEDS / MAR 29 / 12:00 PM

Rabbi Feldman will present on Passover followed by a program with the Ramaz Students.

Daily Morning Pre-Pesah Learning

MAR 20 - MAR 30 / 7:55 AM

Taught by Rabbi Meyer Laniado

Shabbat HaGadol Drasha

SHABBAT TZAV / APRIL 1 / FOLLOWING 6:15 PM MINCHA

Join us on Shabbat HaGadol for a Drasha delivered by Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz speaking on

“Who Is a (Good Enough) Jew? - What Happens When a Jew Converts Out of Judaism”

Sponsored by Suzy & Larry Present

Kesher Pre-Pesach Parent Child Brunch

SUN / MAR 26 / 11:30 AM

Please join us for a meaningful and fun morning of bagels and parent-child learning led by Rabbi Feldman. Children ages 3-6 and their parents are invited to a KJYD and Kesher joint event to learn about Pesach. RSVP required; sponsorship opportunities available.

RSVP ckj.org/form/PCLECC2023.html

HA LACHMA ANYA

MAH NISHTANAH

AVADIM HAYINU

Reflections on themes of kindness. Ask each participant to share a story when they acted with kindness or were the recipient of kindness.

MA’ASEH BIRABI ELIEZER

Seder memories! The introduction of the Rabbinic passages at this point in the Seder develop the themes of storytelling from the perspectives of the generations who never experienced the original event.

Make it personal! What was the longest Seder you ever had? Invite each participant to share one funny Seder memory.

Questions are the basis of curiosity and growth. Encourage each participant, regardless of age, to ask their own original Mah Nishtanah. Each child is assigned a family member who could not be present at the Seder and answers the Mah Nishtanah with their voice and mannerisms.

What is slavery?

Introduce the topic of defining slavery.

How does slavery exist in the world today?

What is one thing to which you feel you feel “enslaved”?

MITCHILAH / ה ָלִחְּתִמ

Once upon a time: Share a story about an ancestor who inspired you. Make it personal. Each family member can share a story or a memory that has left an impact and impression on them.

Four sons, four children, four prototypes, four personalities. Assign parts to be acted.

Act out the characters, read in typecast voices. How do each of these four personalities manifest in each of us at different points? Does time of day, age or life experience elicit different parts of these prototypes?

For younger children, they can sing a song or share something they love about a sibling/ parent/grandparent. Ask children facts about each grandparent, their birthplace, life story, fun facts, etc. How much do we know about our past?

V ’ HE SHE’AMDAH

BECHOL DOR V’DOR

There is a national burden we carry of battles that have been fought, and that we will continue to fight.

What is the secret to Jewish survival?

What gives you hope? Discuss specific challenges you have overcome in your life.

Who supported you? Who have you supported?

Freedom, Oh Freedom.

What does freedom mean? Is school freedom or getting out of school freedom? Is freedom sleeping late or getting up early? Have an impromptu dance party!

The language of movement is liberating.

TZEH U’LMAD

Go get ‘em! Give each child a section to lead (in Hebrew or English).

Take a prepared grab bag / box with a collection of materials included inside: Sneaker (leaving Egypt in the middle of the night), fruit, toy sheep, gold/silver/jewelry, red item, band-aid, plastic cows.

DAYENU

It’s enough! Sing sing sing!

What are things God does for us?

Why is gratitude important?

Each family member takes a turn to express specific gratitude for either those present or not present at the Seder. Verbalize a list of all the things you’re grateful for in your life.

Use the liturgy to list them out: Since I have ____, Dayenu.

10 Makot, Makot 10!

Play some games!

Use puppets, songs and props to bring this to life. Say the of order so kids can catch mistakes.

RABBAN GAMLIEL לֵאיִלְמ

Symbols and Signals: Pesach – matzah – maror.

Pre-prep for kids to “own’’ one of these three categories. Why are these things important?

Play the ‘Who am I’ game (pesach, matzah, maror, pyramid, slave, tambourine) by asking up to 20 yes/no questions.

Pickup will be Sunday, March 26 from 9:00 am - 11:00 am, in the KJ Lobby. To purchase matzah visit ckj.org/matzah.

Passover Relief Fund

March 9, 2023

A FERVENT APPEAL TO OUR FAMILY FROM THE SANDY EISENSTAT BENEVOLENT FUND OF KJ

Dear KJ Family,

Extraordinary challenges call for extraordinary responses.

Once again, this year, we begin our preparations for Pesach with our Passover Relief Appeal for the congregation’s Benevolent Fund. That Appeal doesn’t just help people observe the Passover holiday; it also is our major appeal for the year to enable us to say YES to all kinds of people in need and many institutions in America and in Israel which serve the Jewish people in chesed and in Torah. KJ has always been called upon by people and organizations. We have prided ourselves on the ability to say YES to these calls. In order to do so, we ask you to say YES to this appeal.

Last Passover, we did just that. We raised over $200,000 for Passover Relief. We live in inflationary times and the people and organizations that depend on us have inflated needs and so we hope we can do better this year.

Two examples: first, we lead all congregations in New York in our support for Met Council and its Passover Food distribution effort. Met Council has greatly expanded its food services to meet the needs of people with

food insecurity, especially at Passover time. Our normal contribution for several years was $25,000. Last year we actually sent Met Council $35,000 for their Passover food distribution effort. It is the responsibility of a congregation like ours to support this critical, communal effort very generously. We need to be able to say “YES!” to Met Council.

Further, we need to support members of our own community who are suffering, quietly and anonymously, and to whom we must say “YES!” when they call upon us. This is the responsibility of us all in this difficult time.

(Once again this year, as for the past few years, Audrey and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein whose traditional Passover Relief contribution used to be $1,000, have just pledged $2,000 because of the pressing needs.)

Extraordinary challenges call for extraordinary responses. The KJ family has always been extraordinary, so please give extraordinarily, and may we all sit down at our Sedarim, knowing that we did our very best to fulfill the beginning words of the Haggadah: “Let all who are hungry come and eat.”

Please respond generously by donating online ckj.org/pay and selecting “Benevolent Fund –Passover Relief.” May God hear our response and may He respond in turn by healing the afflicted and relieving the suffering.

Best wishes for a Chag Kasher v’Sameach, a happy and healthy Pesach festival.

Chaim Steinmetz

Haskel Lookstein

Roy Feldman

Meyer Laniado

Rachel and Daniel Kraus

Shmurah Matzah

Weekly Classes

ckj.org/weeklyclasses

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 BasicsUnderstand Prayer

Take a deep dive into the amida.

Beginners Hebrew

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

Hebrew Ulpan

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

Prayerbook Hebrew

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

Contemporary Halakhic Issues

An in-depth look at some of the most fascinating halakhic response of the 20th century.

King Solomon - For Women Only

Passover Workshop March 23

Model Seder March 28

Yom Haatzmaut April 20

Shabbat I April 27

Shabbat II May 4

Shavuot Workshop May 11

Sephardic Customs May 18

Ritual Objects June 1

Blessings I June 8

Passover Learning on page 18 and ckj.org/passoverlearning

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.

An in-depth study of Pharoah's daughter and the Queen of Sheba, the two women directly associated with King Solomon's dismal failure, despite his unparalleled wealth, wisdom, and accomplishments. Email riva@ckj.org for class location.

Meaningful Jewish Living

A comprehensive yearlong 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

Liat Rabbani

Mazal Tov to Alexandra and Haskel “Zeke” Rabbani upon the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Liat, which will take place on Chol HaMoed Pesach in Yad HaShmona, Israel, at which time she will lead services, read the Torah portion from Parashat Mishpatim, and deliver a D’var Torah. Liat is a sixth-grade student at the Ramaz Middle School.

Welcome!

Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun

warmly welcomes the following new members who joined the Congregation between the printing of the last Bulletin, February 14, and this Bulletin, which went to press on March 14:

Jaclyn & Daniel Haddad

Sally & Keith Hoffman

Irina Klionsky

Dr. Bradley Rauch

Dr. Sarah Lieber & Jonathan Wachter

Within Our Family

BIRTHS

Lenore Feder and Michael Altman upon the birth of their daughter, Danielle Aurora (Devorah).

Miriam & Eric Feldstein upon the birth of twin grandsons, born to their children Jennifer & Adam Teitcher. The babies join older sisters Reia and Hallie.

Karen Blatt and Ari Hirt on the birth of a granddaughter to Michael and Elizabeth Hirt.

Debbie & Kenny Rochlin upon the birth of their first grandchild, a grandson, born to their children, Tamara & Zachary Rochlin. Mazal Tov as well to the overjoyed great grandparents, Evelyn Rochlin and Cheryl & Norman Meskin.

Lauren Bochner and Jordan Sheff upon the birth of a baby boy, Harry Lev (Hirsh Lev).

Dr. Chana & Meir Shubowitz upon the birth of twin boys, siblings to big brother Jack. Mazal Tov to the overjoyed grandparents, Joan & Dr. Alan Weinstock and Beth & Robert Shubowitz.

Shira & Larry Baruch and Joyce & Daniel Straus upon the birth of a granddaughter, Tali Margaret (Tali Malka), born to their children, Julia and David Baruch.

Rozy Weitzner upon the birth of her great-granddaughter, Zahava Bracha, born to Avital and Zak Comet, children of Michelle and Mitchell Weitzner.

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

BNEI MITZVAH

Lynne and Josh Fishman upon the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Chase Fishman, son of Adam Fishman of Riverdale.

Bernice and Gilbert Kahn upon the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Joshua Archibald, son of Abigail and Benjamin Archibald.

Rachel Oppenheim and family upon the Bat Mitzvah of her granddaughter, Hadar, daughter of Rivka and Yoni Oppenheim. Hadar is a sixth grade student at Manhattan Day School. As part of her Chesed project she donated her hair, (as did Yoni) through Zichron Menachem, to cancer-stricken children. Hadar is also the granddaughter of E. Magnus Oppenheim z”l.

Drs. Phyllis and Mark Speiser upon the Bar Mitzvah of their grandson, Yoav, son of Eva and Eliyahu David Speiser.

ENGAGEMENTS

Rose Gerszberg upon the Chaiki and Ziel Feldman upon the engagement of their daughter, Leila, to Seth Rosenberg, son of Lewis Rosenberg and the late Dr. Fran Steinberg of Winnipeg, Canada.

Helen Freilich and Jimmy Haber upon their engagement.

Lisa & Nathan Low upon the upcoming

marriage of their son, Gabriel, to Brook Damaghi, daughter of Bobby & Nazy Damaghi of Great Neck.

May their weddings take place in happiness and blessing.

MARRIAGES

Jessica and David Feldan upon the marriage of their son, Daniel to Shayna Herszage, daughter of Dotan and Shari Herszage of Columbus, Ohio.

Elizabeth Wallach Mintz and Victor Mintz upon the engagement of their daughter, Orly, to Jeremy Shechter, son of Amanda and Judah Shechter of East Brunswick, NJ.

Phyllis and Jonathan Wagner, in honor of the wedding of their daughter, Anna Wagner, to Elisha Galler, son of Julie and Dr. Ezra Galler of Sharon, Massachusetts.

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

MILESTONES

Lynne and Josh Fishman upon the celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary.

COMMUNAL NEWS AND HONORS

Stephanie Knepper Basman upon being honored at the annual Shaare Zedek Medical Center Women’s Health Day Luncheon, on Tuesday, May 2.

Jane & Ishaia Gol upon being Guests of Honor at Shalva’s 33rd Anniversary Gala (“Reach for the Stars”) on March 2.

Jamie Lassner and his Chesed organization “Accessibility Accelerator“

upon receiving a Silver Anthem Award in the area of Human and Civil Rights for its efforts to evacuate, triage, house, resettle and provide humanitarian aid to thousands of Ukrainian refugees as well as and award at the United Nation’s Zero Project Conference in Vienna, for excellence and dedication in connection with their evacuation and rehousing efforts on behalf of Ukrainian refugees with disabilities. Philip Schatten upon being honored at The Jewish Education Project’s Spring Event on Wednesday, May 17, for helping shepherd the agency through many fundamental periods of transition and growth.

CONDOLENCES

Henchy Balsam upon the passing of her grandmother, Charna Enden.

Sheila Ebrahimzadeh upon the passing of her father, Massoud Hassid.

Dr. Howard Eisenstein upon the passing of his mother, Hinda Nina Eisenstein.

Cheryl Halpern upon the passing of her mother, Estelle Feldman, and to KJ members Yonina Gomberg, Alexander Halpern, and Maeira Werthenschlag upon the passing of their grandmother.

Ruth Lukashok and Jay Zwiebel, longstanding KJ High Holy Day shaliach tzibur, upon the passing of Ruth’s brother and Jay’s father, David J. Zwiebel.

Deborah Moskowitz upon the passing of her father, Seymour Lichtenstein.

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

Mazal Tov to –

The Ancient Origins of the Chevra Kadisha

address delivered by KJ member Zella Goldfinger upon the occasion of Zayin Adar, the yahrzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu and the day set aside to acknowledge all our beloved Chesed volunteers.

In our last weeks of Torah readings, we have been enmeshed in the story of the Hebrews in Egypt. One can see from their magnificent architecture and artwork, which is still with us, the Egyptians were preoccupied with death and the afterlife; the Pharaohs did everything they could to deny and disavow the ending of life. The ancient Israelites, in contrast, were concerned not with immortality, but with morality and one’s deeds in this world.

In Tanakh, in the biblical period, proper burial was of utmost importance. Abraham expended great energy and money on securing the cave of Machpelah as a family tomb for Sarah, his wife, and future generations.

As part of the second tochecha in Devarim, one of the punishments for abrogating the Brit is “your carcasses will be food for fowl in the air and beasts on the ground.” In other words, your body will be left unburied.Jeremiah, the prophet at the time of the Babylonian exile, insists on justice and righteousness and threatens, Jehoiakim, the wicked son of the good King Josiah, that forsaking the brit will result in his burial being like that of an ass - he will be “drawn and just thrown out of the gates of Jerusalem.”

The Kohen Gadol, the high priest, who ordinarily must never come into contact with the dead, is specifically obligated to involve himself with the burial of the mait mitzvah, someone who has no other person who can perform this mitzvah.

But what were the ancient Israelite burial practices?

Underground caves or chambers manually cut into soft, chalky rocks were used for burial, always outside of the city. Bodies would be laid on rock shelves, or on the ground, and when the flesh decayed, the bones would be gathered into a specific area, a pit, or placed later into stone ossuaries containing the bones of other family members. It was known as primary and secondary burial.

There was pottery, food and personal items also put in the shelves with the bodies.

Outside of Ir David, in Jerusalem, the area is ringed with remnants of these caves, and some of the more elaborate ones still remain intact from the time of the First and Second Temples.

The oldest piece of scripture we have, called a text witness, which dates from 600 BCE, before the Babylonian exile, is on a pair of tiny silver plates which contains the priestly blessing (written in the ancient paleo Hebrew script). It was found in Ketef Hinnom, in a burial site in south western Jerusalem, placed under one of the rock shelves, probably as an amulet. You can see these silver pieces today in the archeology wing of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

In Sefer Bereshit, when Abraham dies, he was “gathered to his kin”, which refers to the gathering of his bones and mixing them with those of other deceased relatives. There was a strong desire to maintain contact with one’s specific community after death, and so we hear Jacob, after blessing all his sons at the end of Sefer Bereishit, say, “I am to be gathered to my people, bury me with my fathers.” Even though Jacob has a lengthy period of embalming because he is still in Egypt, there is a 7-day mourning period, and he is eventually brought back and buried in the cave of Machpelach that Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite.

There was no cremation. The only exception is in the book of Samuel. When King Saul and his three sons are killed by the Philistines their bodies are hung on a wall in Beit Shean as the ultimate act of disrespect. The stalwart men of Jabesh-Gilad , a town that King Saul had saved, marched all night to remove the bodies and burn them, probably in response to the decayed condition. This was an act of loyalty, of chesed. After the bones were buried, the men fasted as an act of mourning, again for 7 days.

Coffins were generally not used, with the exception of Joseph, again because he is in Egypt. The bodies were wrapped solely in a linen cloth and carried on biers.

What were they wearing? We don’t really know, but when Samuel is raised from the dead by the witch of Endor, at the behest of King Saul, he is wearing a me’il: a drape, a wrap, or some type of outer layer which is what Samuel’s mother, Chana, brought him each year when she came to visit him at Shilo. There is no mention of tachrichim in Tanakh, except an oblique use of Tachrich (singular) in Megillah Esther describing what Mordechai wore as a wrap.

We learn tearing clothes, kriah, from Jacob. After he sees his beloved Joseph’s blood stained coat, and fears that he has died, Jacob rends his garment. We learn of the period of shloshim, 30 days, from how the congregation mourns Aaron’s death, after he was punished for the rebellion at the waters of Meribah.

In the whole of Tanakh, there is no comprehensive concept of the soul and its immortality.

When the word “nefesh” is used, it refers to a person, a living being. Upon death, the righteous, the sinners, and everyone in between go to She’ol, a dark, dusty and unpleasant place, sometimes referred to as a “bor,” a pit. Both words are used in Psalm 30, the introductory psalm to Pesukei d’ Zimrah.

The advantage of living a righteous life is that it will be long, and thus going to She’ol is delayed.

Jacob says, after seeing Joseph’s blood stained coat, “ I will go down to She’ol to my son.…” The idea of immortality of the soul, and the concept of Olam Habah occurs much later, converging with the influences of the Greco Roman world.

During the Talmudic period, we read of difficulties with cost of expensive shrouds, with the result that people would actually abandon the body of their family member. Rabban

Gamliel thereby decrees that he wants to be buried in the simplest of coverings and the community then follows suit. It was usually undyed linen, with specific knots to ward off the demons.

The rabbis were also concerned about embarrassing and singling out those who had died with bad odors due to intestinal problems, and so decreed that fragrances be placed in everyone’s wrapping cloth. They proclaimed that everyone be buried with the face covered, so as not to draw attention to the unhealthy appearance of the poor.

Musicians, torch bearers and professional mourners were employed. In the book of Jeremiah, God criticizes the people for forsaking the Torah and threatens to scatter them, and send a sword after them. God proclaims: “Call for the mourning women … send for the women skilled in grieving and wail for the people.” Ketubot 46b tells us “even the poorest man must have at least 2 flute players and one professional female mourner for a deceased daughter.”

The responsibility of taking care of the deceased devolved from the family to the community, and then to specific members of the community. In Moed Katan 27b we learn that a shofar blast announced the death of an individual in the town of Darumata, but when Rav Hamnuna came and looked around this town, he saw people working in their usual occupations and questioned why everyone in the town was not engaged in caring for the deceased. He was told, “We have groups for that.” Unfortunately, it is not very clear how these groups functioned and who was in them.

After the Talmudic period there is virtually no information about the practices of the

Jewish community until the middle ages.

The first known Chevra Kadisha was founded in Prague in 1564 by Eleazar Ashkenazi. There were takkanot, rulings, established in the next century that said that the Chevra was to take care of the whole community, not just family members of the Chevra itself, as had been the custom. The yearly Chevra Kadisha dinner was established; the members would fast on Zayin Adar and then have a very extravagant banquet with special dinnerware and end with the delivery of many sermons.

In 1619 a booklet called “Balm for the Soul and Cure for the Bones” was compiled in Venice by Leon of Modena, at the request of the Chevra Kadisha of Venice. They complained that there was a lack of information about prescribed Jewish death rituals, and no information for people who cared for the sick of the community.

In 1626 Ma’avar Yabbok, an incredible book was written in Mantua, by Rabbi Aharon Berakhia ben Moses of Modena ( a relative of the above mentioned Leon of Modena) and may reflect, among other issues, Ramban’s 13th century ideas of the soul and its travels. It contains the first mention of the prayer “El maleh rachamim” which beseeches God to bring the soul of the departed to Gan Eden. It also comprises many laws and customs related to sickness, death, burial and mourning rites, while being heavily steeped in Kabbalah.

The KJ’s women’s Chevra Kadisha was started in the 1970s by Tova Bulow and the late Dr. Nathalie Friedman, z”l. What is it that we do, in the KJ women’s Chevra when we are called upon to do a tahara?

We put on our protective garb and after we ritually wash, we say the Chamol recitation, using the proper Hebrew name of the mait, which is how we refer to the deceased.

The Chamol prayer asks God for a pardon of all sins, for redemption, for alleviation of suffering from misery and fire and, most importantly, for the ability to walk into Gan Edan, the resting place of the righteous. Rachamim, mercy, is requested over seven times in this paragraph. As we remove the clothing, bandages, and tubes left in from the hospital, we say verses from Zachariah which describe removing the soiled garments from the High Priest as he is being purified. “Behold, I have removed your iniquity and I will clothe you in fine garments.”

While washing the mait, we recite verses from Shir haShirim describing a person’s body in the most poetic and lyrical manner.

Before the actual tahara, which consists of ritually washing with “Tisha Kavan,” an unknown measure of water that we assign to three containers, we say verses from Prophets and Ketuvim as well as Mishna Yoma 8. The Mishna in Yoma deals with forgiveness before Yom Kippur, and we quote Rabbi Akiva who says, “ You are fortunate, O Israel….who purifies you? Your father in heaven” by “sprinkling purifying water over you.”

After drying, the mait is dressed in white linen garments that refer back to the description of the Kohen Gadol in Vayikra, as he makes yearly atonement for the holy spaces. It makes references specifically to the head covering, the enclosed pants, the ketonet and the gartel.

To dress someone is to comfort them, to protect them and to give them dignity. We treat each mait with love and honor and no matter how challenging the situation, we transform every mait into the Kohen Gadol. We sprinkle earth from Israel, place shards over the eyes and mouth, carefully wrap the sovev, the linen sheet over the mait and then we pause. We ask for mechillah, for forgiveness, for any inadvertent disrespectful act that we, the Chevra may have committed. It is a very profound moment.

The cover of the Aron, the casket, is closed, and we repeat verses that include the priestly blessing, poetic verses alluding to protection, and grace freely given. Here there are no rebukes from the prophets, only words of consolation.

As the Aron is wheeled out of the room, more verses from Bamidbar, Shmot and Psalm 91 are said, ending with the verses concerning yitziat Mitzriam, leaving Egypt: “The Lord is a warrior, ….The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Our Chevra is composed of dedicated women, all very different ages and personalities, but who all share the understanding that this is sacred work. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to do this mitzvah with them. We welcome anyone interested to join us.

Isaac Pollack, who is a veritable fount of knowledge, and an exceptional human being, graciously shared many sources and ideas with me. I would like to end by expressing sincere gratitude to Riva Alper, who despite a very difficult year, continues to be the glue that keeps the chevra together. Thank you.

community

address by Zella Goldfinger

Yoetzet Halakhah

Julia Baruch 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. Julia is reachable by phone at 929274-0628 or email at JB.Yoetzet@ gmail.com.

Community Mikvahs

The Jacques and Hanna Schwalbe Mikvah at 419 East 77th Street (1st and York Avenues); 212-359-2020

The Rennert Mikvah at 5th Ave Synagogue at 5 East 62nd Street (Fifth Avenue) 212-753-6058

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

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 are: 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.

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.

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. View the Manhattan Eruv Map.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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.