APRIL 2019 | ADAR/NISAN 5779
LET KIDS ASK REAL QUESTIONS AT THE SEDER By Jordana Horn Kveller.com You may be totally stressed out about Passover. And it’s understandable – it’s stressful! Hosting a dinner for 30 people would be enough – dayenu, if you will – but working with an extended program, partially in Hebrew and/or Aramaic, that needs to be the right length, the perfect level of inspirational, plus engaging and interesting? It’s enough to send you over the edge of a pyramid. The Four Questions are a familiar cornerstone of the seder festival meal, in which the youngest present asks, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” Those questions aren’t the end-all be-all. They are meant as a jumping-off point for discussion about why we do the things we do at the seder – all of which is meant to trigger a sense of immediacy and personal relevance. We are
all supposed to ask ourselves what we are doing, and to feel as if we are the ones who were freed from slavery – to feel, in short, that this is our story. Anyone who has little kids, though, knows that they ask far more than four questions on a daily basis. Any time with kids is speckled with questions ranging from “Why can’t I have cookies for breakfast?” to “Does everybody die?” Kids ask questions that are just wonderful, whether they are naïve or shockingly insightful. As parents, we sometimes tune those questions out as white noise. I am inviting you here to consider them as a way to invigorate your seder. Ask your kids for questions they have about Passover. Then sprinkle them through the Haggadah and ask your guests or other guests of the seder you are attending to answer them. When you are done, label the questions with
your kid’s name and age and save them for future use – when they are adults. As a jumping off point, these are some of the questions my boys asked me when they were 4 and 5 years old. Please feel free to answer, or to add your own to the mix. 1. “Did the plagues only happen to the bad Egyptians, or to all the Egyptians, even the Egyptian kids? Because slavery wasn’t kids’ fault.” 2. “If people stay slaves then that means they have no choices … but if they didn’t run away, doesn’t that mean they chose to stay slaves?” 3. “Are the Four Sons real people?” 4. “Why are there funny songs about the plagues even though they were really bad?” 5. “When there is an earthquake in Haiti, is that a plague?” 6. “Why did God make bad people like Pharaoh at all?”
7. “Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart with the plagues, or did Pharaoh harden his own heart?” 8. “Did God know that Pharaoh’s heart was going to be hardened? Or did he think the plagues would soften Pharaoh’s heart and so God made a mistake?” 9. “When Moses got the Torah,
did that mean he turned into a rabbi?” 10. “Did Moses have to teach the Torah to other people, or did they know how to read?” 11. “If all who are hungry are supposed to come and eat, who is supposed to cook?” 12. “Why are there only four questions when I have so many more?”
The Lehigh Valley Jewish Clergy Group present the
21st Annual Community Passover Seders PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR TABLE THIS PASSOVER. ALL ARE WELCOME. OR CALL TO ARRANGE TO SHARE IN A SEDER IN SOMEONE’S HOME.
Call any of the synagogues listed below if you are interested in sharing in a Passover seder with congregants having seders in their homes: AM HASKALAH, Bethlehem 610-435-3775 Rabbi Malka Binah Klein BETH AVRAHAM, Palmer 610-905-2166 Rabbi Yitzchak Yagod BNAI ABRAHAM, Easton 610-258-5343
CHABAD OF LEHIGH VALLEY, Allentown 610-336-6603 Rabbi Yaakov Halperin
CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL, Allentown 610-435-9074 Rabbi Seth Phillips
CONGREGATION BRITH SHOLOM, Bethlehem 610-866-8009 Rabbi Michael Singer
CONGREGATION SONS OF ISRAEL, Allentown 610-433-6089
Congregation Keneseth Israel 8th Annual Super Shabbat Seder
FRIDAY, APRIL 19 | 5:45 PM Featuring Rabbi Seth and catering by Chef Eric with all the traditional favorites. Eat, drink, sing and learn together in community as we tell the age-old tale of our escape from Egypt. $25/members; $32/guests; kids 6-12: $18/members; $22/guests; under 6 - free. RSVP by Tuesday, April 9, with payment to KI,
2227 W. Chew Street, or online at kilv. org. Questions? Call the KI office at 610 435-9074.
Congregation Brith Sholom First night of Passover
FRIDAY, APRIL 19 | 7:00 PM Join Rabbi Michael Singer and your Brith Sholom friends and extended family as we retell the story of the exodus from slavery to freedom. Catering by Kate McVey/Kate Works Catering Service. Please send your reservation with payment to the office no later than April 10. Traditional dinner with a vegetarian meal available upon request, please notify the office in advance. Brith Sholom member adults $40 per person (this includes nonmember relatives); non-member adults $45 per person; children (ages 5-13) $18 per person; children under 5 free. Reservations accepted with payment in advance. Call 610-866-8009 to learn more.
2 APRIL 2019 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | HAPPY PASSOVER
TEMPLE BETH EL, Allentown 610-435-3521 Rabbi Moshe Re’em
TEMPLE ISRAEL OF LEHIGHTON, Lehighton 610-370-9591
TEMPLE COVENANT OF PEACE, Easton 610-253-2031 Rabbi Melody Davis
TEMPLE SHIRAT SHALOM, Allentown 610-706-4595 Cantor Ellen Sussman
Chabad
FRIDAY, APRIL 19 | 7:30 PM Relive the Exodus from Egypt and experience the true freedom of Pesach in an easyto-follow family seder. $35 adult / $20 child / $100 family. RSVP to 610-351-6511 or www.chabadlehighvalley.com.
Temple Covenant of Peace/ Bnai Abraham Synagogue Second Night Community Seder SATURDAY, APRIL 20 | 6:00 PM (DOORS OPEN 5:30 PM) at Temple Covenant of Peace Led with joy and ru’ach (spirit!) by Rabbi Melody Davis and Cantor Jill Pakman and Cantor Bob Wiener, including songs and interactive fun. No one moans, “When do we eat!” All food will be gourmet kosher for Passover. If you have a favorite kosher for Passover wine, please bring it; otherwise we’re serving “Bubbie’s favorite.” $27 per adult, $10 per child. RSVP by April 12 to 610-253-2031 or drop off your check
payable to Temple Covenant of Peace. Due to high demand, we cannot accept reservations after the stated deadline. There are limited seats available, and they will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. (We will keep a cancellation list, however there are no guarantees that one will be seated once the deadline has passed.) This program has been generously supported by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, the Easton Leadership Council and the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund.
Congregation Am Haskalah
SATURDAY, APRIL 20 | 6:30 PM at Muhlenberg College, Seegers Union A community seder focused around the themes of freedom and social justice. Led by Rabbi Malkah Binah Klein. Meal is kosher for Passover, but prepared in a nonkosher kitchen. $25/person, $18/students and children. Scholarships available. RSVP by April 10 to amhaskalahdirector@gmail. com or 610-435-3775.
Don’t eat off the seder plate, and other tips for non-Jews attending their first seder By Andrew Silow-Carroll Jewish Telegraphic Agency
special occasion. I meant special occasions where there aren’t 18 guests required to drink four cups of wine. What am I, a Rothschild? Another highlight of the seder is the singing of “Dayenu,” a Hebrew word meaning, roughly, “We would have been satisfied” — leading many scholars to suspect it couldn’t have been written by a Jew. After plowing through the Haggadah and eating various combinations of symbolic foods, it is now time for the festive meal. Congratulations! You made it! You’re almost there! (Unless, of course, you are at an observant home, where the reading of the Haggadah will pick up again right after dessert. No, I’m not kidding.) The festive meal will often begin with a serving of something called “gefilte fish.” This is sometimes referred to as “carp pâté,” but only by people who have never seen or tasted pâté. When “tasting” your first piece, remember to nod and smile and keep a full glass of water or other liquid nearby. In addition to gefilte fish, you can expect to encounter other unfamiliar foods at the table: charoset, cholent, chamin, keshk, machmar, gribenes, holishkes, bimuelos, kneidlach, mandelbrot, teiglach and halek. Most of these taste a lot better than they sound. Except gefilte fish. Gefilte fish
WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN - GETTY IMAGES
Every year at Passover, many Jews enjoy inviting non-Jewish guests to the seder. Such invitations are extended in a spirit of interfaith cooperation and the conviction that at least one person at the table should actually enjoy himself. For non-Jews who might be intimidated by attending their first seder, we offer the following tips on seder customs: Try to get a seat at the main table and not at the card table surrounded by folding chairs. This is known as the “Children’s Table,” or if the children are all grown, the “Cynical Cousins’ Table.” The heart of the seder is the communal reading of the Haggadah, which tells the story of the Jews’ liberation from Egypt in the same way that your hairdresser tells you about her weekend at Cabo: She’ll eventually get to the point, but not without a few digressions. You may be asked to read a passage from the Haggadah. Do not feel intimidated; there is no way you’ll do this any worse than the people sitting at the Cynical Cousins’ Table. You’ll notice that the centerpiece of the seder table is a plate containing the following foods: a charred piece of meat, a blackened hard-boiled egg, a wilted
lettuce leaf and a glob of what looks like industrial spackle. Do not eat any of these delicacies, no matter how tempting they appear. One of the evening’s highlights is the singing of “The Four Questions.” In this ancient recitation, the youngest guest inquires about the unusual customs performed only during the seder: for example, eating matzah, dipping our food and reclining on pillows. You’ll notice that no one ever answers the questions. Welcome to my childhood. About that matzah: To commemorate the haste in which they left Egypt, Jews only eat crackers made from wheat that in its journey from field to supermarket has not been allowed to rise or acquire any discernible flavor. When “tasting” your first piece, remember to nod and smile and keep a full glass of water or other liquid nearby. Do NOT compare matzah to a communion wafer, unless you actually enjoy long awkward silences. During the seder, guests are each required to drink four cups of wine. This sounds like more fun than it is: The cups are parceled out over about eight hours and typically contain kosher wine. Yes, there are good kosher wines. But at $40 a bottle, they are kept for special occasions. You are right, Passover is a
Jars of gefilte fish seen at McCaffrey's Passover Store in Yardley, Pennsylvania. tastes exactly the way it sounds. After dessert, the children will either hide or find a piece of matzah known as the “afikomen” and then engage in an aggressive bargaining session with their parents over its return. One pink-faced uncle may joke, “No wonder we’re so good at business!” DO NOT LAUGH AT THIS JOKE. As the seder moves toward its conclusion, someone will open the front door and invite the prophet Elijah to join the seder. Considering Elijah has been dead for 3,000 years and there are millions of Jewish households making the same request, you might find yourself thinking this is implausible. And I might find myself thinking, “Really? More
implausible than Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, wiseguy? Do you think you’re better than us?” Of course, I will have had at least three cups of wine at this point. At this late point, many Jewish families like to joyously sing a song called “Chad Gadya,” which is about a dead goat, a beaten dog, an injured cat, a slaughtered ox and a visit by the Angel of Death. It is a children’s song. One pink-faced uncle may joke, “No wonder we’re so screwed up!” DO NOT LAUGH AT THIS JOKE. The seder now concludes with everyone saying “Next year in Jerusalem!” to which your hostess may respond, “Next year at somebody else’s house!” You may now get up from the table.
610-882-8800 | www.embassybank.com
HAPPY PASSOVER
HAPPY PASSOVER | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | APRIL 2019 3
A GUIDE TO THE MIMOUNA CELEBRATIONS By Rotem Bar Community Shlicha Did you ever hear the saying “tirvechoo vetisa’do” meaning, “feel comfortable and eat well”? No? That means you haven’t been to a Mimouna. “Feel comfortable and eat well” is a well-known blessing and greeting said during the Mimouna celebration. Mimouna is a North African Jewish tradition celebrating the end of Passover and the return of eating chametz by throwing a colorful feast with traditional clothing, music and delicious treats on the night of the last day of Passover. Years ago, when a lot of Jewish families were still living in Morocco, it was custom that on the last day of Passover, their Muslim neighbors would bring gifts of flour, butter and honey, all ingredients that are used for the preparation of Mimouna – post-Passover chametz treats. Brought to Israel by North African Jews, Mimouna today is celebrated by many Israeli Jews from all backgrounds. It quickly became celebrated not only in private homes but also in the public sphere. In the last few years, the
Mimouna celebrations in Israel have gained some political nature when important politicians and elected officials participate in the Mimouna events throughout the country. So what does it really look like? Private homes that host Mimouna are usually not so private, as it is custom that friends, family and neighbors invite their friends, who invite their friends, who invite their friends. I myself have been a guest at different Mimounas throughout the years where I didn’t even know whose house I was at. Mimouna is characterized by colors of red and gold. The tables are usually filled with decorations and color. Traditional cookies made out of tahini or sesame, with almonds and dates, are served alongside tea with mint leaves. On the tables are also candy, dried fruits and nuts. The food that is the most identified with Mimouna celebrations is called mufleta. It’s basically flour and oil that looks like a fried crepe. On the mufleta, you can choose to put different spreads such as honey and butter. It’s
absolutely delicious! Mimounas are big and loud. The music played is in Arabic or Moroccan, and sometimes people play the darbuka, or goblet drum, or bring a belly dancer! The traditional clothes are usually galabia, or loose-fitting robes, which are very colorful, gold and sparkly! In Moshav Kefar Hess (where I am from in Israel), we created our own community’s Mimouna tradition. For the last few years, every year a different street or neighborhood oversees hosting the Moshav’s Mimouna together on their street. It’s pretty cool! Last year, my neighborhood was hosting the Mimouna. The whole street was closed for cars, and all the neighbors came together to prepare the food and decorations. There was a DJ, henna tattoos, and belly dancer, and it turned into a huge party that went late into the night. Sounds fun? Try making Mimouna treats like recipes included here on the night Passover ends, and, most importantly, don’t forget to “feel comfortable, and eat well.”
Rotem Bar and her friend wear galabia and hold mufleta that they made together.
MIMOUNA CELEBRATION 2019
MIMOUNA CELEBRATION 2019
SESAME COOKIES
TAHINI COOKIES
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
Directions
• 1 pound sesame seeds
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• 1 cup tahini
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• 2 cups flour
2. Mix in one bowl all ingredients until we get a unified mixture.
• 2/3 cup sugar
2. Mix all the ingredients in a mixer.
• 1 1/2 cups sugar • 1 cup oil • 4 eggs • 1/2 bag baking powder
3. Put on the side for 20 min. 4. Create little balls and put in the baking pan. 5. Bake for 20 min until it’s golden.
• 7 oz butter • 3 cups flour • 1 tbsp sugar powder • 20 almonds
Don’t worry, the cookies will become flatter!
PREPARATION: 10MIN BAKING TIME: 20MIN
4 APRIL 2019 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | HAPPY PASSOVER
3. Take little pieces and roll them into a ball. It’s ok if it feels not like a regular dough, smush it and make it a ball. 4. Put all dough balls in a big pan and put one almond in the middle of each. 5. Put inside the oven to 10-25 min.
PREPARATION: 10MIN BAKING TIME: 15-20MIN
The cookies will not rise or look different. Don’t worry!
How we celebrate Mimouna in Yoav By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether The Mimouna is a North African Jewish celebration which is held the day after Pesach, marking the return to eating chametz (leavened bread, etc.), which is forbidden throughout the week of Pesach. Though the practice began to be recorded only in the mid-18th century, its actual derivation is ancient. There are several explanations for the source of the name “Mimouna.” One is “ma’amin,” the Arab word for good fortune. Another is Maimon, father of Maimonides. Still another is “emunah,” the Hebrew word for faith and the belief that the Jewish people will be redeemed during the Hebrew month of Nissan. Mimouna celebrates the belief in both the past redemption from the Egyptians and the future Messianic redemption. For the last four years, and this year also, Partnership2Gether has sponsored the Yoav community-wide Mimouna celebration. This will be the fifth year that we celebrate the Mimouna in Moshav Segula. The idea was to make the Mimouna a municipal holiday for all Yoav inhabitants and communities. (For a few years, Shavuot was the holiday celebrated together by the whole community, but then at the
request of the inhabitants, it returned to being the individual community's celebration). The choice of Segula as the location for the Mimouna was for two reasons. First, Segula is very central to the whole municipality, and, secondly, it is the focal point for three Yoav communities having populations that traditionally celebrate the Mimouna holiday. The first year, the celebration was held in the clubhouse because of bad weather conditions, and it was a huge success, with members in particular from Nahala, Vardon and Segula. Since then, the Mimouna has become firmly established, and every year brings with it newideas of presentation. The Mimouna has become the festival of all ethnic groups and Israelis in general. The residents of Yoav are no exception, and love to come to Segula to celebrate the end of Passover and to eat mufleta (a treat similar to a pancake)! In Morocco on the afternoon of the last day of Pesach, Muslim neighbors bring to the houses of their Jewish neighbors gifts of flour, honey, milk and butter and green beans, to be used to prepare postPassover dishes. The celebration begins after midnight on the last day of Passover, when Moroccan and Algerian Jews
throw open their houses to visitors, after first setting out a lavish spread of traditional holiday sweetmeats. One of the favorite foods is mufleta, as already mentioned, which is the symbol of the holiday, made of layers of thin, oiled dough cooked quickly on a skillet and eaten with butter and honey. All of this promises joy and fertility, happiness, success and wealth (and the conclusive end of your diet). So, if you feel you can't resist the charms of the Mimouna, we look forward to seeing you here with us, and we promise you won't be disappointed!
HAPPY PASSOVER | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | APRIL 2019 5
These 5 works by Israeli artists will make you rethink the seder plate By Josefin Dolsten Jewish Telegraphic Agency The Torah commands Jews to share the story of their exodus from Egypt every year at Passover. Though the narrative
doesn’t change, that doesn’t mean the Passover table has to look the same each year. These innovative designs, made by former students at Israel’s Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, put unique twists on
Avi Pashnov, 2017.
the traditional seder plate, on which six symbolic foods — a green vegetable, a sweet fruit paste, two types of bitter herb, a shank bone and an egg — are placed to facilitate the telling of the Passover story. Yoav BenDavid, 1974.
A pyramid-inspired seder plate The artist was inspired by Egypt’s pyramids in both designing the plate and the Elijah’s cup, which are attached to each other. The triangular dishes also form a Star of David. Efrat Amir, 2005.
An all-in-one seder plate and Elijah’s cup This piece combines the traditional seder plate with another Passover symbol: Elijah’s cup. At the end of the seder, families open the door to their home in a symbolic gesture to welcome the prophet, and a cup of wine is kept filled should he choose to drop by. Sari Srulovitch, 1996.
BEZALEL ACADEMY OF ARTS AND DESIGN
A blooming Passover plate The plate’s flower shape and patterns commemorate the fact that Passover is also referred to in Hebrew as “the holiday of the spring.” Amir also chose the flower shape to symbolize prosperity. Uri Reshef, 1983.
Above, A plate inspired by Jerusalem Srulovitch drew inspiration from the materials and shapes that make up Jerusalem. The plate is made of stones and iron common in the city and each of the six small plates forms an octagonal star, an Islamic motif that occurs often in the city’s architecture. Left, A deconstructed seder plate Reshef has designed a separate container, made of lasercut metal strips, for each item. In effect, it turns the entire table into a seder plate.
ISRAELI PASSOVER CHICKEN BY SANDI TEPLITZ In Israel, I purchased the very popular Silan date honey. Vicki Wax supplied me with a delicious recipe, which I am now modifying so that you can make it for your seder. INGREDIENTS: 3 pounds chicken pieces 1/4 c. KP olive oil 2 T. red sweet paprika pepper and salt to taste 2 T. KP ketchup 4 crushed garlic cloves turmeric 1 t. KP hot sauce 4 medjool dates crushed, added to 1/3 c. honey 2 T. KP dry white wine 1 pound assorted exotic mushrooms 4 potatoes, preferably red, skin on, sliced vertically TECHNIQUE: Mix everything together except the vegetables and chicken. In a large oblong Pyrex pan, place the chicken – cover with the mixture, and marinate overnight. The next day, grease a large baking tray with oil. Place potatoes and mushrooms in the tray and sprinkle with more oil. Top with the marinated chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about 75 minutes, until thoroughly cooked. Serve with Brussels sprouts or carrots, and a matzah casserole.
6 APRIL 2019 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | HAPPY PASSOVER
2 for Seder:
Combatting hate with love and matzah
When’s the last time you invited a non-Jew to your Passover seder? There’s a new initiative suggesting that, maybe, this year you should. 2 for Seder is a program that was started by Marnie Fienberg, daughter-in-law of Joyce Fienberg, z”l, one of the 11 victims murdered at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018. Marnie, along with co-founder Lauren Kline, runs an emerging non-profit called Pittsburgh Idea Evolutions (PIE), based on the idea that every American and Canadian Jew can and should be involved in pushing back against anti-Semitism. The premise of 2 for Seder is simple: if you are holding or attending a seder, invite two friends or acquaintances who have never attended a seder to join and participate. “For me, seder is the heart of who we are as Jews,” Marnie said. “Opening your seder to newcomers directly addresses biased attitudes and general ignorance – the seed of all antiSemitism.” Because, as the ADL reports, hate crimes are on the rise, and according to the FBI, more than half of religion-based hate crimes are directed against Jews and Jewish institutions, the founders of 2 for Seder asked themselves, “How can we help?” They invite you to par-
ticipate in this initiative as a way to take an immediate step toward starting a dialogue and creating a ripple effect to enrich the shared experience of all Americans and Canadians. You can sign up at www.2forseder. org and download your 2 for Seder kit, which includes a special introduction for all your guests, questions to weave into your existing Haggadah tradition, background information on the history of anti-Semitism in America and Canada, and recipes. If you’re wondering who to invite, they suggest that you can look to your friends, neighbors, co-workers or classmates of your children and their families. They can be any religion or no religion; it’s all about building bridges and creating understanding about Jewish values. You can just do what you normally do and eat what you normally eat. (But as you would for any gathering, ask your guests if they have allergies and/or dietary restrictions and tailor your menu if required.) Marnie said that for the past 12 years, she hosted seders with Joyce, and that 2 for Seder is being held in honor of her memory. “If you can participate,” she said, “know that you are connected to Pittsburgh through bonds of love and matzah. Raise a glass to all our fallen and never forget.”
Get involved with JFS this Passover Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley Passover is a time to gather with loved ones and remember the story of the Jewish people. Jewish Family Service makes sure that the most vulnerable in our community are not forgotten at this special time, or at any other time of the year. If you’re looking to celebrate Passover by doing an extra mitzvah, there are several ways you can give back by supporting the work of JFS: • Donate kosher-for-Passover foods—not just seder foods like charoset (though that is welcome), but also other favorites like macaroons. Donations can be taken to JFS or dropped off in the red boxes at the JCC. • Volunteer at a seder in an older adult residence—speaking Hebrew not required! Call Chelsea Karp at 610-821-8722 x107 or e-mail her at ckarp@jfslv.org to learn more.
• Create a card to wish someone a chag sameach. Any cards, whether handmade or bought from the store with a handwritten note, will accompany the over 100 boxes of matzah personally delivered by JFS to older adults across the Lehigh Valley this Passover. A card is a simple yet meaningful way to brighten someone’s holiday, and receiving one makes older adults feel connected to the community at large. Cards can also be dropped off at JFS or the JCC. • And as always, you can make a monetary donation to further the work of JFS. Your gift will ensure that all of these things and more happen, so that individuals who might rarely see a friendly Jewish face do not feel isolated and abandoned during this special time of year. Small gestures can make a big difference this Passover!
Happy Passover
610-628-2355 | valleyinjury.com
HAPPY PASSOVER | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | APRIL 2019 7
WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A
HAPPY PASSOVER STOP BY A GIANT NEAR YOU AND LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN!