Jewish Federation of El Paso Non-Profit Org. 7110 N. Mesa U.S. Postage El Paso, Texas 79912 PAID El Paso, Texas RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Permit No. 1256 Rabbis’ Passover Greetings: Pages 2-4 • 100 Best Jewish Recipes: Page 6• Good Deeds Day on April 7: Page 9 Page 7: April on Day Deeds Good 6• Page Recipes: Jewish Best 100 • 2-4 Pages Greetings: Passover Rabbis’ April 2019 April Passover Issue Passover Nisan/Iyyar 5779 Nisan/Iyyar 2 | April 2019 The Jewish Voice Uniting for freedom at Passover Jews in Judea, under the leadership the Statue of Liberty, once stated what answer Emma Lazarus’ challenge of of Ezra the Scribe, gathered for she considered to be an essential view working for freedom everywhere. public Torah readings. They heard of freedom: “Until we are all free, we May we address that task every day, about —and studied—the experiences are none of us free.” inspired by the prayers, songs, readings, of their people entering Canaan It is incumbent on each of us, as and rituals of Pesach. after wanderings in the wilderness, the Haggadah says, to see ourselves as Rabbi Larry Karol establishing the kingdom of Israel that, if WE were freed from Egypt, and to Temple Beth-El Las Cruces unfortunately, split in two after the death of King Solomon. I wonder if they were saddened by the fact that their march to freedom Rabbi Larry Karol had ended in division. Psalm 133, the source for “Hinei Mah Tov/How good Temple Beth-El’s Tanakh Study it is,” seems to express a longing for Group, which meets most every the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, to Wednesday, has been studying the book reunite. of Ezra, and we are about move into The Assyrian conquest of the the book of Nehemiah. Before that, northern kingdom, around 720 BCE, we had completed a two-year study of resulted in refugees from the north the entire book of Isaiah. seeking safety in the south. It wasn’t The Jews who left their temporary exactly a fulfillment of the wish of homes in Babylonia, to where they Psalm 133, but it did demonstrate that had been exiled around the time of descendants of the people who had the destruction of the first Temple in originally left Egypt together still saw Jerusalem, were elated at the possibility themselves as family. of returning to Judea to become a Jewish history includes all too many people in their land once again. They examples of divisions between people saw their journey (around 538 BCE) as due to ideology and theology, where a second Exodus, leaving their captivity some groups see themselves as the only to travel to the promised land. They ones who are dedicated to God’s true were grateful that the Persians, who message and the right approach to had conquered Babylonia, provided living as a minority in many countries, them with an opportunity to return and as a majority in the State of Israel. home. Passover/Pesach has its own way Once they arrived, they found that reuniting us. Through disagreements people who had not gone into exile and challenges to our well-being, we held their motives under suspicion. gather at the Seder table to recount Eventually, the returnees were able a story of moving from slavery to to fulfill their wish of building a new freedom, interpreting liberty according Temple and reestablishing their society. to our own perspective. It wouldn’t be as before. Some Emma Lazarus, author of “The Jews remained in Babylonia. These New Colossus” poem associated with A publication of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso The Jewish Voice of El Paso, published ten times a year, is dedicated to informing, educating, and uniting the Jewish community by providing news items of local, national, Israeli and international concern. The Jewish Voice will consider for publication any materials submitted that support the mission of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso and have relevance and appeal to the El Paso Jewish community. Articles are subject to editing at the editor’s discretion and are subject to space limitations. Letters cannot be longer than 150 words and articles must be kept to a maximum of 300 words. Please email to [email protected] Opinions are those of individual writers and not necessarily those of the Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso. The Jewish Voice is not responsible for the kashrut of any product or eating establishment advertised herein. Robert French Executive Director: Cindy Graff Cohen Sue Bendalin Editor: Campaign Director: Said Buhaya Janet Kent Wechter Advertising Representative: President: Beatriz Garcia 915-842-9554 Layout and Design: Office: PDX Printing 7110 North Mesa, El Paso, TX 79912 Printing: Want to submit an ad? Email [email protected] or call Due Date for the May issue of the Voice: April 15 Said Buhaya at (915) 842.9554 Due Date for the June issue of the Voice: May 13 IT ALL STARTS WITH YOU You make everything we do possible The Jewish Voice April 2019 | 3 Passover’s messages to all of us During the Festival of Pesach the Jewish by this service?’ You shall say, ‘It is the Bahai also participated. How satisfying people introduced to the world over three Passover sacrifice to the Lord, because, He it felt to show the entire community the millennia ago the idea that signs from God passed over the houses of the Israelites in marvelous values and traditions of Judaism. are extremely vital to bringing people to Egypt when God smote the Egyptians, but And so, as we prepare for Passover Hashem and that when they are used to saved our homes!’” this year, let me suggest that we also fully motivate children then their importance Yes, all of us celebrate with our children appreciate the great teachings and practices is even magnified further. Millions of Jews to keep alive the story of Pesach in our of our people. We have so much to be will gather this month in their homes and homes and in our communities through proud of and to be passionate about and also in the synagogue to observe a Passover observing the signs and symbols of the yet we tend to take our Judaism for granted. Seder. Seder service. I can’t emphasize enough Am I suggesting that we stand on street And do you know why we will go to how vitally important it is for us, the corners and proclaim our beliefs to the all the trouble of having a Seder plate and descendants of our ancestors who were world? Of course not. That is not the Jewish preparing special foods and hiding the Hebrew slaves for four hundred years, to way, but on the other hand, Passover should Rabbi Steven Leon Afikomen and listening to the four questions become passionate about the freedom that motivate us to become more involved in our Passover Seder we ask the fifth question and and refraining from eating leavened bread? we have to practice our Judaism freely, community, especially with the children! give reference to our Jewish teenagers in El It is because on the evening of the to be grateful that we have a homeland We should observe Shabbat and Paso and to the children of our Hebrew Exodus from Egypt God commanded us to in Israel today, and to appreciate all that all of our festivals, not just Pesach (and slaves at the time of Moses, “What does prepare for our freedom by observing the we can benefit from the teachings and Chanukah). We should make individual Judaism really mean to me, my children, Pesach, and the Lord especially wanted the values of Judaism and specifically by fully and family trips to Israel. We need to and my family? What more can I do to children to take part as we read in Exodus participating in the services and activities of become active volunteers in this wonderful make my life more fulfilling as a member of XII: 24-26 “You shall observe this as an our wonderful community. community. We should each become the Jewish People?” institution for all time, for you and your A few years ago I represented the passionate about our love for Judaism by Have a wonderful, healthy, meaningful children. And when you enter the land that Jewish community in an interfaith dialogue really demonstrating that love through and happy Pesach, the Lord gives you, as He has promised, on peace at the YWCA. Clergy and really doing something for the various you shall observe this service. And when representatives of Islam, the Anglican synagogues in town, Israel, and our people. Rabbi Stephen A. Leon your children ask you, ‘What do you mean Church, Buddhism, Roman Catholic, and May I suggest that this year at our Congregation B’nai Zion It’s Gotta Be in Spring There is always a kvetch about Passover. from Egypt. G-d timed our journey to the as well as, what they perceived to be, the It’s either too early or too late. Last year we desert specifically during a time of pleasant perfect human – Pharaoh. This hedonistic celebrated the Seder at the end of March weather so that we be most comfortable. attitude bred a culture which tolerated and this year it will happen toward the end But as in everything in Judaism, there is a and condoned the enslavement of fellow of April. Why the fluid schedule? deeper meaning to our springtime exodus. human beings in the most horrid fashion. While the lunar cycle determines The ancient Egyptian empire, under Redemption from Egyptian barbarism our festivals, our seasons follow the sun.