Passover - 5783 2023
Dear TBE Family and Friends,
Though the recent reprise of wintry weather suggests otherwise, Pesach, our celebration of the hope that accompanies spring’s arrival, is right around the corner, and there is much to look forward to – as well as much to be done – in anticipation. To that end, might I suggest that as you’re digesting this information, you pull up a chair and set to finishing off some of those baked goods that needs to be consumed before the holiday arrives on the evening of Wed, April 5.
First, if you will be hosting a seder of your own or if you simply want a study text to guide you in your independent preparations, know that TBE will again be offering for sale copies of the A Night to Remember Haggadah, which has been so well received in past years. The haggadot will be available at the discounted price of $18.00 per copy. If you anticipate needing more than about five copies of the book, please inform Adeena immediately so we can bump up our order to accommodate your purchase.
As another avenue to prepare for the holiday, Rabbis Safman and Brody will be offering classes on Passover themes, as follows:
- · On Monday, April 3 at 7:30pm Rabbi Safman will be leading a study session entitled “In What Sense Dayeinu? Weighing the Costs and Benefits of ‘Liberation’ in Light of the Haggadah Text”.
- · You’ll also want to join Rabbi Brody for Coffee on Sunday on March 26 at 9:30am. It’s going to be a great conversation with practical suggestions for making your seder experience more participatory and inclusive, especially for younger attendees.
The Rabbinical Assembly has shared a Pesach guide with us as well, which be viewed HERE.
And speaking of practicalities, the Sages give us until the evening of April 4 to rid our homes and businesses of all residue of chametz but given the stringencies of this commandment, they also set up legal “safety nets” to provide for leavened grain products that, for whatever reason, remain on our premises beyond this time. If you would like to appoint Rabbi Safman as your agent to sell your chametz to an individual not obligated in the commandments for the duration of Passover, we ask that you fill out the form HERE. Be sure to get the form to the TBE office before Mon, April 3 to ensure that it is correctly registered.
In addition, in observance of the mitzvah of ma’ot chitim, the setting aside of charity to attend to the food needs of the poor at Pesach, I will be matching every donation made to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund in conjunction with the sale of chametz with a contribution to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, who have been experiencing a dramatic uptake in the demand for their services as the SNAP Emergency Allotment that was made in response to COVID expires, leaving many marginal households without the food they need to get through the month (more information on this crisis and its local manifestations can be found at the MAZON website or via Feeding NYS).
And as a final preparatory step, the traditional study session to exempt those who are the firstborn in their families from the obligation to fast on the day of the seder will be observed this year in conjunction with Temple Israel in Scranton. The siyyum will take place in conjunction with the morning minyan on Wed, April 5 beginning at 7:30 a.m. using the link found HERE or on TBE's calendar page.
During Pesach itself, TBE will, of course, be offering a full sequence of festival morning services, according to the following schedule:
Thurs, April 6 – 10 a.m.
Fri, April 7 – 10 a.m., also Erev Shabbat service at 6 p.m.
Sat, April 8 – 10 a.m. (Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed Pesach)
Wed, April 12 – 10 a.m. (7th day)
Thurs, April 13 – 10 a.m., final day festival service with Yizkor recited at approximately 11:30a.m.
Note that the service on Saturday, April 8 (Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed Pesach) will be followed by a Pesadic dairy lunch. Donations to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund are always not required, but always appreciated. Please contact Rabbi Safman if you are able to help with food preparation, serving or clean-up.
We hope that all TBE members and their families experience the Passover holiday as a time of joy and liberation – chag kasher v’same’ach,
Rabbi Rachel Safman