February /March 2006 –Shvat /Adar 5766
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Pesach
Preparation for Pesach doesn't have to be overwhelming! Here's a site that gives you ten clear steps to help you prepare for the holiday: http://judaism.about.com/library/3_holidays/passover/bl_passover_10steps.htm In order to get a better understanding of foods that are kosher for Pesach or how you can kasher utensils, you can access the Rabbinical Assembly’s 2005 Guide to Pesach at: http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/docs/Pesah%20Guide%202005.doc The website of the Department of Jewish Education at the Jewish Agency for Israel has excellent sources and activities for Pesach, including sample Haggadot. The website is in English French, German, Hebrew, Spanish and Russian. http://www.jafi.org.il/education/festivls/pesach/ Counting of the Omer According to Leviticus 23:15, we are obligated to count the days from Pesach to Shavuot. This period is called the Counting of the Omer. From the second night of Pesach to the night before Shavuot (seven weeks, or forty-nine days) we recite the blessing and state the count of the omer in both weeks and days. The counting reminds us of the link between Pesach, which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. Our redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah. For those hi-tech people among us, check out http://www.penticon.com/omer.html for a program called "The Omer Application" to add to your palm pilot. It displays the complete text of the Omer, and automatically shows the correct information for each day of the Omer based on the current date of your Palm organizer. You can even set an alarm to remind you to count the Omer. Megillat Hashoah “Such questions ‘Why, God, why? Why us? Why them? Why now? Why in that way?’ are left suspended in midair, hovering over all human deeds, and there is no response… …Do not mourn too much, but do not sink into the - from Chapter Six of Megillat Hashoah Megillat Hashoah - The Shoah Scroll, a unique liturgical text written in six chapters to commemorate the Holocaust will be read this year on Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes Day (April 25th) at synagogues and public gatherings throughout the world. Published by the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies and the Rabbinical Assembly, Megillat Hashoah was co-edited by Prof. David Golinkin, President of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. In 2005, the text (which has been published in book form in Hebrew-English, All Hebrew and Hebrew-French) was read in more than 100 synagogues worldwide as part of Yom Hashoah events, just as the scroll of Eichah (Lamentations) is read on Tisha B’av and the Scroll of Esther on Purim. NEW: This year, Hebrew-Spanish and Hebrew-Russian editions have been published and will be read in scores of synagogues and community centers throughout South America and in Russian-speaking Kehillot in Israel and Ukraine. In England, Rabbi David Meyer of the Brighton & Hove Reform Synagogue in East Sussex, England, commissioned a sofer stam to create a scroll from the text. Nine scrolls have already been ordered by congregations in the UK, France, the U.S. and Canada. Megillat Hashoah in Hebrew-English can be purchased through the United Synagogue Book Service at: http://booksvc.uscj.org/booksvc/ Israeli Elections 2006 The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs gives an excellent background to the election process and presents a clear list of all the parties and candidates. See: It’s worthwhile to visit the Knesset web site as well to get a better understanding of how the government works: http://www.knesset.gov.il/main/eng/home.asp |
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