Celebration!13 – 22 Nissan, 5770 / March 28 – April 6, 2010 How to the soulful meaning, how to seder, history, customs, blessings, schedules and how to celebrate. physically free, but mentally enslaved – not being able to see or consider beyond himself and his present Celebration! Pesach 5770 / 2010 Some needs. Right at the outset of G-d’s message of freedom, 3 ’S MESSAGE He conveyed to the Jewish People that not only will Celebrate Your Freedom they be relieved of their back-breaking slave labor, 3 Join our Seder suffering and torture, but He immediately announced that He will grant them “a land flowing with milk and 4 FREEDOM, FAITH, AND PassoverThoughts honey” – a state of mind completely unimaginable NATIONHOOD to them at the time. 5 tHE SEDER Dear Virgin Islands Jewry, • • • The practical how, what and the Freedom is the most valued aspect of the human race. For the Rebbe, Menachem M. Schneerson, meaning of items on the seder plate , the antithesis of freedom, on the other hand, OBM – whose birthday is on the 11th day of the 7 pASSOVER CHECKLIST is the most abhorring idea of a free-thinking society. month of Nissan, four days before the of But what’s wrong with slavery? Is it just because Passover – the idea of absolute personal freedom 8 souLFUL SEDER you are forced to do things against your will? Is it was one of the hallmarks of his leadership and Join us as we perform the Seder; as because you are subject to torture, or is it because you inspiration to his followers. In his personal conduct, our bodies and souls experience and are robbed of your inalienable rights? in his teachings, and his modus operandi, the Rebbe celebrate liberation and freedom today transcended all limitations. He encouraged others to And what’s so great about freedom? Is it because 13 Personal freedom you are free to do as you wish? Or is it because you are broaden their horizons and to tap into the very core able to determine your own destiny? of their being to activate hidden reservoirs of energy. 18 A Drunkard’s Seder All of these and more are true. Yet, there is another He encouraged all to go beyond themselves, beyond 21 Multi-Generational Four Sons aspect of the meaning of slavery and freedom which their current mindset, to grow and expand in the 22 Counting of the is often overlooked. service of G-d as well as in all their personal affairs. Schedule Slavery is not just a physical condition. Rather, and Myself, and all of us in the Jewish community, owe what’s worse, it is a mental condition. As the saying the Rebbe a debt of gratitude for sharing with us this 23 FROM OUR MAILBOX sense of freedom. It is particularly during the goes: You can take a slave out of slavery, but it’s a lot 24 storY: A MATZAH AND A DREAM harder to take slavery out of the slave. of Freedom – Passover – that the Rebbe’s spirit of Just as began relating G-d’s message to the freedom is so pertinent, to inspire us for the days fof 26 pHOTO GALLERY Jewish people regarding , he said, “Aaleh Passover and beyond. 30 pASSOVER SCHEDULES AND eschem me’onee mitzrayim – I shall uplift you from • • • BLESSINGS In the we read, “In each and every the affliction of Egypt”(Exodus 3:17). The word onee 31 sALE OF CHOMETZ CERTIFICATE in Hebrew, in addition to the translation of suffering generation one must see himself as if he himself or torture, also connotes poverty. left Egypt.” Chassidic philosophy explains that we What’s wrong with bondage is the poverty. It robs must exit and leave behind our personal Egypt – the constraints we put on ourselves – to achieve true Celebration! a person of their capacity to see, think, or consider Volume 4 #4 March, 2010 freedom. beyond their immediate needs. As is the nature of the Published 5 times a year by: poor and destitute, so desperately wanting of their As we prepare for Passover, let’s unshackle Lubavitch of the Virgin Islands immediate needs, they are controlled by and become ourselves from our status quo, each of us from our 6501 Red Hook Plaza, Suite 201 S. Thomas, VI 00802 subject to circumstances imposed upon them, as pettiness. Let’s broaden our horizons to explore Phone: 340-998-8889 a shaking and tossing ship helplessly directed by fields which, yesterday, we thought were beyond us. E-mail: [email protected] stormy waters. Lastly, let’s begin with doing at least one more good www.JewishVirginIslands.com Freedom, on the other hand, is the mindset of the deed. Let us continue growing in our commitment “rich,” allowing a person the ability and capacity of to a complete and full Jewish way of life, free of the vision beyond the present circumstances – being able constraints of habit and that which is caused by social Dedicated to the Rebbe, pressure. Let us experience true freedom. Rabbi Menachem M. to reach out to the stars and beyond. One may be Schneerson, OBM, physically imprisoned but all the while be personally Best wishes for a happy kosher Passover, whose boundless love and free. On the other hand, there can be one who is Rabbi Asher and Henya Federman teachings are an endless source of inspiration and guidance.

2 Check out our weekly online magazine atwww.JewishVirginIslands.com to reach the heights of spiritual life. The Rebbe’s To believe this is to limit oneself, to fall captive to an illusion. Message Passover is thus an ongoing process of self-liberation. The festival and its practices are symbols of a struggle that is constantly renewed within a , to create the Celebrates we celebrate YourPassover each year,Freedom we recall again freedom in which to live out his or her spiritual potential. that great event at the dawn of our history. Our This is one of the reasons why we are enjoined to remember people were liberated from Egyptian bondage in our liberation from Egypt in every generation and on every day. order to receive the as free men and women. We must personally “go out from Egypt” every day, to escape CommentingA on the verse, “And these days shall be the limits, temptations and obstructions that our physical remembered and done” (Esther 9:28), our Sages reach that existence places in the way of our spiritual life. as those days are remembered, they are spiritually reenacted. The manifestation of our liberation from Egypt is the The Divine Benevolence that brought in the past is liberation of our Divine soul from the constraints of its physical reawakened by our act of recollection. environment. And when it is achieved – with the help of G-d, Passover is the “Festival of our Liberation.” It celebrates a who freed us from Egypt, and through a life of Torah and historic event: the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. mizvot – a great spiritual anguish is ended. The inner conflict However, our Sages teach us that in every generation, and on between what is physical and what is Divine in a Jew’s nature each and every day, we must see ourselves as though we have is transcended. Then we can enjoy real freedom, the sense of just been liberated from Egypt. serenity and harmony, which is the prelude to freedom and Freedom requires constant guarding. Each day, and every peace in the world at large. environment, carries its own equivalent of Egypt – a power to undermine the freedom of a Jew. Perhaps the biggest threat comes from within. The conviction that certain achievements Adapted from a letter written by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem are beyond us, the complacent belief that one was not born M. Schneerson, OBM, 11th of Nissan, 5713.

Our family invites you to join us for the Passover Seders...

March 29th, 7:00pm at Villa Elegant Breeze in Water Point Don’t hesitate to call YOU are our family!

If you need an arrangement for the second please call us at 340.998.8889 or email us: [email protected].

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 3 FREEDOM, What is freedom and how is it achieved? What is “faith” and how FAITH, and does it contrast/complement the NATIONHOOD rational and experiential aspects of our lives? What makes a “people,” “Has such a great thing ever been?” and why should we need and/or proclaimed Moses forty years later, “Or desire to belong to one? has the like of it ever been heard? ... Has How do the various Passover G-d ever endeavored to come and take for observances – the Passover Himself a nation from the womb of a nation, offering, the prohibition against amidst trials, signs, wonders and battles … chometz (leaven), the three as G-d has done for you in Egypt before your matzahs and the four cups of eyes?” (Deuteronomy 4:32-34) , etc. – access and facilitate A nation from the womb of a nation. On our faith, freedom and identity as the 15th day of Nissan in the year 2448 from individual and members of the creation (1313 BCE), a new entity, the People community of ? of Israel, was born, delivered by G-d “from These are the issues explored slavery into freedom, from darkness into a in this Passover guide. We have great light, from bondage into redemption.” attempted to translate these laws Seven days later, our rescue from Egypt and customs into “today’s language.” was complete when the sea split to allow We trust you will find it to be as us passage and drowned ’s informative as it is enjoyable. armies in its waters. You will also find the practical The eight-day festival of Passover, how, what, and why of Pesach which straddles these two events, is celebration; how to conduct a our annual appointment in time to Seder; insights into the meanings access the freedom of the Exodus, the and significance of the numerous faith that made it possible, and the details and practices thereof; how nationhood we thereby gained. to prepare as Pesach approaches; and what to do once the holiday has arrived.

We wish you a very happy and kosher Passover.

4 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com beitzah, an egg, is placed. Beneath them, in the middle, is the , a bitter herb. Beneath the ze’roah, on the right is The the , a mixture of ground or finely chopped fruits, nuts, and a drop of wine. On the opposite left, below the egg, is the , a vegetable, such as an onion or cooked potato. Under the maror is the chazeret, salad, bitter herbs Seder (or Romaine lettuce). On the first two nights of Passover we conduct a Seder. Thus, the final Seder Plate is comprised of three , lying We affirm our desire to elevate this night above all that one on top of the other, which cradle the six food items that form two triangles. All together there are nine items and the is mundane. With it we declare to ourselves and all who ke’ara, the plate underneath completes the number ten. are present, that this is “the season of our freedom.” The entire Seder, beginning with the Seder Plate, provides us with tools to achieve personal transcendence; to Body & Soul Each of these items represents a historical event and has its experience emotional and spiritual freedom. practical application, its body. It also has its soul, its mean- ing, and its relevance in our journey of freedom. The Seder Plate and its Ingredients Seder in Hebrew means order. Soul Generally the ten elements of Everything we do tonight has a dis- the Seder plate reflect the structure tinct and important order. of human consciousness, which is comprised of ten dimensions, the The first thing we do is construct “spiritual DNA” of all existence a Seder Plate. The plate consists and of man. of ten items. First, there are three The ten items represent the ten matzos. On a cloth spread over the , or “G-d’s tools,” through matzos, six food items are placed. which He assists us to free our- The ze’roa, a roasted shank bone selves from our limitations on the or chicken neck, is placed on the top way to personal freedom. right. Opposite the ze’roa on the left, the

Machine matzah: Generally okay, but not optimum for HOW TO DO MATZAH the Seder. Matzah is the which you actually eat and Hand-made Shmurah matzah: For the Seder, you want digest. According to the , eating matzah has Matzah that was made from that was guarded from a profound effect on the soul. So you want to make any moisture from the time of harvest until it arrives in sure you… your mouth; a matzah which was specifically baked for the mitzvah of eating matza at the Seder Get the Real Thing – and we haven’t yet invented machines Not all matzah is created equal There’s… that can have that in mind. The ultimate matza is made by hand in a bakery where Year-round matzah: Not marked kosher everyone yells out, “For the sake of the for Passover is not fit for use under any mitzvah of matzah!” before kneading, rolling conditions. or baking the dough. To aquire these special Matzah made with fruit juice or eggs: For matzos, contact us at www.JewishVirginIslands. Passover – only if absolutely necessary. com or call 340-998-8889.

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 5 Matzos Soul Remembering our roots and who we are and The matzos are the where we belong helps us in our determination to free centerpiece of Passover, ourselves. symbolizing the unleav- ened food that the Jewish Body Unlike the other items the Zeroah is not eaten. people ate as they escaped Egypt. It remains on the Seder plate until the end of the Seder.

Food of Faith Beitzah Matzah is called the “food of faith.” We left Egypt in such (Hard-boiled Egg) haste that there was no time to wait for the dough to rise, The hard-boiled egg represents so we ate matzah, unleavened . With only this unleav- the festival offering (chaagigah) ened food, our ancestors departed into the barren desert, in the days of the holy Temple, relying on the Al-mighty to provide sustenance for our entire which was also eaten on the Seder nation, several million people – men, women and children. night. Why an egg? The egg is a Each year we relive this event. symbol of mourning. Mourners The Matzah itself resembles the simplicity of that faith. It eat hard-boiled eggs at their first meal after a funeral to show is humble, staying low and simple, without the enrichment that life is a cycle. Because even on this happy festival of of yeast, oil or sweeteners – nothing but plain water and Passover, we remember that our Temple is in ruins. flour. Similarly, the basis of a Jew’s connection to G-d is a In a way, the egg also represents the Jewish people: The simple, selfless bond, beyond any personal benefits, reasons more we are in hot water, the tougher we become. or conditions. Soul Not conforming to the status quo and taking a Soul The key to freedom is humility, which allows us to tough stand is characteristic of freedom. take it easy, to free ourselves from being manipulated by subjective emotions. Body The egg will be eaten at the beginning of the meal (See page 17). The three Matzos represent three categories within the Jewish people. Each Matzah represents a different group: Cohen, Levi, Israel. They represent our forefathers Abraham, Isaac Maror (Bitter Herb) and Jacob, as well as commemorating the double measure of Bitter herbs – , Lettuce, fine flour which Abraham told to bake into matzahs, Endives, or a mixture of them – when the three angels visited them. remind us of the bitterness and As the Seder continues, the middle matzah will be broken harshness of the slavery, which the into two halves. This will still leave us with two whole mat- Jewish people endured in . zahs, just as we have two loaves of on all and . Soul The lettuce, as a bitter herb, teaches us a lesson about bondage and Body Wait, wait! You will get to eat these wonderful mat- freedom. The leaves in a young fresh lettuce are sweet. zos a just little while. To savor the taste and dig the meaning Nonetheless, the lettuce grows from a green-white stalk, of these ancient foods, you must first prepare and also taste which is bitter. The crisp, sweet leaves represent freedom other goodies. and the bitter stalk represents slavery. True freedom is attained only by overcoming challenges. Zeroah (Shankbone) The Zeroah – a shankbone or chicken neck – Body The Maror will be used later during the Seder, commemorates the pascal lamb our ancestors before the beginning of the meal (See page 16). were commanded to eat on the eve of the exodus from Egypt, and later on brought to the Temple as the Passover offering and was roasted and eaten as part of the Seder night meal.

6 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com Charoses Chazeres (Romaine Lettuce) (Chopped Nuts and Fruit with Horseradish, Lettuce, Endives or a mixture of them is used. Wine) The color of the Charoses is like Body The Chazeres is used in the Korech . that of the mortar we used to (See page 17). make the bricks and clay when we were enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt. Charoset is a mixture of fruits and nuts. The fruits used in the mixture – apples, pears and dates – are symbols of the Jewish people, who are Four Cups of Wine affectionately referred to in the by these names. During the course of the evening we will be treated to four cups of wine. The four cups represent the four expressions Soul The greater the challenge, the sweeter the freedom. of “deliverance” or “freedom” mentioned in the Torah in con- nection with our liberation from Egypt: “I will bring you Body The Charoses is used as a dip for the Maror and out; I will deliver you; I will redeem you; I will take you as Chazeres (See page 16 & 17). my people” (Ex.6:6,7). Also, the children of Israel, even while in Egyptian exile have four great merits: they kept their Hebrew names, they (Vegetables) kept their , they remained highly moral, Karpas and they remained loyal to one another. Body Onion, parsley or cooked potato will Wine is used as a symbol of joy when welcoming the be used later in the Seder as an appetizer. Festival, the Season of our Freedom.

Soul The symbolism and significance of Karpas in the journey of freedom is explained in Step #3 on page 10.

Pre-Passover Checklist Seder CHECKLIST ❒ Kosher for Passover wine ❒ Kosher for Passover food & supplies ❒ Special Shmurah matzah ❒ Storing Chometz ❒ Kosher for Passover matzah ❒ S ell Chometz (Please see page 31 for a certificate of sale ❒ Shankbone or chicken neck of Chometz) ❒ Hardboiled egg ❒ B’dikas (search for) Chometz set ❒ Salt water ❒ Horseradish or lettuce ❒ Candles for festival lighting ❒ Apple and nuts and make charoses To obtain any of these or any other ❒ Onion or cooked potato Passover needs go to ❒ Haggadah www.JewishVirginIslands.com and visit ❒ Cup our store today. ❒ Ritual washing cup

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 7 The Soulful Seder The 15 Steps of the Body & Soul Partnership Seder

The Hebrew word for Egypt, “Mitzrayim,” is rooted in the word “meitzar,” meaning boundaries, 1. Kadesh limits, restrictions. Egypt represents constraints and Separate/Sanctify; Make this night different confinements: psychological, emotional and spiritual. Anything, from within or from without Body It’s been a busy week, or a busy year. The first step tonight that inhibits our free expression is a form of is to forget the noise and leave it behind. Tonight we enter a mitzrayim. timeless space, where we experience the Seder together with our great-grandparents, and Moses. We begin by welcoming Freedom is the most important element in life: the festival with a “toast” to the Al-mighty with a full cup of red wine. A cup filled with generations of rejoicing and tears The ability to free ourselves from our confines and and celebration and wisdom. get out of the rut. What better time to reaffirm We affirm our desire to elevate this night above all that is G-d’s promise to Abraham that we will be freed mundane. With it we declare to ourselves and all that are from Mitzrayim? This promise was true for the first present that this is “the season of our freedom”. Exodus from Egypt and is true today, for in “Each 1 Fill a cup with wine (or grape juice). That’s cup #1. generation one must envision himself as if he just You can have someone else fill your cup. Then return the left Mitzrayim.” favor. This way, we are all like nobility, whose cups are filled by someone else. Make sure your cup holds The Seder provides us with the keys to open the at least 86 mil. (a little more than three ounces). Everyone stands and says Kiddush or listens doors of freedom. “” is an oxymoron: 2 to the seder leader. The word Pesach (Passover) means to leap, to The rest of the year, one person says Kiddush bypass the normal order; whereas, Seder means and everyone takes a sip. Tonight, each man, woman and child drinks their own full cup. Get order and organization! The Seder is an order that ready for some serious relaxing. allows us to transcend order. Like music: By playing 3 Recline on a cushion to your left side, and drink. the defined musical scale, we can create infinite Remember the ancient times, when we musical combinations and songs. used to recline on our couches while sampling grapes? That’s what we are The fifteen Seder steps represent fifteen keys to dramatizing by reclining now. We are not just free; we are our own masters. open doors freeing us from our confinements.

8 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com (separate/sanctify) and Urchatz (purify), describe what we Soul set out to accomplish through this night: to rise above the Every journey begins with a separation.You’ve got to leave restraints of our world in order to elevate it. somewhere to get somewhere else. In this way, separation is the first step towards freedom. By ignoring the negative P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n voice of Pharaoh’s mockery that says, “Who are you to begin such a journey?” we’re ready to leave Egypt behind. Bondage Mentality Separation is the first meaning of the word “kadesh”—to Look, I’m a down-to-earth kind of person.I’m trying to manage transcend the mundane world. Once you’ve set yourself real life. I can’t get into this spirituality stuff. Let’s just get to the free from those things that hold you down,you can achieve . the second meaning of “kadesh”—to return and sanctify Freedom Mentality it. Spiritual freedom is achieved through sanctifying the I can master my world by staying above it. I come to the Seder material world, using its elements as physical expressions of to get that strength. a higher purpose. The first two steps of the Seder, Kadesh

Soul Hands are instruments that allow the mind to interact with 2. Urchatz their environment. Our hands reflect our mental state and act according to our emotions: love, fear, compassion, the urge to Wash your hands; Purify win, to be appreciated, to express ourselves, to dominate. But too often the aspects of our psyche sit compartmentalized, Body detached from one another. The mind sees one way, the heart feels another, and our interface with the world is disoriented. 1 Fill a cup with water Water symbolizes wisdom. Flowing downward from Many Jewish homes have a on-high, everything in its stream is affected by its pure and special two-handled cup designed simple essence. We pour water over our hands so that our for this. You could leave the table to heart and emotions may be touched by wisdom, and from go to the kitchen or you could bring a basin and towel to there shape our interaction with the world. the table. A wise rabbi asked, “Wouldn’t it make more sense to wash (What? We just sat down and now we have to get up and first and then say Kiddush? To first purify, so you can then leave already? Well, that’s a fairly standard Jewish migration sanctify yourself?” pattern.) Then he answered,”You need first to get out of the pit, and then clean up your act. That’s why G-d first took us out of 2 Pour the water over your right hand three times, then over your left hand three times. Egypt and only then had us purify ourselves for 49 days in the Tonight we do like the Kohanim (Temple staff/priests) wilderness to prepare us for the revelations at Mount Sinai.” who washed before eating the trumah tithing especially designated for them. 3 Dry your hands. P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n The rest of the year we say a blessing after washing our Bondage Mentality hands, but not now. When we wash the second time Just react. Let your instinct be your guide. before eating the matzo, we’ll say it then. Freedom Mentality Count to ten. Let your mind and heart talk things over with one another.

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 9 On the night that we left Egypt, we were like a 3. Karpas newly hatched chick, breaking out of our shell to discover life and the light of day. It is with Eat the vegetable; A taste of humility those fresh eyes that we were able to experience wonder, to travel forth with faith and innocence Body and trust. So tonight, again, we enter the mind Take a small piece of some 1 and heart of a child. vegetable (potato, onion, parsley). The rest of the year, we would be The child is the most important participant at the getting to the meal now. But we’re doing things differently tonight, principally to Seder. In fact, the entire Seder with all its customs spark questions from the small children. If they ask, revolves around the child. The mitzvah of the “Hey mom and dad! Aren’t we supposed to eat real food now? Why the funny green stuff?”—you know you’re Haggadah, V’higaddeta, is “tell the story to your doing things right. child.” The child asks, we respond. How do you answer them? “We are doing this so that you will ask questions.” And if they say, “Well, so what’s the But more than the child learns from us, we learn answer?” “You can’t learn if you don’t ask. And the first from the child. We awaken the mystical child thing to learn is that not all questions have immediate answers.” This is one of the most distinctive elements of within us, the place that is still innocent and fresh : more than teaching our children how and able to grow, to be amazed, to sense awe. to answer, we teach them how to ask—and how to be patient in their search for answers. 2 Dip it into saltwater. These are our tears, and the tears of all our people Soul beginning with the tears of our labor in Egypt. We need to retaste the back-breaking labor of Egypt to If you know some Hebrew, look at the word Karpas liberate ourselves from it once again. It was this labor that and read it backwards. Samach PeReKh. That refers to prepared us for freedom. It was this labor that gave us a the backbreaking labor (PeReKh) of the 600,000 Jewish humble spirit to accept wisdom. slaves (Samach=60 x 10,000). Today, as well, you can choose to achieve this humble spirit by enduring the battle to survive the rat race. There 3 Say the blessing that is said over the vegetable, and munch it down. will be plenty of futile, hamster-wheel tasks to bring you to Munch good. You’re not going to get much more for your knees. a while. Or you could choose another path: achieving true humility with the realization of just how small we earthly creatures are. That will free you from the need to experience materialistic futility.

PASSOVER SPECIAL DAY: March 29 P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n Son’s Fast: The last of the Ten Bondage Mentality Plagues visited upon the that forced them to I owe, I owe, so off to work I go. free the Jewish people was when G-d took the lives of Freedom Mentality all firstborn males in Egypt, sparing the firstborn sons Through my work I appreciate the higher things of life. of Israel. In recognition, firstborn Jewish males over 13 fast on this day. But, since joy eclipses suffering, it is customary to waive this fast with a celebration, upon the - conclusion of a Talmudic tractate. Join us in the Jewish Welcome Center to hear a siyum at 8:00AM

10 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com adults have to find it at the end of the meal. In others, the adults hide it and the children find it. Either way, it keeps the kids awake and in suspense until the end of 4. Yachatz the Seder. Many Sephardic Jews follow the tradition of tying the under the arms of the children, who carry it Break the Matzo; The poor man’s bread like that all night, just like when we left Egypt. Body Soul Why is so much broken in this world? Why did the Creator 1 Remove the middle matzo. make a world where hearts break, lives shatter, beauty We need the top matzo to remain whole because we’ll crumbles? make a blessing on it later on. (Blessings are said on Because a whole vessel can only contain its measure, while whole things.) a broken one can hold the Infinite. Matzo is called the poor 2 Break it in two different-sized pieces. Put the smaller man’s bread. He is low and broken. And it is this brokenness piece back between the two complete matzos. that allows him to open his soul and escape his Egypt. As The piece you put back is the “poor man’s bread”over long as we feel whole, there is no room left for us to grow. which the tale of our slavery is recounted. Poor people’s When we realize that we are just a fragment —that we need bread is, intrinsically, never whole. the others around us, that so much of ourselves is missing 3 Break the remaining (larger) —then miracles can begin. piece into five pieces and wrap them in a cloth. Hide the package until the end P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n of the Seder when it will be eaten as the Afikoman, Bondage Mentality or dessert. I know who I am. Look what I have achieved. In many houses, the children Freedom Mentality hide the Afikoman and the There is much that I am lacking. I have only started to grow.

child. This is the cup the story is told over. The “wicked” child is one who needs this story the most, and one who 5. can really appreciate it. 2 Tell the Story; Experience Exodus Children ask the Four Questions. Of course, they can always ask more. No children at This is it, folks. This is why it’s called a Haggadah. your Seder? Let an adult ask. There’s just you? You be Now we get to the meat and potatoes your soul is the child, and G-d will be the Father. While you’re at it, longing for. (As for the other meat and potatoes, ask Him a few other difficult questions for us all. you can probably smell them 3 Continue recounting the simmering in the kitchen. Hold Passover story, as written in on, we‘ll get there soon.) your Haggadah. Hey, you’re not limited to the Haggadah! That was written so that Body everybody would have something to say. But now is the chance to 1 Fill your cup with wine (or get creative. Tell every story you grape juice). That’s cup #2 know about the Exodus. Examine There are “four sons” at the every word of the Haggadah and Seder table, as described in get into its deeper meaning. Keep the Haggadah. The second it real — make it profound. cup corresponds to the #5 Maggid continued on page 12 second child—the “wicked”

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 11 Basic rules of telling the story: • Get the children involved. • Start with Abraham and Sara and work your way Mah nishtanah through the Egyptian scene until we receive the Torah at Mount Sinai. halailah hazeh... • Tell it in the first person, in the now. Instead of, “Long ago, the ancient Hebrews…” say, “When we were slaves “Why is this night different from all other nights?” our in Egypt,the perverse system crushed our sense of self.” children ask us at the Passover Seder. Because, we Everything that happened in Egypt parallels something answer, we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and G-d in each of our lives. We are truly living it now. We are set us free. simply examining our own lives in the dress of ancient Egypt. Free? Are you free? • It’s all about miracles. Moses and his signs and wonders. Can a person with a mortgage be free? Can a person The Ten Plagues. The Splitting of the Sea. These with a job be free? Can a person without a job be free? miracles happened so that we would look at the events of our lives and recognize that they, too, are miracles. Freedom! Is there anything more desired yet more • Tell it like it is. We are a people born of miracles, who elusive? Is there a need more basic to our souls, yet so endured this long by abrogating natural law. The very beyond our reach? How, indeed, do we achieve freedom fact that we are here now telling this same story to our from the demands, cares and burdens of daily living? children in an unbroken chain of 3,322 years is beyond human comprehension. But look at your child. Observe her at play, immersed in a book, asleep and smiling at her dreams. Assured that • Offer a few words of praise to G-d. After telling the story of the Exodus say father and mother will feed him, protect him and worry the formal blessings (see Haggadah) about all that needs worrying about, the child is free. before drinking the second cup. Free to revel in her inner self, free to grow and develop, 4 We drink the second cup of wine at open to the joys and possibilities of life. the end of this step. This is why Passover, the festival of freedom, is so much the festival of the child. For it is the child who evokes in Soul us the realization that we, too, are children of G-d, and The Exodus is not simply an event that are thus inherently and eternally free. It is the child who happened to us. It is an event that we became. It is who we opens our eyes to the ultimate significance of Passover: are. It is the life of each one of us, occurring again and again, in our wrestling match with the world, in our struggle with that in taking us out of Egypt to make us His chosen our own selves. We embody freedom in a constant mode people, G-d has liberated us of all enslavement and of escape. Perhaps that is why Jews have always been the subjugation for all time. rebels of society. The experience of leaving Egypt left such an indelible mark on our souls that we never stop doing it. A Jew The child is the most important participant at the who stops leaving Egypt ceases to allow his soul to breathe. Passover Seder. The entire Seder is constructed around To tell the story is to bring our essential self into the the goal to mystify the child, to stimulate his curiosity, open, and to come face to face with who we really are and to compel him to ask: Why is this night different from all resuscitate it back to life. other nights? The child asks, and we answer. But there is another P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n dialogue taking place – a dialogue in which we ask, and the child explains. Bondage Mentality I’m free already. I live in a land of freedom. Who needs more Take a good look at your child this Passover. Pay her freedom than that? close attention – enter her mind, view reality from her Freedom Mentality perspective. For how else might we taste freedom? My body is free because my soul is free.

From Chabad.Org

12 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com The Exodus was the prototype for every redemption that would ever follow. It was a world-altering event that led to Personal Freedom the birth of the Jewish nation and the giving of the Torah, n the fifteenth of the Hebrew month of the Divine mandate for all of humanity. Nissan, Jews around the world will sit to- gether with family and friends. They will Kabbalah explains that the Hebrew word for Egypt, sit at tables covered with white cloths, illu- Mitzrayim, means limitations, boundaries, constraints. In minated with candlelight, sparkling with silver, china and breaking out of Egypt, we were freed from those con- Ocrystal. Throughout the night, they will taste the richness straints, changed forever. From the moment Pharaoh let of wine, the bitterness of horseradish, and the subtle pure us go, there was no longer any force in the world powerful taste of matzah, the bread of faith. enough to keep a Jew from connecting with G‑d. No force in the world. On the seder night, we celebrate our liberation from slav- ery in Egypt, our redemption and freedom. Many times over the millennia of our history we were enslaved, oppressed, expelled—and much worse. The And yet, we are still waiting to be free. world has not been a hospitable place for the Jews. But When I was a small child, my parents, my brothers and I – in each of those situations, Jews kept the Torah. Though together with all my aunts, uncles and cousins – would go the world has tried to destroy the Jewish nation time and to my grandparents’ to celebrate the seder. time again, the Jews have never agreed to disappear. I remember the kids clowning around, my grandfather This is G-d’s gift to talking about the Exodus from Egypt and my grandmoth- us. However, each er saying: “, I’m hungry! Can you please hurry so of us has to free our- we can eat?” selves from our own I never wanted my grandfather to hurry. I would have “Egypt” enslaving us. loved it if he had told the story of the Exodus all night Our personal Egypt long. Because from as far back as I can remember, at the is that which makes seder – in the eating, the drinking and the telling of the us feel small and un- story – I could feel the walls of the world shifting, open- worthy. It makes us ing and moving back. I could feel the presence of some- forget who we are thing else; something sparkling, something powerful, and who we could profoundly in motion, real and alive. become. It makes Many years have passed since my grandparents passed us believe that we away. There were years – lots of years – when I didn’t go to have to blend in with those who seem bigger and more any seder. There were years when I didn’t even know that powerful than ourselves. It gives us the stubborn illusion Pesach had come and gone. that the world is solid and real, and that the intimate pres- ence of G‑d and our own souls is a fantasy or a dream. Then began my own journey back—back to my roots, to the roots of my grandparents and great-grandparents, This “slave mentality” is the cause of all the limiting beliefs, to the roots of all the generations that came before. My uncertainties and fears that are in our way. It makes us feel journey brought me all the way back to the generation of helpless and disempowered. It cuts us off from the mira- the Exodus from Egypt, an Exodus which is still occurring cles of our past, the potential of our future and our own today. truly infinite power to change our world for good. The slavery of Egypt was the most profound and all-en- IIt all comes down to this: The only ones who can free us compassing that ever existed, as it was not only physical from our inner Egypt is us. but spiritual as well. Through the redemption from Egypt, But once we do, we will never be slaves again—to any- both bodies and souls became free. thing, or anyone. Not even ourselves.

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 13 As long as we live in this world, freedom remains elusive. While moving forward, we are free. Stop, and we are bound and fettered again. That is 6. Rochtzo why freedom is something that you cannot buy or steal. Never can you put freedom in your purse and say, “Freedom is mine forever!” Spiritual Wash your hands; Purify again freedom is like a marriage between our finite selves and the Infinite, providing the power to transcend the Body material world while working inside of it. It is a marriage of heaven and earth, spirit and matter, soul and body. 1 Fill a cup with water. And like any marriage, it is kept alive through constant Again? Yes, again. It’s been a long time since the last renewal. Our release from slavery was only the first step of washing. (Who knows what those hands may have touched? our Exodus. We were granted eternal freedom—the power Anyway, it’s good to get up and stretch a little.) to perpetually transcend Egypt. Pour the water over your right hand three times, then That’s the order of the Seder tonight: Kadesh, Urchatz, 2 over your left hand three times. Transcend and Purify. Over and over. Rise higher, then draw Say the blessing: “Blessed…concerning the washing of that into deeds. Rise higher again, draw even more. Never the hands.” stop rising. Never stop applying. Dry your hands. 3 P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n Soul Bondage Mentality Passover? Been there, done that. Here is the meaning of the Freedom Mentality Each year at the Seder, I discover new things that I just never blessing we say, step by step: saw before. Blessed Meaning, to “draw downwards.” What do we draw downwards?… PASSOVER SPECIAL DAY: March 31 Be Counted: Tonight we begin the counting of be You, the Omer, named for the Omer offering of new crops The Essential You, Who is beyond name, into … of , brought in the Temple on the second day of Passover. YHVH (pronounced “Ado-noi”) You can take a slave out of slavery, but it’s a lot A name, but the most transcendent of names: harder to take the slavery out of the slave. That’s why the Exodus didn’t really end until the Jewish people The One Who Transcends Time and Space. And received the Torah at Mount Sinai – the ultimate from there, we continue to draw into… liberating experience. From the time the Jewish People left Egypt, they Our G-d counted anxiously toward that day – forty-nine days The Divine Force within us. How?… in all. Since then, ever year, we do a replay, starting the second night of Passover, counting the days and weeks. Each day represents a higher step in spiritual Who has betrothed us with His preparation for the ultimate high that comes on the With each mitzvah, we become His bride, Festival of Shavuos. transcendent just as He is … You would want to do this even before the Seder begins, and bonded with us through the as you may fall asleep before you have a chance to recite purification of our hands. this blessing at the end of the And with each mitzvah we bring a different evening. (For blessing and aspect of ourselves into this bond. schedule see page 22).

14 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com 7. Motzi 8. Matzah Thank G-d for bread; Remember your roots Say a blessing for the matzah; Eat to your soul’s content Body (Hold it! Didn’t we just say a blessing on the matzah bread? Get ready Seder Leader, techie That was a blessing for giving us what to eat. Now we go on matzah instructions to follow: to bless and praise Him for connecting us to Him through the mitzvah of eating matzah.) 1 Grab all three matzahs— the top one, the broken middle one and the Body bottom one—and pick them up. 1 Techie instructions continued: carefully release the bottom matzah. (Continue orbiting while it makes its 2 Say the blessing: descent to the table.) “Blessed…Who brings 2 bread out of the earth.” Recite the blessing on the top whole matzah and the This blessing, “He makes bread come out of the earth,” broken middle matzah: “Blessed…and commanded us concerning eating matzah.” may seem ordinary, even odd. But think about it: the earth upon which we tread germinates all the nutrients a human 3 Break off a piece from each of these two matzahs for being needs to survive—it is the substance that powers our yourself and for each of those sitting at your table. thoughts, creativity, music, art, philosophy, meditation, Pass them around. prayer. 4 Everybody eats at least two thirds of a matzah. (To do this, they will need to help themselves to an auxiliary reserve of matzah.) Soul Hey, it’s a mitzvah after all! We feel an affinity with the food we eat: we, too, are a Don’t forget to lean to the left out of the earth. 5 while you munch—just like We share a common journey with bread. The bread begins with the wine. as a seed buried beneath the ground. And then, a miracle occurs: as it decomposes and loses its original form, it comes alive, begins to sprout and grow. As arrives, it pushes Soul its way above the earth to find the sun, and then bears its Since the destruction of the fruit for the world. Holy Temple in , We, too, begin buried in Egypt, our identity all but lost. matzah is the only opportunity But that furnace of oppression becomes for us a firing kiln, a we have to actually eat a baker’s oven, and the womb from whence we are born as a mitzvah. That’s right, the nation in the Spring. In our liberation, we bring our fruits of matzah you are eating is pure G‑dliness. freedom to the world. The calls matzah Bread of Faith and Bread of Healing. “Faith?” Well, actually, that’s a rather feeble translation. “Emunah” is the word in Hebrew, and it means a lot more P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n than “I believe.” Faith can often be something people claim when they don’t care to think too much. Emunah is when you Bondage Mentality go beyond thinking to a place your mind could have never I’m stuck here under ground. Life is rotten. brought you. Freedom Mentality Emunah means touching the place where your soul and My challenges in life help me discover the strength of my soul. the essence of the Infinite Light are One. It’s a place that nothing can describe. Where there are no words. No doubts, no uncertainty, no confusion, nothing but a magnificent Oneness before which nothing else exists, and the challenges of life withdraw.

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 15 Eating matzah is a way of tapping into that reservoir. Your P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n physical body digests the Emunah of your soul, everything is integrated back into One, and your body and spirit are whole Bondage Mentality and harmonious. Sure, I’ll eat a little matzo because that’s the How on earth can a mixture of water and wheat baked in tradition. an oven contain such a spiritual cure? Welcome to , Freedom Mentality where there is no dichotomy of spirit and matter, soul and I can’t get enough of this stuff! Feed me matzo! Feed my soul! body. Where the spiritual transforms into the physical, and material objects become spiritual in a perpetual chemistry of exchange. Where the body is healed through empowering the soul, and the soul is nourished with the rituals of the body. (After all, we live in the world of One G-d.)

stayed and died there. As for the rest of us, when Moses came and told us we were going to leave, we believed him. It was our bitterness 9. Maror that had preserved our faith. This is the sweetness we apply to the bitter herb: bitterness Eat a bitter herb; alone, without any direction, is self-destructive. Add some It’s okay to experience bitterness life and optimism to it, and it becomes the springboard to freedom. Body P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n 1 Grab some of that bitter herb (such as horseradish.) Take enough to make the size of an if you were Bondage Mentality to crunch it into a ball. Look, this is what I’m used to. I can’t change. 2 Dip the bitter herb in the Charoset. Shake off any Freedom Mentality excess. I don’t belong to my habits. It’s a careful balance: you want bitter herbs, but you want to sweeten the bitterness. Yet it still has to be bitter herbs—not a sumptuous Charoset hors d’oeuvre. The relates: When the Jewish people fled 3 Say the blessing: “Blessed…and commanded us Egypt, after crossing the parted , they sang in concerning eating bitter herbs.” praise to G-d. He welcomed their song and incorporated 4 Eat the bitter herb it into the Torah. When the heavenly hosts wished to offer (Don’t worry if it doesn’t taste that great—it’s not a song to G-d, He told them, “My creatures (the Egyptians) supposed to.) are drowning in the ocean, and you sing?”

Why did G-d accept the song of the Jewish people but not Soul that of the angels? We can never get used to Egypt. We never belonged there. We can never say, “They are the masters and we are the The angels never suffered, but the Jewish people slaves, and that’s the way it is.” It must remain something demonstrated their loyalty to G-d even while suffering we feel bitter about, something that is unjust and needs to pain and their lives and the lives of their children were change. at stake. Their song is a true praise to G-d, rather than an If we get used to Egypt, it’s very hard to leave. In fact, many expression of self satisfaction. Jews said, “Egypt is our land. How can we leave it?” And they

16 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com Soul The world, when viewed from 10 Korech within Egypt, looks to be a mess Have the Hillel sandwich; Bring it all together of fragments. It’s a “Passoverly- Challenged” perspective. Plain materialism. Mitzvahs appear to be Body a mishmash of do’s and don’ts; the Jewish people are a collection of 1 Break the bottom matzah into two pieces. irreconcilable individuals; daily life is If you’ve followed the instructions until now, the bottom a cacophony of hassles and just, well, matzah should still be whole. stuff. 2 Take an olive-sized amount of the bitter herb, put it Once we escape materialism’s gravita- in some romaine lettuce and dip it into the Charoset. tional pull, we can look back and see a whole Shake off any excess. new perspective. Mitzvahs are multiple expressions Now you know what the romaine lettuce on the Seder of a single spiritual path; Jews are multiple faces to a single plate is for. soul; the elements of today’s journey harmonize together as 3 Place the bitter herb and lettuce in-between your two a symphony playing a delicate melody. pieces of matzah. After we make ourselves into a temple for the Divine, then the bitter, the sweet, and the tasteless responsibilities of life 4 Say the words: “This is what Hillel did, at the time wrap together in a single package. that the Holy Temple stood. He wrapped up some Pesach lamb, some matzah and some bitter herb and ate them together.” P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n (And you thought it was because they packed fast-food Bondage Mentality to leave Egypt in a hurry.) I have to take care of career, family, health, hobbies, handball, Hillel understood the words of the Torah about the friendships, parents, taxes, studies, the house, the car, the cat. Pesach lamb, “On matzah and bitter herbs you shall eat it,” in its literal sense. And so, he invented the sandwich. Freedom Mentality (Or should we call it a Hillel?) I am a conductor and the world is my orchestra to play a symphony for its Creator. 5 Lean to the left while you eat.

Soul 11. Shulchan Orech This step, along with Korech before it, marks the re-entry we mentioned at the beginning (in Kadesh). We’ve escaped Let’s Feast! Egypt and reached a higher vision. But freedom consists of more than escape. Complete freedom is when you can turn around and liberate all the Body elements of your world from their pure material state, and Time to really eat. You make them transcendent as well. know how to do this, right? That’s what we do when we eat every day—we take foods grown from the earth, say a blessing over them, and bring Oh, don’t forget the them into our journey as human beings. And when it’s a tradition of eating the hard- Jewish holiday or Shabbos, we elevate them further, into the boiled egg on your Seder realm of pure spirituality. As for tonight, this meal is going to plate, dipped in some salt be truly Divine. water. Most do this at the very So don’t imagine we’re just feasting. We’re reaching a higher beginning of the meal. state. And it’s a great way to do it. A hard-boiled egg is a sign of mourning. However, on every festive occasion, we remember to mourn for the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n Bondage Mentality I am a slave to food. I live to eat. Freedom Mentality I am a food liberator. I eat to live.

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 17 children are so precious and I didn’t even give them a Seder. A Drunkard’s Seder I realized how low I have fallen, how my addiction destroyed t was past midnight on the first night of Passover and the my life, how I sold my soul to the devil of alcohol. So, with great Chassidic master, Rabbi Levi YItzchok of Barditchov my last strength I got out of bed and sat down at the Seder (1740-1810) had just concluded an emotionally charged table. My wife called the children and I said to them, ‘Please Seder.I sit down very close to me, I want to talk to you. Suddenly Rabbi Levi Yitzchok sensed a heavenly message “I want you to know, children, I am so sorry that I am a “Levi Yitzchok’s Seder was pleasing to G-d, but there is a Jew drunkard. If my drinking can make me not have a Seder with in Barditchov, Mosheleh the water carrier, whose Seder was you, then it’s not worth it.” I said to my children, ‘I swear to superior to his!” you, that I’ll never drink again in my life. But, right now, it’s It was 2 o’clock in the morning when Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Seder night, so let me just tell you the Passover story in a stood at the door of Mosheleh’s hovel. Mosheleh’s wife an- nutshell.’” swered the Rabbi’s soft knock. “Good Yom Tov!” he said qui- Mosheleh said to the Rabbi, “You know, I was still drunk, etly. “Please excuse me for the late hour. Is your husband and I barely know how to read Hebrew. But, I tried my best. Mosheleh home?” “Yes, of course” she answered, “just wait I said, ‘Children, I want you to know that G-d created heaven one moment, Rebbe, wait right here.” and earth. Then Adam and Eve ate from the Tree and were Mosheleh came before the Rebbe, and he began to cry thrown out of Paradise. Since then everything went down bitterly. He said, “Rebbe, I’ll never do it again. I’m so sorry; I hill: There was a flood, there was a tower of Babel - that was don’t know what came over me.” The poor man was devastat- as much as I knew. Then came Abraham and Sarah. They ed. The Rebbe said, “Listen, my dear Mosheleh, don’t worry so began fixing the world again. much; just tell me how did you celebrate the Seder tonight?” Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Mosheleh was a good and innocent man, G-d-fearing , Jacob and and and a pure heart. He was orphaned at a young age and was and their twelve holy sons. miserably poor. Sadly, he succumbed to the temptation of Then Pharaoh made slaves out of alcohol as a way to deal with his daily agony, he drank often. us, and tonight, G-d took us out On Passover he faced a big “problem.” On Passover you from Egypt. can’t drink whiskey. So that year Mosheleh had a tremendous “My Sweet children, now we idea: He’ll stay up the whole night before Passover and drink are also in exile. And I want you whisky for all eight days of the holiday. to know, that the same G-d who When the night before Passover arrived he drank and took us out from Egypt is still alive drank, until the minute when you must stop eating Chamatz and present and very soon He will (leaven) on the morning before Passover. When the clock liberate us from this exile too.” struck twenty minutes after nine, he took his last “L’chayim” “I turned to G-d, and said: ‘Father in heaven, thank you and he was out cold. so much for taking us out of Egypt. And I beg you, sweet- Seder night arrived. His wife came to wake him and said, est Father, please take us out of our present exile very soon’! “Mosheleh, every Jewish home has a Seder. We have little Rebbe, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t say anything more because I children, and we are the only ones who don’t have a Seder. was still drunk. By then,” Mosheleh continued relating his tale, “did I regret “I took the Matzah, Maror and Charoses situated on the that I drank so much the night before! Did I regret it! I would table and ate it. I filled four cups and drank them one after have done anything not to be drunk. But I couldn’t help it. So another, I turned over and I fell asleep again.” I said to my wife: ‘Please wake me up in an hour. I just can’t Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Barditchov was crying bitter tears. get it together yet. He thought to himself, “I wish that one time in my life I could My wife kept waking me every hour, and then every half- communicate Yiddishkeit (the Jewish spirit) to my children, hour. Then, suddenly, she came to me and said, ‘Moshe, in the way Mosheleh the water carrier gave it over to his chil- twenty minutes the Seder night is gone and the children are dren on Seder night. I wish that one time in my life I could all sleeping. Shame on you. You are a disgraceful father!’ converse with G-d like Mosheleh did during his Seder.” “I was so devastated,” Mosheleh told the Rabbi. “Here, my

18 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com 12. Tzofun 13. Berach Grace after the Meal; Eat the Hidden Matzah; Lost and found Thanks for having us Body Body 1 Grab that last bite. If you’re still awake now, you know it’s getting late. Adults are Be sure you’ve eaten enough, because the only thing to falling asleep. Kids are having a great time taking advantage pass our lips after this step of the Seder tonight is another of that. But it’s not over. There are songs and wine, and two cups of wine.(Oy.) the is on his way…. 2 Retrieve that hidden matzah. 1 Fill your cup with wine or grape juice. That’s cup #3. If you can’t find it, you may have to enter into negotiations with your kids to get it back. (Well, if they 2 Say the Grace After Meals as printed in your fell asleep, you will be “forced” to just eat some other Haggadah. matzah). Say a blessing on the wine and drink it all down. 3 Eat another two-thirds of a matzah. Lean to 3 Lean to your left. your left. With the first matzah, we fulfilled the Mitzvah to eat Soul matzah. This one is also in place of the Pesach offering, The theme of the Grace After Meals which is meant to be eaten on a full stomach. is confidence. Confidence in a Higher Force that is with us in our daily lives. Soul When we say this out loud, with joy and There is the body, there is the soul, and then there is the sincerity, we initiate a reciprocal current; essence. If the soul is light, then that essence is its source of the channels of life are widened and light. If the soul is energy, then the essence is its generator. their currents grow strong.” The Kabbalah teaches that this essence remains elusive. It is Miracles happen when Divine energy called “tzofun,” meaning hidden, concealed, locked away and from beyond the cosmos enters within. Why did miracles out of reach. It is unlikely to experience it. happen in Egypt? Because we believed they would. Those We dance around that essence-core, like a spacecraft in who didn’t believe in miracles saw only plagues. To see a orbit, unable to land. We can be inspired, we can meditate, miracle, you need an open heart and mind, open enough to we can pray, but to touch this inner core—the essence of our receive the Infinite. That is the opening we make when we soul—takes a power from beyond. thank G-d for the miracle of our food. On Passover night, we have that power. But only after we have taken all the proper steps: destroying our internal Chometz, preparing our homes for liberation - the previous P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n eleven steps of the Seder. Then, when we are satiated with Bondage Mentality all we can handle, connecting every facet of ourselves to I thank G-d for giving me what I need. the Divine, that’s when that power comes to us. Whether we sense it or not, tasteless as it may seem, the matzah we eat Freedom Mentality now—the matzah of Tzofun—reaches deep into our essence I thank G-d for letting me know what He needs. and transforms our very being. Those things you find inspiring and nice may take you a step forward. But to effect a real change, you need to do something totally beyond your personal bounds.

P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n Bondage Mentality Seeing is believing. Freedom Mentality Believing is seeing.

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 19 14. Praise the L-ord; Sing along Body 1 Pour a special cup of wine and set it in the middle of the table. You won’t drink this one— it’s for Elijah the Prophet. Elijah comes to announce the imminent and final Redemption, with the arrival of Moshiach. 2 Now fill your cup with wine or grape juice. That’s cup #4. Yes, you can handle it. 3 The kids open the front door to welcome Elijah the Prophet. Recite the prayer, “Pour out Your wrath…” from the Haggadah. Watch Elijah enter. (Can’t see him? Maybe you’ve had too much wine.) Tonight is a called “Leil Shimurim”—a night of protection —when we are secured by G-d’s Gentle Hand. We open our OPEN THE DOOR front door in the middle of the night with confidence and trust that no harm will befall us. On that very first Passover in Egypt, we were redeemed on the FOR ELIJAH merit of our trust that He would redeem us. Tonight we are The true light of redemption comes from within. liberated again, and again we demonstrate our trust. Miracles provide inspiration and cause us to direct our 4 It’s all there in your Haggadah. We offer praise to G-d for attention and efforts to spiritual truths. The ultimate His mercy and compassion in redeeming our people from miracle, however, is not the abrogation of nature, but Egypt, and in anticipation of our own ultimate redemp- tion. the transformation of the natural into the G-dly. Why does G-d need us to praise Him? He doesn’t, we do. As Although the redemption from Egypt came from the kabbalah explains, when we praise His kindness, we reveal His compassion. when praying for our needs, we evoke His “without”--it was orchestrated and produced entirely by desire to give. the Almighty, our Sages tell us the future and ultimate 5 At the end, say a blessing and drink the fourth and final redemption will be the product of our own effort. cup of wine. Indeed, the whole point of liberating us from Egypt was to provide us with the opportunity to refine ourselves Soul and the world around us to the extent that Divine Will The ancient clued us in on a key principle in cosmic which is the hidden source and root of all of existence functions: whatever G-d tells us to do, He does Himself. Of becomes openly manifest. course, there’s a difference. We do it in our little human world, while He does it on a grand cosmic plain. This is what we achieve when we struggle to overcome He told us to open our door on the night of Passover. the ego-centric inertia of worldly life. Every small, private, So, tonight, He opens every door and every gateway of the inner step on the path to spirituality and goodness is a spiritual cosmos to all of the Jewish People. To each one of us, step toward the Redemption. The Torah-study, good regardless of what we have been doing the rest of the year, tonight is our chance to reach the highest of spiritual levels. deeds, and character refinement with which we occupy Take your choice and jump a quantum leap. There is nothing themselves all year open the door of the heart to Elijah stopping us. the Prophet and all that he represents. When the cup of Elijah is filled this Passover and the front P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n door is opened, don’t concentrate on the doorway. If you Bondage Mentality Since it’s Passover, I’ll make a little change. peek into your heart, there’s a very good chance that you Freedom Mentality Since Passover, I totally changed. will behold the holy prophet smiling back at you.

20 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com And now, let the Creator do what He has promised to do: a re-run. Starring us, in the Ultimate Redemption. With lots 15. Nirtzo of miracles. But this time, forever. The acceptance; Next year in Jerusalem! Soul Some people think we are meant to be perfect. But, if that is what our Creator wanted, why did He make us such imperfect Body beings? Rather, what he wants of us is our very humanness. Sometimes we fall. But we keep on struggling, and eventually 1 The seder concludes with the wish, “L’shana Ha-ba-ah make some real change in order to create a perfect world. Bi-yerushalayim.” We hope for each other that which And then, once we have done all we can, like a kind parent our ancestors prayed for thousands of years, “Next helping with the homework, He makes sure to touch up our year In Jerusalem!” work and make it shine. 2 This last step of the Seder is easy: expect a miracle. For 3,300 years we have been leaving Egypt. For 3,300 This is His job now. years we have been doing our human job of transforming Look up from your wine. The table is a delicious mess. the darkness of His world into light. And now it is His turn to Uncle Irving is snoring in his Haggadah, serenaded by the banish darkness forever, to make our work shine. first chirping of dawn. As you carry the little ones to their beds to the sound of matzah crunching beneath your feet, you P e r s o n a l a P P l i c at i o n wonder, “Who will carry me to bed?” Was it the best Seder that could have been? Look, it had Bondage Mentality its highlights. A few times, the kids got a little over-excited. Yaaaaawwwwwwn! Well, there goes another Passover night And the horseradish and didn’t mix too well. under the belt. Grandpa told some great stories, but we heard them last year. Freedom Mentality We all had fun with the songs. We told the tale again with new embellishments, just like we have for 3,300-plus years. I’m done with Pharaoh; I’m through with Egypt. Take me to We did what we are supposed to, in our own human way. Jerusalem!

value of this whole service?” What do you need it for at all? THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL Mr. Goldstein, the patriarch of the family, passed away. The chochom is now the “first” in the family. Not as fervently FOUR SONS devoted as his father, but still quite observant. It is to his Did you ever see your great grandparents’ picture prominently home that everyone flocks for the Passover Seder – each with kept in your family’s treasure chest? their own experiences, opinions and questions. Just a few years back, it was common to walk into Among the chochom’s Passover guests are his son, who has many a high-class office, and there was proudly displayed a left the observance of his predecessors, and along with him grandfather’s old-fashioned, rabbi-like picture. is his son. Upon entering the chochom’s home, his grandson So what happened? How did the images and encounters an unfamiliar scene: a library which includes many lifestyles change? How did living, pious Jews Torah books, , and a very kosher Passover kitchen. become proud pictures hanging on the His eyes wide as saucers, he asks, “What is this?” He wall and finally settle in the families’ hidden has never seen any of this before in his home. treasures? As nature has it, the chochom’s time has Here is where the multi-generational four come to an end. By now it is to his son’s sons story comes in. house that the family flocks to celebrate the The patriarch of the Goldstein family Passover Seder. But, unlike his father, there was firmly and meticulously observant, is nothing too unusual in his home; not practicing his Judaism in complete any different than that of his guests. His adherence with the letter and spirit of the grandson – now the fourth generation in the law. dynasty – “doesn’t know to ask.” To that the His son, the second generation, is a chochom Haggadah tells the grandfather, who himself – a “wise guy” – questioning all the intricacies and experienced Torah Judaism: It is your obligation to “introduce meticulous details of the Jewish way of living. Can’t one be to him” – tell him all about Judaism, tell him what he misses, Jewish in his home and modern on the outside? tell him all about the Torah way of life. The next generation has a different question, “What’s the

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 21 4th …six days of the Omer.” one day of the Omer.” Schedule and Blessing 5th …seven days, which is one week of the 28th... thirty days, which is four weeks and two days of the Counting of Omer.” of the Omer.” 6th …eight days, which is one week and one 29th... thirty-one days, which is four weeks and the Omer 2010 day of the Omer.” three days of the Omer.” Beginning with the second night of Passover, and 7th …nine days, which is one week and two 30th …thirty-two days, which is four weeks and for the following forty-eight days, culminating days of the Omer.” four days of the Omer.” on the eve before the festival of , the 8th …ten days, which is one week and three Omer is counted. The time to count the Omer is days of the Omer.” MAY O n each of the following evenings, at nightfall, or any time thereafter, throughout 9th …eleven days, which is one week and four Say: the night. If one forgets to count at night, days of the Omer.” “Today is… he should count during the day without the 10th …twelve days, which is one week and five 1st …thirty-three days, which is four weeks and blessing, but continue to count with a blessing days of the Omer.” five days of the Omer.” on the subsequent nights. If, however, one 11th …thirteen days, which is one week and six 2nd …thirty-four days, which is four weeks and six forgets to count during the day as well, from days of the Omer.” days of the Omer.” there on he counts the rest of the nights without 12th …fourteen days, which is two weeks of the 3rd …thirty-five days, which is five weeks of the a blessing. Omer.” Omer.” 13th …fifteen days, which is two weeks and one 4th... thirty-six days, which is five weeks and one The following is the blessing to be said day of the Omer.” day of the Omer.” every night followed by the appropriate 5th... thirty-seven days, which is five weeks and two count for that day: 14th... sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the Omer.” days of the Omer.” BA-RUCH A-TOH A-DO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU 15th... seventeen days, which is two weeks and three 6th... thirty-eight days, which is five weeks and ME-LECH HA-O-LAM A-SHER KID-E-SHO- days of the Omer.” three days of the Omer.” NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VET-ZI-VO-NU AL 16th... eighteen days, which is two weeks and four 7th... thirty-nine days, which is five weeks and four SE-FI-RAS HA-O-MER days of the Omer.” days of the Omer.” Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, 17th... nineteen days, which is two weeks and five 8th... forty days, which is five weeks and five days of who has sanctified us with His commandments days of the Omer.” the Omer.” 9th... forty-one days, which is five weeks and six and commanded us concerning the counting of 18th... twenty days, which is two weeks and six days days of the Omer.” the Omer. of the Omer.” 10th …forty-two days, which is six weeks of the 19th... twenty-one days, which is three weeks of Omer.” the Omer.” Schedule 11th …forty-three days, which is six weeks and one 20th …twenty-two days, which is three weeks and day of the Omer.” one day of the Omer.” MARCH O n each of the following evenings, 12th …forty-four days, which is six weeks and two Say: 21st …twenty-three days, which is three weeks days of the Omer.” and two days of the Omer.” “Today is… 13th …forty-five days, which is six weeks and three 30th …one day of the Omer.” 22nd... twenty-four days, which is three weeks and days of the Omer.” three days of the Omer.” 31st … two days of the Omer.” 14th... forty-six days, which is six weeks and four 23rd... twenty-five days, which is three weeks and days of the Omer.” four days of the Omer.” On each of the following evenings, 15th... forty-seven days, which is six weeks and five APRIL  24th... twenty-six days, which is three weeks and days of the Omer.” Say: five days of the Omer.” 16th... forty-eight days, which is six weeks and six “Today is… 25th... twenty-seven days, which is three weeks and days of the Omer.” 1st …three days of the Omer.” six days of the Omer.” 26th... twenty-eight days, which is four weeks of 17th... forty-nine days, which is seven weeks of the 2nd …four days of the Omer.” the Omer.” Omer.” 3rd …five days of the Omer.” 27th... twenty-nine days, which is four weeks and

22 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com

A Glimpse Into Dear Henya and Asher, Dearest Federmans, I have been wanting to write and thank I was born in Los Angeles but every day I Our MAILBOX you for the beautiful and delicious challot am away from Israel, I feel a hole in heart. you baked for us. This morning, when I They tell me that wherever in the world Rabbi and Mrs. Federman, woke up I thought of how much joy they I am found, I can “Make here Israel”, but I We still can't get over what a beautiful brought to us. We had sucha awonderful don’t get it. Where’s the instant holiness? Shabbos we had in S. Thomas over a vacation. Thank you for your wonderful Where’s the tangible unity between month ago. Much success in all your work work! Jews? Stepping through your front door, I in S. Thomas and all over the world. Sarah, Matt, Ariel, Noam, and Yoni Jamison- finally understood that it is possible. I am The Rolnicks Semel energized and empowered from the rays Teaneck, NJ Stamford, CT of your G-dly light here on S. Thomas... Gratefully, Chava’le M. (CALIFORNIA / HEBRON) Dear Rabbi, We just arrived back in n.y. tonight, but, Thanks for your very special effort to get i couldn't wait to thank you for such an a for Kaddish for Fran's mother. It enjoyable shabbos dinner last friday night. Dear Henya, was thoughtful and greatly appreciated. our vacation was fun, the beach, boats Rabbi said all the credit for the beautiful Stu and Fran Eizenstat and sun. however, dinner with your lovely Seuda goes to you. Many thanks. Chevy Chase, MD family was truly a highlight. we all found The room looked beautiful, the buffet it so inspirational. We appreciate what looked beautiful and all the food was your family does and wish you lots of delicious. Dear Rabbi & Mrs. Federman good luck in the future. be well and thank Please tell Sam how much we enjoyed Thank you for your hospitality at the your wife as well. best regards and hope everything as well. Chabad Center (On Main St.) when we to see you again. Best regards, visited S. Thomas during our Kosherica Debbie Greenberg and Family (Matt, Rob Blanche cruise at the end of January. and Jason) S. Thomas/KC I'm sure you don't remember since so many people pass through your center, but I was the one who sent special Dear Rabbi Federman, Hello Henya, regards to Mrs. Federman because I know Just a quick - albeit late- note to thank Dropped Mendal and Bentzy at the how much Mesirut NefeshIit takes on you again for your kindness and seaplane around 12:30. They know the the part of the wife to be able to do your thoughtfulness in making our on lay of the land and will walk around town Avodat Hakodesh. S. John so special. a bit. They did a very nice presentation Wishing you much success, We thank Hashem every day for shluchim and set up the room perfectly. Thank Michael and Sharon Kronenberg like you and our beloved Rabbi Chaim you so much for sending them. They Suffern, NY and Chavie. Boruch Hashem! represented your group very well. Elle Mick and Hollie Lifson really liked them and enjoyed hearing the Bozemont, MT reading of the ( for the first time!) Dear Rabbi Federman, The treats were wonderful. We are all in I want you to know how much my wife love with the REAL DEAL NY hamatachen! and I enjoyed sharing Shabbat with Dear Rabbi and Mrs. Federman The St. Croix Community will send a check you and your family. It was a delightful THANK YOU! Thanks for being such to help offset the cost and to say thank evening full of spirit. The food was wonderful hosts and making our stay in you. Enjoy your evening Purim . fabulous, the servicewas very meaningful, S. thomas most memorable. May Hashem Take care, and the conversation was delightful. grant you the strength to fulfill your lifes Sarah and the St. Croix Jewish Community Your wife is a lovely lady and a wonderful mission.... cook. Thank her again for myself and my The Goldsteins wife. Your home is indeed a jewel in the New York Caribbean. Sincerely, Richard Price Chelmsford, MA

Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 23 A Matzah and a Dream he address 30/55 Parap Road simply didn’t exist. This was the conclusion reached by myself and Zevi Shusterman, my classmate from Melbourne’s Chabad , as we made our way through the Tstreets of Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory. It was four days before Passover, the 11th day in Nissan, 2006. Zevi and I were in Darwin to arrange a public seder for the local Jews. But we also wished to pay personal house visits to the fifty or so known Jews of Darwin. “After the war, trying to run away from everything, I moved to Perth”One last search at the reverse address, 55/30 Parap Road, would be our last, before admitting defeat. As we walked into the courtyard of 55 Parap Road, four large build- ings surrounded us. It was the epicenter of a large Aboriginal commune, and the scene of primitiveness coupled with substance abuse was startling. Overcoming our initial fear, we approached a group of young men and ambitiously asked them if they knew of a man by the name of Joseph De Backer. The men motioned to us to go upstairs. Reaching the fourth floor, we found a group of older men, whom we assumed to be the commune elders. When we repeated our question to the elders, the men simply shrugged their shoulders. But just as we turned around to leave, one of the “elders” announced that there was a man reason to live was now my son, who serves in the Australian named Joseph who lived a further flight up. Army and is stationed in Darwin.” With a box of handmade matzah in hand, we excited- Joseph took a sip of tea, then continued with his tale. ly approached a door that bore a tiny mezuzah. Assuming “I moved to Darwin to be near my son and found shel- nobody would refuse a free matzah offer, we knocked and ter with my few belongings in this government commune. I called out, “Joseph! We brought you matzah!” slowly lost all contact with the outside world. I have no inter- An old, life-weary man came to the door with tears stream- net, email, not even a telephone. I venture out of the house ing down his face. Before exchanging any words, the old man only to buy the bare essentials. Even my son rarely visits me strangely poked and prodded our arms. “I can’t believe it!” he anymore. muttered, repeating the words again and again as he gazed “I had a dream that two rabbis brought me the flat crack- upon us. We just stood there, speechless and perplexed. ers for the holiday””I knew from when I was a little boy that After a few moments, Joseph calmed down and invited us around April there is a Jewish holiday. I didn’t remember inside. We sat down at the table and Joseph began telling his much about the holiday, but I knew that for a period of time story: bread was forbidden, and we ate flat crackers. Yesterday, my “I am a survivor of Auschwitz. After the war, trying to run meager memories of the holiday and Jewish identity left me away from everything, I moved to Perth. I married a non-Jew feeling especially lonely and depressed. with whom I had a son. After my business failed and I was divorced, there was nothing left for me in Perth. My only “I had trouble falling asleep at night; but when I finally did,

24 Check out our weekly online magazine at www.JewishVirginIslands.com I had a dream that two rabbis brought me the flat crackers for A year later, I returned to Darwin. I was looking forward the holiday. That’s why when you two rabbis arrived at my to meeting all the Jews whom we had encountered the previ- door, I thought I was hallucinating. I poked and prodded you ous year, but none more so than Joseph. The Jews of Darwin, to make sure you were real!” after hearing from us about Joseph’s plight, helped him and We were overwhelmed and moved by Joseph’s tale. We improved his lot. spent several hours speaking and listening to a man all but As I entered the old man’s apartment, we embraced, then forgotten by society. Tears of joy streamed down Joseph’s face sat down to talk. As Joseph spoke of the community’s help, I as we helped him don tefillin and say a prayer. noticed that the apartment’s walls were covered with pictures Before taking our leave, we gave him all the Jewish reading of the Rebbe, neatly cut out from the brochure, “The Rebbe: material we had, including the booklet published by Chabad An Appreciation.” of Wisconsin, entitled “The Rebbe: An Appreciation,” which I casually remarked upon the pictures on the wall, assum- contains several articles about the Lubavitcher Rebbe as well ing Joseph had simply found them to be nice pictures with as pictures of the Rebbe. which to decorate his apartment. But Joseph turned to me Joseph walked us down the hall to the stairs, thanked us with a tone that was anything but casual. from the depths of his heart and bade us farewell. “You don’t remember the dream? The man in these pictures ••• is the man who sent you boys to me!” •

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Special Passover presentation at www.JewishVirginIslands.com/Pesach 29 Candle lighting times Blessing S. Thomas S. John S. Croix Passove r March 29 Eve of Passover/1st Seder 1&2* 6:15 6:14 6:14 Mar. 30 Eve of 2nd Day/2nd Seder 1&2** 7:05 7:05 7:05 April 2 Friday, Eve of Shabbat 3*** 6:15 6:15 6:15 Blessings & April 4 Eve of 7th Day of Passover 1* 6:16 6:15 6:15 April 5 Eve of 8th Day of Passover 1** 7:07 7:06 7:06 Schedules *If lighting after sunset, light only from a pre-existing flame. SUNDAY, MARCH 28, AFTER NIGHT FALL – Search for Chometz **Do not light before the times indicated. Before beginning the search, the following blessing is recited: Light only from a pre-existing flame. 4. BA-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-ESHO-NU ***Do not light after sunset. BE-MITZVO-SOV VETZI-VONU AL BE-UR CHO-METZ Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, A pre-existing flame is a flame that has and commanded us concerning the removal of chometz. been burning continuously since the onset of the festival such as a pilot light, After concluding the search the following declaration is stated: gas or candle flame. 5. ALL LEAVEN AND ANYTHING LEAVENED THAT IS IN MY POSSESSION, WHICH I HAVE NEITHER SEEN NOR REMOVED, AND ABOUT WHICH I AM UNAWARE, SHALL BE CONSIDERED NULLIFIED Candle lighting AND OWNERLESS AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH. blessings Sell chometz in advance Have the Authorization Certificate (see p. 31) reach us no 1. BA-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI later than Monday, March 29th at 9am E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHO- MONDAY, MARCH 29 – EATING, SELLING AND BURNING CHOMETZ NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VETZI- Finish eating  S. Thomas S. John S. Croix and selling chometz before: 10:21 am 10:21 am 10:21 am VO-NU LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL YOM TOV Burn chometz by: 11:23 am 11:22 am 11:22 am Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has As the Chometz is burning, the following declaration is stated: sanctified us with His command- 6. ALL LEAVEN AND ANYTHING LEAVENED THAT IS IN MY POSSESSION, WHETHER I HAVE SEEN ments, and commanded us to IT OR NOT, SHALL BE CONSIDERED NULLIFIED AND OWNERLESS AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH. kindle the Yom Tov light.

MONDAY EVE, TUES. AND WED., MARCH 29, 30 & 31 YOM TOV 2. BA-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI – (See Candle Lighting Times and Blessings – Above, Left Column) E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH On Tuesday Eve we begin the “” (See page 22) HA-OLAM SHE-HECHI-YO-NU VE-KI-YE-MO-NU VE-HIGI-O- WED., MAR.31, AFTER NIGHTFALL THE FIRST DAYS OF YOM TOV END NU LIZ-MAN HA-ZEH. – S. Thomas S. John S. Croix Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who has Intermediate days begin. 7:06 pm 7:05 pm 7:04 pm granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion FRIDAY EVE AND SATURDAY, APRIL 2 & 3 – shabbat (See candle lighting times and blessings for Friday Eve - above, left column.) 3. BA-RUCH A-TOH ADO-NOI E-LO-HEI-NU ME-LECH SATURDAY, APRIL 3, AFTER NIGHTFALL – SHABBAT ENDS HA-OLAM ASHER KID-E-SHO- S. Thomas S. John S. Croix NU BE-MITZ-VO-SOV VETZI- 7:06 pm 7:06 pm 7:05 pm VO-NU LE-HAD-LIK NER SHEL SHA-BBOS KO-DESH. SUNDAY EVE, MON. & TUES., APRIL 4, 5 & 6 – LAST DAYS OF YOM TOV Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, (See candle lighting times and blessings - above, left column.) King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His com- TUESDAY, APRIL 6 – Yizkor mandments, and commanded Yizkor is recited during morning service. us to kindle the light of the holy Shabbat. Passover Ends S. Thomas S. John S. Croix at nightfal 7:06 pm 7:05 pm 7:05 pm 30 Date

. You may e-mail it to [email protected]. to it e-mail may . You

processed. be cannot forms illegible as type, or neatly print Please

2010 March 28, CERTIFICATE AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF CHOMETZ Certificates must be received at Chabad by March 29, 2010, 9:00 AM. 9:00 2010, Certificates must be at by ChabadMarch29, received City/State/Zip City/State/Zip City/State/Zip

. all by preferably and household of head by signed be Must names. specify Wife, and * Husband Return this form early, as responsibility cannot be accepted for forms received at Chabad after Chabad at received forms for accepted be cannot responsibility as early, form this Return I (We)* I (We)* it wherever possession (our) my in be may that chometz all of dispose to Federman Asher Rabbi authorize Hereby as Law Jewish of requirements the with accordance in elsewhere or business, of place (our) my at home, at be may chometz. of sale the for contract special the in incorporated Address Residence No. Apt. Address Business No. Suite Signature(s)

31 non profit org us postage paid S. thomas, VI Permit No. 181 6501 Red Hook Plaza, Suite 201 S. Thomas, VI 00802