April 2009, Nissan 5769 | 2d [vn EDITION DQ 2 Pp ° 3 } | S 3 e ~ & = os Si vo mm 7c a Bs N ov a gMESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR [Around Midnight: T was asked by Bob Michels to again prepare our Spring Shul Newsletter. He didn't specify an exact date for completion but, [believe he expected that it would be done around Pesach, which brings to mind this story ofthe tenth and final plague Sure cseara After months of HASHEM showing the Mitzrim that He alone controls every aspect of| eee ereation, Moshe is instructed to warn Pharaoh that if at this point he doesn't let the Jewish | people go, then exactly atthe stroke of midnight, every frst born in Mitzraim will de. ANSHE SFARD-KEHILLAT TORAH Yet, when Moshe appeared in font of Pharaoh, he changed the message and said, “If erecaiaratmeceetead Pharzoh does’ fie the Jews, then aporeximately al midnight every first bom wil die” Rashi explains, that Moshe was afaid that ithe gave an exact timo, the Mitzrim would be Serine aniaes watching the clock, they might misealculate and rather than assuming that they were wrong, they would attribute the enor to Moshe, and assume that he was a liar: To remove this potential pitfall, Moshe changed what HASHEM seid, and told Pharaoh that around sninight- the first bom wil begin dying, ‘Vice President—Steve Cohen Wel, its now around midnight 2 days erev Pesach and the fet that you ate reading this ‘eecretue sea lt estes to my accomplishment ofthis task ‘ies Presdent—Alan Rosenthal ‘ies Presdeot—San Wyn President—Robert Michels Doing the job: Secretey—foma Pa As part of « new job team building provess, I recently completed a personality survey - i (results still pending, Dut [ think I do have’ one). One of the questions on this survey eeaaaae—nena ages seemed particularly focused on this time of year concerning Pesach: Asisant Trearurer—Don Cohen sdscousiea-1u pedbusici dene doves Immediate Pat President Ed Rorenthal Stat early, soa to finish with time to spare, or depend on the extra speed you develop at the last minute? With respect to Pesach, I suspect we ean all ansiver “Yes” to. both statements, Despite your personal answer on this question — ther sno doubt that we have a jab to do SOARD EES at Pesach. Yes, at this season, we have to get our homes chumutzftee - we need to review the halacha of Pesach end Tamiiarize ourselves with the Haggadah so we ean participate Lscoleres nes fly in the sedar Jerome Cornfield Richaed Masons allen Davidson, Chanso Ponnee Yes, there is a Tot to do bat it does ot stop with our holiday preparations. It goes on continually with our involvement in our community and cur People. Pesach is a time J Riv Gemhowirs Yale Totwin when, perhaps we most closly focus on this aspect of actus Teun Lang Penny Wynn Jone thing about preparing this litle newsletter, is that in doing so, Lam compelled tof] Lawralan Not Lorraine Coben oeus more closely on ell the various activities of our membership. It becomes very clear Hearset Pack Robert Fisher that We ate so dependent cn the effvts of vitally every member and that without these collective individual efforts our Shul would not be the center of our eommuaity that iis Pee aoe Pip Redick Further, se the thoughtful donations that are mada in honor, memory orn celebration of aa our various life events which exemplify the care and eoncem we have for each other] C8 Gelenbers While, if asked, we would all certainly say, “Of course I care about my fellow Jewr and Phi sit Rebeca Michel community”. But how-ften do wo take that moment to actualy make telealy known. 1] jot Eekdarde Matsa Pachon mast admit, sadly, that my name is offen missing from the lst of well wishers that are in inna ois itinen noted in the following pages — and it really doesn’t take a lotto make the point — A ae ae lonation of $5 or $10 both helps our Shul and ean make that slatsrent— “I eae”, Our thanks to all who have mede such donations or rscogition and | challenge all of us to ff Gindy Ratz Jin Barc make a continnd efot to get on this isa est once before Rosh Hashana But most of al, 1 think we ean all ake pride in how cur commmity respond to the PAST PRESIDENTS collective needs, be it tidal, tefl, caning, ox just bor to gta pareuar job done. 1 think we can sa) we ae proud fo be w meribcr ofthis congregation because we bol cae Mice Katt ad are care for. Robert Mics Let us all stv to coninse cur work toward brighter tomorow, a songer community |] Seven Cohen 1a Roxen and more vibrant tomorow consisting of ou love and eu rghtzous dee Baa Mesa At Passover let us remember that there ia not only partentip between ws an G-d, tut |] Brace Gar Donald Shoe iso been us and our fellow Jew. With our aiiyto dream and work together toward |] Suey arpan aes that dream of a better tomorrow we ean all be more free. nae Le = Many ani Jerald Wicentowsh May we all enjoy a very kosher L’Pesach this year, and only have simcha in the years ahead with our friends, family and community.FROM the PULPIT A MESSAGE FROM RABBI NACHMAN LEVINE, Pesach is the festival of Jewish identity. It marked the point of transition for Yaakov’s off spring. They began as a fan nto a clan, then expanded amid the Egyptian period of slavery into a nation, It then further evolved through the Exodus and giving of the Torah into the chosen people, chosen to live by the most exacting moral standards, to be G-d-like in their concern for strug gling humanity, and to bring ethical civilization to the ancient and indeed the modern world. Pesach is the festival, which above all, speaks of love, inclusiveness, peace, and respect for all peoples. The Jew cannot feel secure or content as long as there are other oppressed and poverty stricken people in the world. The Torah tells us that while we were enslaved in Egypt there was an Eriev Ray, a vast mixed multitude of ethnic groups and enslaved people deprived of their rights. When the moment that B’nai Israel was liberated we are told that our ancestors insisted on also free- ing and escorting out of Egypt the other nations that were also oppressed. ‘That is what Judaism is all about, practical and charitable concem for all mankind, In addition to tolerance and concem for other peoples Pesach also addressed the quality of the relationship that is expected in one’s own household. ‘The troubles of our people in Egypt first began with the brother's jealousy of Josef, and their sale of him info slavery. ‘The battles within one family had tragic repercussion on a national scale that they could never have imagined, How could such destructive behavior ever be redeemed and removed from the record? The Janswer is only by a powerful corresponding demonstration of love and tolerance towards people who /were alien to B’nai Israel in their behavior and temperament could they be redeemed. The slavery was caused by internal hatred and came to an end by showing external concern towards the Eriev Ray. The slavery began with people treating their brothers as strangers, and ended with them treat ing strangers as brothers. In this spirit the Haggaddah insists that all these diverse members of a family, all the parties, to any potential conflict, must be brought to sit around the same seder table, ‘The wise and commit- ted son next to the wicked defiant one, and the simple son who does not clearly comprehend the pur- pose and value of faith next to the doubly simple son doesn’t even what to know about it, and whos. {otal indifference prevents him from asking a single question. Pesach tells us that there is a place in the Jewish home, in the Jewish family, and in the Jew- ish heart, for all our sons. It does not matter how interested or disinterested they may be or how learned or ignorant they may be. Pesach calls upon all to feel themselves as indispensable parts of {the Jewish community whatever their knowledge, whatever their level of observance to extend. {tiendship and concem to all of Klal Yisroel. In this way we will merit unity, Ahavas Yistoel thereby bring the Gehulah Shelaima, the final redemption. Hag Kasher V’Samayach, RABBI NACHMAN LEVINE