Freedom is hard work, in ancient Egypt, America, everywhere
By Rabbi Michael Singer
Congregation Brith Sholom
The quintessential Jewish story in the Torah is the story of our exodus from Egypt and the trials and tribulations of moving from a people who knew only slavery to a people poised to forge a new society guided by God’s Torah.
Each year we gather our families and friends together on the holiday of Passover (Pesach) to remember and commemorate our amazing story of freedom. We remember that our freedom came at the cost of plagues on the Egyptians, including a terrible loss of life. It also took Jewish leaders like Moses, Aaron, and Miriam taking responsibility and owning both the struggle and the out-
come of liberation. God acted only when we cried out, sent Moses to speak to Pharaoh, and marked our doors with lamb’s blood. We had to take the first steps ourselves into the Red Sea in order for it to part.
Around the seder table we not only remember these historic actions but also challenge ourselves with questions about the meaning of freedom today in America. With the continuing rise of antisemitism, our hostages still held in captivity, and challenges to democracy and the rule of law, our work for freedom is not yet complete.
As American Jews we take heart in the family stories of our grandparents and greatgrandparents, who sought to bind their future to that of America. They came to these shores for the promise of freedom, equality, and abundant opportunity. Yet sometimes we faced an America that turned us away, was unfair, corrupt, or harsh. As Jews we have experienced the hurtful barriers of prejudice and hate that set quotas on college admissions,
kept Jewish doctors out of hospitals, or denied us hotel rooms and most often jobs. We were called un-American, invaders, the insidious Other. So we fought back and we raised our voices, not only for ourselves but for the civil rights of all Americans.
The hard fight for freedom continues today as we strive to live up to the very best of the values of human dignity and respect that America represents. Sometimes there are bumps in the road, pushbacks against progress, and sad and ugly times. America’s history is filled with moments when we have failed to live up to the best of our values. We must not become discouraged, apathetic, or ambivalent. Instead, Pesach teaches us that we must continue to work toward redemption. Overwhelmingly, America is a model society that at its best allows its people, no matter who they are or where they come from, to achieve their highest potential and ensure the safety, human rights, and dignity of its citizens. The fact that it is imperfect does not absolve us
The Lehigh Valley Jewish Clergy Group presents the
from working to do our part. This is how we love America, love freedom, and love God. We work to make the world better through our actions, which bring more justice, love, and peace to all humanity.
Today we are witness to a world that is still struggling with civil rights, hatred, and basic issues of human dignity. We continue to pray for the release of all our hostages who are held in Gaza, those living and those who were murdered. We join our prayers with fellow Jews worldwide and cry out, “Let my people go!” This Pesach, let the retelling of our story inspire us to take up the struggle for freedom and remind us of our people’s long history to break the chains of pharaohs and oppressors.
While I do not know how some of these struggles will turn out in the near term, I believe with all my heart that we are not only on the right side of history but also following God’s commandments to love the stranger, free the captive, care for those in need, and pursue
justice and peace. I also know that freedom takes courage, sacrifice, and conviction. I pray that as we sit at our seder tables this Pesach, we remember that our freedom is a magnificent blessing. A blessing that we are continually responsible for and that we have to work hard to ensure and renew in every generation.
As our Torah teaches (and as the Liberty Bell is inscribed), “Proclaim freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants!” (Leviticus 25:10). So let the continuing work of freedom ring in our hearts and in our deeds.
Chag Kasher v’Sameach!
27th Annual Community Passover Seders*
Here is a listing of services from Lehigh Valley congregations. Please contact the synagogues directly to learn more. (Editor’s note: RSVP as instructed below. Note the registration deadlines. Synagogues will most likely not be able to accommodate you after those dates.)
Chabad of the Lehigh Valley
A SEDER LIKE NO OTHER
SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 7:30 p.m.
Some things are worth staying up for! Enjoy a meaningful, engaging, and interactive seder with gourmet food and a choice of fine wines. Doors opened and appetizers served at 7:30. Candle lighting at 8:21 followed by a traditional seder. Suggested donation is $50 for adults and $36 for children 12 and under. All are welcome; no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. For information and to RSVP, visit ChabadLehighValley.com/ Passover5785 or call 610-351-6511.
Congregation Am Haskalah
COMMUNITY PASSOVER
SEDER
SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 6:00 p.m.
The catered meal is kosher-style (kosher for Passover ingredients prepared in a non-kosher kitchen by Red Door Catering) at Muhlenberg College’s Seeger Union, 2400 Chew Street, Allentown. Members $45, nonmembers $55, and students and children under 18 $18. Scholarships and accommodations are available. Attendance is possible also via Zoom. RSVP to AmHaskalahDirector@gmail.com to pay by check, or AmHaskalah.SimpleTix.com to pay by credit card, or 610-435-3775.
Congregation Bnai Shalom
ANNUAL COMMUNITY PASSOVER SEDER
SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 6:00 p.m.
Led with joy and spirit by Rabbi Adrienne Rubin and Cantor Jill
Pakman. No one moans “When do we eat?” All food will be gourmet glatt kosher for Passover. Cost for members is $36 for adults, $18 for children 6-12, and free for children 5 and under; nonmembers $45 for adults, $20 for children 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. Doors open at 5:30. To make a reservation, call the synagogue office at 610-258-5343.
Congregation Brith Sholom
COMMUNITY PASSOVER SEDER
SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 7:00 p.m.
Join Rabbi Michael Singer and your Brith Sholom friends and extended family as they retell the story of the exodus from slavery to freedom. The seder will be catered by Sunshine Café and will feature one seder plate per table and various dishes. Vegetarian meals are available with advance request. $45 for member adults and nonmember relatives, $50 for nonmember
*Some synagogues may not be listed due to RSVP deadlines before printing of this issue.
adults, $20 for children, and free for children 5 and under. No one will be turned away for inability to pay. RSVP by March 28 to the Brith Sholom office at 610-866-8009; payment is due by April 4.
Congregation Keneseth Israel
12TH ANNUAL SUPER
SHABBAT SEDER
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 5:45 p.m.
Service led by Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg, and full seder dinner catered by chef Eric Rappaport. BYOB. Cost for members is $45 for adults and $30 for children 6 and over; nonmembers $54 for adults and $36 for children 6 and over. Children under 6 are free. RSVP to kilv.org. Registration with payment is required by April 11 (though registration will close sooner if seating capacity is reached). Be prepared to show member ID or photo ID to enter. Call the KI office at 610-4359074 with any questions.
The weather’s been iffy, but Pesach is clearly on the way
By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether
Until about a week ago, the weather certainly didn’t seem to be preparing for Passover. On the contrary, it was getting colder and colder. In normally sunny and warm Israel, out came the furry jackets, on went the warm boots.
Surely this couldn’t be our introduction to Pesach. The usual pleasant evening stroll was met with sharp winds. Where were the flower-filled fields and hills? Vanished. Impossible! In years gone by, Israel was a paradise for flower-loving natives and tourists from all over the world.
My guests and I were determined to find at least one flower this year, when, suddenly, we walked around a corner in the road, and there they were: a whole field of ka-
laniot (or poppies, as you may call them in the United States, and a symbol of the World War I). An hour later, in the Malachi Forest, carpets of rakefot. Was this a message to us not to despair? The flowers were not as plentiful as usual, but they were definitely there, smiling and waving to us: “We are here, fighting along with you, for this is our country and always will be. And if life is harder right now, well, together we will survive and win!”
May I invite you all someday to visit the Jerusalem Market, where whatever you need for Passover is on display in all its glory. Vegetables for the soup, salads and trimmings, meat and fish, wonderful cakes and fruits from around the world. The stall owners are in a good mood. This is their chance to show the vari-
ety and relevance of their wares, and they will be happy even to let you taste.
Let’s walk through Jerusalem, through the gates to the Old City, the big squares in front of the Western Wall, still divided into male and female to the obvious annoyance of many of the crowds and the satisfaction of others. The Old City is a mixture of old and new—along the cobbled streets, with their mixture of kiosks, suddenly the new shopping mall, a bit out of place but becoming more and more popular. For those who like to walk, Jerusalem is a jewel, definitely worth as many days as you can give it. Museums, galleries, shopping, history. Even if at times there’s difficultly, and frankly even danger, careful planning should make it possible to travel around much of Israel.
To all our friends in Lehigh Valley, may you have a happy and safe Passover, with the hope of seeing our hostages back where they belong—at home in Israel. Then we’ll celebrate the return of all our captives, and the beginning of a new era.
However we tell kids our Jewish story, tell it we must
By Ariel Solomon Jewish Day School Director of Hebrew and Judaics
Soon, we’ll gather with family and friends to celebrate Pesach. After cleaning the house and cooking delicious food, we’ll sit for the seder and participate in a Jewish tradition that has been practiced for thousands of years. This tradition has changed and adapted through the generations, and we even read about how it happened while reciting the Haggadah. The main idea remains “And you shall tell your child.” We are responsible for passing down the story of how we became a free people liberated from Egypt and began a journey to become a nation in the land of Israel.
Recently I attended an Israel education certificate program. During one of the sessions, I was challenged to take different events in Jewish or Israeli history and connect them to a story. The challenge was choosing one lens to focus on those different events. This was part of an exercise that taught us about different ways we can observe Jewish and Israeli history. Among the themes were inspiration, continuity in the land of Israel, self-determination, midot (values), war, and peace. When we examine the events
through different lenses, they have a new significance. We can teach any historical event through multiple perspectives and engage our students in a more meaningful way with their Jewish identity and story.
When addressing the story of becoming a people and a nation, we can examine the history of Passover in different ways. It can be told as a story of self-determination or as a story from which we learn Jewish values, or we can look at it as the foundation for our connection to the land of Israel. However we choose to tell the Passover story, we strive to reach the goal of educating the next generation and emphasizing
the importance of passing the traditions from one generation to the next.
Why is it so important for us to continue telling the Passover story year after year? Teaching the story of how we became a people is more important than ever. We are seeing a surge in misinformation that is spread on different platforms trying to change the facts and disconnect our heritage as Jewish people from our land. As Jewish educators, it should be part of our mission to equip our students with the knowledge and tools to tell their stories and celebrate their Jewish identity. When our students graduate they should be able to face complex situations and be able to address them while relying on the knowledge we passed on to them. We are proud to give them the opportunity to experience Jewish traditions in an engaging and meaningful way.
This year we will be exploring the Passover story in our Jewish Day School classes, from learning about Moshe, the ten plagues, and the exodus, to Passover art projects and fun activities. Our middle school students will visit their pen pals from the Better Together program at Country Meadows Retirement Community and have a Pesach celebration with music, games, and conversations. The student council will organize a ten plague scavenger hunt. Our early childhood students will attend the annual Passover fair and engage in various activities, including cleaning the chametz, making matzah from clay, sorting the seder plate items, and listening to the story of the Haggadah. Our older students will hold the annual model seder, where students will read the Haggadah and share
what they learned in classes, as well as perform some of the songs and reenact scenes from the Haggadah. We are planning to include an empty yellow chair for the hostages that are still in Gaza, as we continue to pray for their freedom and return home in hopes that this Pesach they’ll be able to celebrate together with their families and the rest of the Jewish world. Wishing you all a Pesach Sameach.
BANK. BORROW. INVEST
Passover through the lens of social service
By Debbie Zoller Jewish Family Service Executive Director
From being a slave in the land of Egypt to entering the Promised Land, Passover teaches us about leadership and finding freedom. As I look back at many years of sitting at the seder table, I think of the number four— four questions, four cups, and sometimes “four-ever.” That’s how long my childhood seder seemed to last. Being from a family with four kids, I often wondered which of my siblings embodied the character trait in each of the four questions. In retrospect, I now see that life is more complicated and individuals are complex, with multiple characteristics. At different times in our lives, we may embody any of those traits: wise, wicked, simple, and not knowing how to ask. The trick is to embrace where we are at that moment, and be reflective.
Who is wise?
When an individual recognizes that support is needed, this demonstrates wisdom. It is hard to ask for help and admit your vulnerability. While exposing yourself to a therapeutic process is taking a risk, it’s also an opportunity to be your best self. The wise individual opens the door to confronting and working through potential feelings of discomfort, which often leads to more wisdom.
Who is wicked?
The wicked view those who have challenges in their lives from the perspective that they either deserve their problems or have created their own issues. Individuals who have fragile mental health or physical health are frequently judged for being “crazy,” needy, or burdensome. Stretching ourselves to see each person for the special unique qualities they have can shift this narrative of judgment and disdain.
Who is simple?
The simple may accept whatever they hear regardless of who they heard it from. The simple may not be able to engage in a dialogue or place themselves in a new situation because it will be too overwhelming for them. The simple may be socially isolated and afraid to tell their story. When we hold space for people to share their stories and have different viewpoints, we can begin
to have conversations that stop dividing us and make us more connected.
Who does not know how to ask?
When you don’t know how to ask, you may feel overlooked and alone. Persons with physical and intellectual disabilities may need support from the community. Caring communities reach out to those who are unable to ask for help. A society that removes barriers to participation for those who don’t know how to ask for themselves ensures we will be stronger together.
As we celebrate Passover this year, I hope we can engage in meaningful conversations even when we see things in such different ways. Sitting around our seder tables with our families and friends, we may celebrate the concept of freedom yet forget that not everyone is so fortunate. We must challenge ourselves to remember that not everyone has a family to be with, enough food on their tables, and good physical and mental health to feel safe.
In 1883, the poet Emma Lazarus wrote, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.” We must continue to share the Passover story with children and always remember that kindness and compassion free us to make a difference in the world.
To learn more about ways that you can remember local Jewish organizations with a gift in your will, trust, retirement account or life insurance policy, contact Aaron Gorodzinsky at 610.821.5500 or aaron@jflv.org, or visit jewishlehighvalley.org/lifeandlegacy.
___. . .”
41. Some competitions for Diego Schwartzman
43. Ice Bucket Challenge cause, for short
44. Kind of snake
45. Movie about the Israelites by the Red Sea?
51. Letters that connect many Jews
52. I, in Israel
53. “. . . ___ drove out of sight”
55. Like many Jewish men in Crown Heights 59. Feverish states
61. Big name in biking
62. Movie about what the Israelites might have said as they left Egypt?
65. How many feel on Purim
66. Try to win
___ Ezra
74. Biblical witch locale or Ewok home
76. Movie about what happened on the 15th of Nisan?
82. Broke a commandment
83. Bellyache
84. Yitzchak’s dad, before his name was changed
85. Broke in the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo residents
86. Piece of Bacon?
87. Disney princess who lived in New Orleans
Down
1. Ballpark fig.
2. “Sheket!”
3. End of Shabbat?
4. Yellowstone animals
5. Repeated Hannah Senesh work?
6. Laser game
7. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Hank
8. Tolstoy heroine
9. Second version
10. “Problem” singer Grande
11. Abe (Vigoda) in “The Godfather”
12. Make like Larry David as Bernie Sanders
13. Where Elie Wiesel was born
14. King Solomon, e.g.
15. Bashert, e.g.
31. Coach of the 17-0 1972
Miami Dolphins
35. Like a lulav that forms a 90-degree angle
36. Where Arthur Miller’s works are performed
37. Words before breed or treat
42. Kate of “Kiss Me, Kate,” e.g.
44. Kramer’s preferred undergarments
46. Provides with funds
47. Harden:Var.
48. Hurler Hershiser
49. Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace
50. Lifting, in a sense
54. Robert of the CSA
55. Mount Hermon is Israel’s ___ point
56. Setting of “Driving Miss Daisy”
57. Autocracy known for pogroms
58. Second plague participant, at first
59. Big fans
60. Fishbein famous for food
63. Nag
64. Teva Pharmaceutical test subject
71. Giant and a prophet
73. Hebrew seer
75. Like a notable cow
77. Common brew, initially
Congregat
$ 4 5 M e m b e r s
$ 5 5 N o n - M e m b e r s
$ 1 8 S t u d e n t s a n d U n d e r 1 8
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r f o r P a s s o v e r i n g r e d i e n t s p r e p a r e d i n a n o n - K o s h e r k i t c h e n b y R e d D o o r C a t e r i n g .
“On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories,” edited by Chris Baron, Joshua S. Levy, and Naomi Milliner, Amulet Books, 2024, 281 pages.
By Sean Boyle Congregation Keneseth Israel
“On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories” is a middle-grade anthology that asks on the first page, “How is this anthology different from all other anthologies?” One difference is that it follows the traditional order of the 14 steps in the Passover seder, with each story connected in some way to a step.
There is no set format for the stories, with some set in the past and others in the present. There are realistic stories, fantasies, and memoirs. There’s even a story written in verse, and a graphic story. With 14 different authors, you’re guaranteed to have stories from different traditions and backgrounds.
Each story starts with a short description of the corresponding step in the seder, along with some background information. There are four questions on the page before a story starts, helping readers come up with examples from their own life experiences that relate to that step.
At the step Yachatz, Joshua S. Levy writes the time-
Happy Passover BOOK REVIEWS
14 stories for the 14 steps of Passover
travel story “Broken Pieces,” where Elisha blurts out “Who cares?” during the karpas (green leafy vegetables) step, startling his family. At the moment when his grandfather breaks the matzah in half, the family is frozen, and Elisha is taken through time by Elijah, who helps Elisha answer for him why a modern child should care about the seder.
In Ruth Behar’s story related to the korech (sandwich) step, she tells of her childhood growing up as a Cuban refugee in New York City, spending the first night seder with her Ashkenazi grandparents and the second night with her Sephardic grandparents. She provides loving details of the sameness of the seders, as well as many different ways the traditions were celebrated. She includes the words for the many Ladino versions of the songs used.
By Sandi Teplitz Special to Hakol
If that afikomen sandwich you ate at the seder is more than enough matzo for you, but you need something to hold that filling for lunch, here are two options that may help.
In addition to the stories, there are several kid-friendly recipes for easy-to-make dishes that were created specifically for the book by famous chefs like Eitan Bernath and Molly Yeh.
Each of the book’s three editors contributes a story of their own to go along with the stories of 11 other no-
table Jewish children’s book authors. All contributors have written popular Jewish children’s fiction, with most having won Jewish or secular children’s book awards or been otherwise officially honored for their work. The authors’ biographies are included at the end of the book. Highly recommended for ages 8-120, especially for anyone who wants to learn about the Passover seder or has cherished memories of the seder.
Sean Boyle is the librarian of the Jewish Day School and of Congregation Keneseth Israel and serves as president of the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Mash an avocado and add about 1/4 cup of kosher pareve Parmesan and one egg. Flatten the mixture, form a rectangle, and place it on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven until lightly browned.
In a bowl, place 1 1/2 cups of almond flour, 1 cup of kosher pareve Greek whole milk yogurt, 2 teaspoons of kosher pareve Passover baking powder, and a sprinkle of salt. Knead the mixture together, then form four bagels. Put the bagels on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, then brush with egg wash. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. (The bagels will have a cornbread-like texture.)
Both of these should be served immediately.
From the board and staff of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Robert Wax President Jeri Zimmerman Executive Director
sameach!
Happy Passover Chag
We’re here to help you gather with a full Kosher for Passover selection.
