Passover memories

Steven Chizzik, President

Passover has always been the favorite Jewish holiday for my wife and me, even though it always entailed so much work. Each year, as the weeks leading up to Passover started getting closer, I could sense the pressure of hosting 30 people for two nights starting to build. Our introduction to a Seder began in our first year of marriage, when my wife’s “Nanny” came to our apartment to “teach” Gayle how to make gefilte fish from scratch (yes, she brought whole fish and threw them in the bathtub). She also taught her how to make chopped liver (many pounds of it!), mashed potatoes with fried onions, chicken soup and a whole host of side dishes. This tradition went on every year until we moved to Florida four years ago.

As a child, I remember shlepping huge boxes of my mother’s, as well as my grandmother’s, Passover dishes and boxes of pots and pans from the basement bin to their respective second floor apartments. Passover in our family, as in most Jews families, is the holiday that gets ingrained and passed from generation to generation.

As the Passover Haggadah clearly states, “B’chol Dor VaDor” (in every generation). We read, in the telling of the Passover story, that we must “see ourselves” as if we, personally, were taken out of Egypt. Even though the exodus from Egypt is a specific historical event, we must envision it as a cyclical experience, repeating each year.

Each Jewish family might use a slightly different Haggadah and tell the story in a slightly different manner; however, the essence is the same. In addition to the traditional Haggadah, we supplemented our Seder with the picture books and all the song sheets our boys made while at the JCC for nursery school (the same colored Passover books and song sheets were used for over 35 years). I know each person reading this has a similar story. We actually hosted four generations in our home.

It is so appropriate that the Yizkor prayers are recited on the last day of Passover as we as Jews always continue to remember all those family members and friends that I’m sure celebrated Passover Seders with us.

A Zeisen Pesach to everyone!

Join us!

I, again, would like to remind everyone that Beth Tikvah is now offering new members their first year’s dues free of charge. If you, or a friend, wish to experience the warmth and community found at Beth Tikvah, please join us.

Beth Tikvah is the affiliated congregation in Greater Naples of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). We are grateful to Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) for support of our Scholar in Residence, Naples Jewish Film Festival and All Things Jewish programs.

April Beth Tikvah happenings

Sunday, April 3 at 11 a.m. – Rosh Chodesh Women’s Study

Friday, April 15 at 6:15 p.m. – Erev Passover First Seder at Beth Tikvah. Please check the website for details.

Religious services

• Sunday morning services begin at 9 a.m. via Zoom

• Friday services begin at 6:15 p.m. in person and on Zoom

• Saturday services begin at 9:30 a.m. in person and on Zoom

• We convene Yahrzeit minyanim upon request.

You may reach Rabbi Chorny directly at 239-537-5257.