P r e - Pesach Mini - m e s t e r

Shabbat with Dr. Erica Brown March 16th-18th, 2018 Shabbat Morning Public Lecture: Redemption: Waiting on the World to Change Seudah Shlishit: A Cut Above - Tzipora and the Women of the Exodus Story Sunday Morning: Passover and the Seeds of Social Justice

Shabbat Hagadol Drasha with Rabbi Yosie Levine Shabbat, March 24th | Jewish Center Day Memory’s Anniversary: From Cairo’s Jewish Quarter to New York’s Jewish Center

Pesach Food Drive Through March 26 Drop off sealed Kosher-for-Passover or chametz items in The JC lobby. Collected food benefits the Kosher Division of City Harvest. For more information contact [email protected]

Pre-Peseach Meals Shabbat, March 23rd-24th Don’t want to prepare meals the Shabbat before Pesach? Let The JC help you! Sign up for Shabbat dinner and lunch with The JC community. Pricing and registration are available on The JC website.

Pre-Pesach Kashering at The JC Sunday, March 25th from 9:30AM - 12:30PM

Seder Pearls Monday, March 26th from 7:45PM-9:00PM Featuring: Rabbi Yosie Levine, Rabbi Dovid Zirkind, Ora Weinbach, Rabbi Noach Goldstein, Rabbi Avi Feder, Rabbi Elie Beuchler and Cantor Chaim David Berson. Join us for this perennial favorite, featuring presentations by The JC clergy and staff, for fresh ideas and classic thoughts on the Pesach Seder.

Ma’ot Chittim Help us help others enjoy and find meaning in the Passover holiday. Help our needy Jewish brothers and sisters observe Passover with dignity, in their homes by fulfilling the mission of Ma’ot Chittim, “money for wheat” by sending in a generous donation. Make your check payable to the Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung Memorial Fund and mail it to The Jewish Center office.

P a g e 2 Spring Events & Lectures Reading of the Names: Youth Department Yom Ha’Azmaut BBQ UWS Yom Hashoah Commemoration Thursday, April 19th at 4:00PM Wednesday, April 11th at 10:00PM Join us for a special JC rooftop family BBQ in This Year’s Host: The Society for the Advancement celebration of Israel’s Independence Day. Enjoy of Judaism delicious food and music as your children create Once again we come together to commemorate Yom Israel-themed crafts. HaShoah in The Reading and Hearing of the Names of those killed during the Shoah. For Sisterhood Annual Brunch more information, please visit our website. Sunday, April 29th at the home of Barbara Messer. For more information email Shabbat with Scholar-In-Residence [email protected]. Dr. Mosher Avital Shabbat, April 13th-14th The Annual Martha Sonnenschein Shabbat Morning Public Lecture: Memorial Lecture Featuring: From Despair to the Heights of Hope Scholar in Residence Sally Mayer and Triumph: My Survival from the Holocaust Shabbat, May 4th-5th Seudah Shlishit: My Aliyah-Bet: Joining the Hagana and Waging the War of Liberation Book Club Meeting: Judas by Amos Oz Young Leadership Shoah Memorial Event: Sunday, May 6th at 7:30PM The Art of Hope and Healing: A Guided Tour of the Discussant: Esther Nussbaum Tapestries of Shoshana Comet At the home of Tuesday, April 17th at 8:00PM Maureen & Laszlo Marcus Our Young Leadership community is All are welcome to join for our invited to the home of our member final book club meeting of the Ted Comet for a private tour of year. If you have questions, please tapestries woven by his wife, survivor email Dinah at [email protected]. and psychotherapist Shoshana Comet z”l. The tour is a unique exploration of Holocaust Keter Torah Award Ceremony imagery and psychology and a powerful example of Shabbat, May 12th courage and resilience This ceremony provides a unique opportunity for The Jewish Center family to show its high regard for Annual Young Professionals Yom HaAtzmaut Tekes the outstanding commitment and leadership of Ma’Var and Tefillah Chagigit women in our community. We look forward to Wednesday, April 18th at West Side Institutional recognizing Rona Kellman and Dina Burcat this Synagogue year. Save the date for this annual community evening of Tribute and Tefillah as we mark Yom HaZikaron Community-wide Memorial Day Program and Yom HaAtzmaut. The evening features a Wednesday, May 23rd tribute to fallen Chayalim by former IDF soldiers Keynote Address: Colonel Jack Jacobs currently living on the Upper West Side, an inspired US Army Colonel Jack Jacobs is a Medal of Honor Maariv and Hallel for Yom HaAtzmaut. This event recipient for his actions during the Vietnam War. is organized by Young Leadership in conjunction He serves as a military analyst for NBC News and with UWS Celebrates Israel and is open to the entire MSNBC. community.

P a g e 3 Upcoming Spring Events (Continued)

Centennial Sefer Torah Dedication May 6th, 2018

In honor of our Centennial, we have commissioned the writing of a new Sefer Torah. Our goal is for every member of our community to participate in this special mitzvah. We invite you to get involved and we look forward to welcoming our new Centennial Sefer Torah on Sunday morning, May 6th.

Upon our Torah’s completion we will welcome it to our Center with a grand Hachnasat Sefer Torah. Music, dancing, lectures and finishing touches all to be completed on that very day. To sponsor or participate visit www.jewishcenter.org.

Committee: Chaim David Berson • Penina Blazer • Tehillah Blech • Ruthie Israeli • Lauren & David Reves • Ephie Reinhard • Stephen Rutenberg • Menashe Shapiro • Ari Stein • Esther & Matt Zimmelman

LIKE DREAMERS: THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE IN AMERICA, ISRAEL AND BEYOND

Wednesday, May 9th 7:00PM Members-only dinner with the panelists 7:45PM Mincha/Maariv 8:00PM Program followed by Q&A

JOIN US FOR A MASTERCLASS ON THE CONTEMPORARY IMMIGRATION DEBATE, FEATURING OUR FORMER ASSISTANT RABBI, RABBI BENJAMIN SAMUELS IN CONVERSATION WITH THE FORMER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, STEVEN POMERANTZ. OUR PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE A BRIEFING ON THE STATE OF US NATIONAL SECURITY AND A DISCUSSION OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF LAW, RELIGION AND ETHICS ON IMMIGRATION IN AMERICA, ISRAEL AND WORLDWIDE.

Our program will include a briefing on the state of US National Security and a discussion of the implications of law, religion and ethics on immigration in America, Israel and worldwide. The Jewish Center Centennial Siyum HaTanach

Join The Jewish Center Centennial Siyum HaTanach! Together we can make this a community-wide project with each of our members volunteering to study one chapter or an entire book of the Chumash, Neviim or Ketuvim. Join this exciting journey of exploration together. There are many portals of entry. Our project will culminate on Shabbat May 19th / Shavuot weekend, with a siyum on Shabbat morning and special programmingfor Tikkun Leil Shavuot.

Sign up is easy. Visit www.hadranalach.com/477

For more information or to get involved, contact a member of the Siyum HaTanach Committee: Vivian and Bernard Falk, Chairs; Marsi & Ira Tokayer, Rachel & Baruch Schaulewicz, Marlene & Michael Sperling

P a g e 4 Pesach in Ten Easy Steps 5778 By Rabbi Dovid Zirkind

Preparing for Pesach can be over- broil setting for forty minutes. In a out thoroughly, then placing a con- whelming and anxiety-ridden. Use gas oven, the broil setting will allow tainer filled with water in the oven this handy guide to help ease any the flame to burn continuously. In a and boiling it until the oven fills angst. conventional electric oven, the high- with steam. Microwave ovens whose est setting (broil or 550oF) kashers inside is made of plastic present a STEP #1: Preparing Your Pesach the oven. kashering problem. Fortunately, Kitchen ● “Continuous-cleaning” oven: One many do not heat up the oven walls The laws of kashering kitchens and cannot assume that the oven is clean enough to cause a real kashrut con- utensils are complex. All are invited simply because the manufacturer cern. Clean the microwave well, then to kasher their movable utensils at claims it to be continuously clean. A boil a cup of water on the highest The Jewish Center on Sunday, visual inspection is required. The setting for 10 minutes. Quickly in- March 25th between 9:30 AM and oven should then be kashered by sert your hand and touch the oven 12:30 PM. turning it to the broil setting for ceiling: if it is too hot to touch, the Appliances: forty minutes. microwave should not be used for ● Gas Cooktop: On a gas range, the ● Self-cleaning oven: The self- Pesach. If it is relatively cool (or metal grates upon which the pots on cleaning cycle cleans and kashers even warm), the oven may be used the range sit may be kashered by the oven simultaneously. This is and has just been kashered. The turning the flame on high for 15 true for convection ovens with a glass plate (if you have one) should minutes. In order to spread the self-cleaning feature as well. The be covered with saran wrap. flame over the entire grate, it is ad- oven need not be carefully cleaned ● Sinks are generally made from visable to cover the grates with a beforehand, because everything in- china, corian, porcelain, stainless blech, a piece of heavy-duty alumi- side the oven is reduced to ash. The steel, or granite. China sinks cannot num foil, or a pot full of water dur- oven door and rubber around the be kashered at all. Porcelain or cori- ing the kashering. The rest of the door should, however, be completely an sinks are treated like china sinks, range (the area between the burners) clean before the self-clean cycle. since there is a controversy whether should be cleaned and covered with ● Broiler: The broiler pan and grill these materials can be kashered. a double layer of heavy-duty alumi- cannot be kashered by just turning These sinks should be cleaned, not num foil. The burners themselves do on the gas or electricity. Since food used for twenty-four hours, and not need kashering or covering, just is cooked directly on the pan or grill, completely lined with contact paper cleaning. The drip pans should be they must be heated to a glow or foil. The dishes that are to be thoroughly cleaned and need not be (“Libbun Gamur”) in order to be washed should not be placed direct- kashered. used on Pesach. An alternate meth- ly into the sink. They must be ● Electric cooktop: One need only od is to replace the pan with a new washed in a Pesach dish pan that is turn the burners to the high-heat pan and kasher the empty broiler placed on a Pesach rack. Alterna- setting for a few minutes in order to cavity by cleaning and setting it to tively, a sink insert can be pur- kasher them, since the burners come broil for forty minutes. If one does chased, allowing for the placement to a glow in a few minutes. The re- not intend to use the broiler on Pe- of either milk or meat dishes directly maining cooktop areas should be sach, one may still use the oven, into the sink. Stainless steel sinks covered. even without kashering the broiler, can be kashered by the following ● Glass Covered Tops: Please speak provided that the broiler has been method: clean the sink thoroughly. with Rabbi Levine. thoroughly cleaned or covered with Hot water should not be used or ● Conventional oven: Whether gas heavy-duty tin foil. Similarly, other poured in the sink for twenty-four or electric, the oven must be com- cooktop inserts, such as a griddle or hours prior to kashering. It is rec- pletely cleaned before kashering. a barbecue broiler, would require ommended that the hot shut-off Oven cleaner may be necessary to heating the surface to a red glow valve under the sink be turned off remove baked-on grease. Once the before usage (“Libbun Gamur”). twenty-four hours before kashering. oven and racks have been cleaned, ● Microwave Ovens: Microwaves Kashering is accomplished by pour- they may be kashered by “Libbun whose inside is made of metal may ing boiling water from a Pesach ket- Kal,” i.e., turning the oven to the be kashered by first cleaning them Continued on page 6

P a g e 5 Continued from page 5 medium of water (i.e., utensils in oughly clean and has not been used which chametz was cooked; pots are for twenty-four (24) hours. However, tle/pot over every part of the stain- a good example) may be kashered the custom is to make the pot Ko- less steel sink. The poured water via the procedure known as hag’a- sher-for-Pesach before using it for must touch every part of the sink, lah, which involves immersion in kashering. This can be accomplished including the drain and the spout of boiling water, as explained below. by cleaning the pot, leaving it the water faucet. It is likely that the 2. Metal utensils which came into dormant for twenty-four (24) hours, kashering kettle will need to be re- direct contact with heated chametz filling the pot completely with wa- filled a few times before the kasher- without the medium of water (e.g., a ter, waiting until the water comes to ing can be completed. Granite sinks broiler) may be kashered by heating a rolling boil, and putting in a hot can be kashered like stainless steel. them until they are literally “red- stone or brick which has been heated ● Countertops made of granite may hot,” or by placing them in a self- on another burner. The hot rock will also be kashered. Formica counter- cleaning oven during the self-clean cause the water to bubble more furi- tops should be cleaned and covered cycle. ously and run over the top ridge of with a waterproof material. The ● The procedure for hag’alah is as the pot on all sides at one time. The same goes for tables with synthetic follows: pot is now kashered. tops. Wood tables can theoretically 1. Metal utensils that have been used be kashered with boiling water, but for cooking, serving or eating hot STEP #2: Cleaning for Pesach the custom is to clean and cover chometz may be kashered by clean- ● Although the official search for them. ing them thoroughly, waiting twen- chametz is performed on Thursday, ● Refrigerators should be washed ty-four hours, and then immersing March 29, 2018 this year (see Step (shelves, walls and compartments). them one by one in a large pot #4 below), we all begin cleaning well Utensils: (which has not been used for cha- before then. ● It is preferred to have utensils re- metz within the last 24 hours) full of ● Where to clean: Cleaning should served for Pesach use. water which maintains a rolling boil extend to every place into which ● If one is unable to use special when the vessel is immersed. Note chametz is brought (including all utensils for Pesach, many utensils that we do not kasher pans coated rooms into which chametz is brought used throughout the year may be with Teflon. even periodically), pockets in cloth- kashered for Pesach. These include 2. The utensils undergoing kashering ing, book bags and briefcases, pock- metal utensils which are not difficult may not touch each other on the etbooks, tallit bags, under and be- to clean (a sieve, for example, or a way in to the pot. In other words, if hind furniture, and under and be- utensil which has parts that are a set of flatware is being kashered, tween furniture cushions. Heavy glued together, would not be kasher- one cannot take all the knives, forks appliances which are not moved dur- able) and glass utensils that were and spoons and put them in the boil- ing the year, such as stoves and re- used strictly for cold food. ing water together. They should be frigerators, need not be moved in ● According to Ashkenazic custom, placed into the boiling water one by order to clean away chametz under glassware used for cooking, as well as one. The process is finalized by rins- them. Special care should be taken if earthenware, pottery, porcelain, py- ing the kashered items in cold water. little children live on the premises, rex, and chinaware may not be ka- If tongs are used to grip the utensil, since they tend to bring food every- shered. Arcolac, Duralex & Corelle the utensil will have to be immersed where. Any chametz one owns which should be treated as glass for kasher- a second time with the tong in a dif- is located at one’s workplace or in ing purposes. Plastic utensils are not ferent position so that the boiling one’s car must be either destroyed or kashered. Glass utensils which came water will touch the initially gripped sold. into contact with only cold chametz area. The entire utensil does not ● Note that the goal is to clean should be cleaned with a cleaning have to be kashered at once; it may away pieces of chametz of significant solution and then immersed in water be done in parts. size (larger than an olive’s worth); for three days, changing the water 3. Please watch out for utensils that while any chametz you find should every 24 hours. are rusty or difficult to clean proper- be destroyed, there is no need to ● Kashering may be done either at ly. Silverware made of two parts (a search for crumbs. home or at The Jewish Center. handle and a blade, for instance) ● Non-“Pesachdik” dishes: Dishes ● There are two different procedures should most often not be kashered. and utensils should be cleaned and for kashering: 4. A non-Kosher-for-Pesach pot may stored away in such a manner that 1. Metal utensils which came into also be used for the purpose of ka- contact with heated chametz in a shering, provided that it is thor- Continued on page 7

P a g e 6 Continued from page 6 for the chametz is the first step in its ownerless as the dust of the Earth”). destruction. Those who will be leav- they cannot be accidentally used ing the area before Thursday night STEP #6: The Sale of Chametz during Pesach. It is good to tape or and returning at some point on Pe- ● If you own chametz which you tie shut cabinets that contain things sach should conduct the search on prefer not to destroy, you may au- you cannot use. their last evening home, but without thorize Rabbi Levine to sell these the berakhah. One who will not be items to a non-Jew for you. Please STEP #3: Maot Chittim home at all for Pesach and is selling note that the chametz is not sold to all of his or her chametz should the Rabbi; one is merely authorizing One of the most important ways to speak to Rabbi Levine about con- the Rabbi to sell it for him. prepare for Pesach is through the ducting the search for chametz. The ● Chametz which you will be selling obligation of giving "Maot Chittim," search is conducted silently, other should be placed in specific locations or funds to allow those less fortunate than conversation relevant to the and sealed off with string, tape, or a to prepare for the holiday with digni- search. lock and a sign indicating that cha- ty. This obligation can be fulfilled ● Lighting: Although bedikat cha- metz is present there. through checks made out to the metz is traditionally done by the ● After Pesach, please allow one Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung Fund. light of a candle in a dark room, one hour for the Rabbi to arrange the re- may use a flashlight to assist in the purchase of your chametz for you STEP #4: Fast of the First-Born search. before you begin to use it. ● On Erev Pesach, first born males ● Ten Pieces of Chametz: There is a ● Please take special care to discuss fast to commemorate their having custom of long standing to distribute the sale with Rabbi Levine if you been saved from the last and most ten pieces of chametz to be found will be in a different time zone for terrible of the ten plagues of Egypt. during the search. Pesach. ● Halakhah provides, however, that ● “But I’ve been cleaning for ● Times the Rabbis are available for if a bekhor attends a celebration weeks!”: One must perform a serious authorizing the sale of Chametz dur- such as a siyyum (a meal following search for chametz even if one has ing office hours and after regular the completion of a Talmudic trac- previously cleaned one’s house and minyanim starting Sunday, March tate), he is exempted from this fast. believes that there is no further cha- 25, 2018. On Sunday March 25th, As such, a siyyum will take place at metz. This search should cover all of the Rabbis will be available to sell The Jewish Center on Friday, March the places into which chametz may Chametz between 9:30 A.M. and 30, 2018 between the two Shacharit have been introduced (see above, 12:30 P.M. minyanim. “Where to clean”). ● One may no longer partake of ● Chametz you intend to sell: see Chametz after 10:30 A.M. on March STEP #5: The Search for Chametz below under “The Sale of Chametz.” 30th, 2018. ● Time: The usual time for bedikat ● Bittul: At the conclusion of the chametz (searching for chametz) is search, all of the chametz is placed in STEP #7: Burning the Chametz the night before the Seder night. a known location, and a declaration ● Chametz is burned on Erev Pesach This year, bedikat chametz takes (“Bittul”) is made annulling all cha- at a specific time during the mid- place on Thursday night after tzeit metz which remains hidden. By this morning. This year, the final time to hakochavim (when it gets dark), declaration, we relinquish ownership burn the Chametz is 11:45 A.M. on which is at 7:59 P.M. over the chametz overlooked in the Friday, March 30th. ● Ground rules: When the time for search and state that we consider it ● You may bring your chametz to the bedikah arrives, one should begin worthless. Because this declaration is The Jewish Center on Monday morn- immediately, deferring eating and a legal declaration, it is valid only if ing to be burned. other activities until after the search. one understands what one is saying. The search itself is begun with the If one does not understand the Ara- STEP #8: Preparations for the Seder berakhah (p. 654 in the Artscroll sid- maic version (“Kol Chamira”), one ● The shankbone, or “zero’a,” is a dur), recited by an adult on behalf of should certainly recite the English small piece of roasted meat, placed all of those participating in the version (“Any chametz or leaven on the Seder plate to commemorate search. Although the blessing men- which is in my possession which I the Paschal sacrifice. tions destroying the chametz rather have not seen, have not removed or ● The roasted egg, also placed on the than searching for it, it is appropri- destroyed, and of which I am una- ate at this point because searching ware, should hereby become null and Continued on page 8

P a g e 7 Continued from page 7 Seder plate, commemorates the Chagigah sacrifice which was offered on Pesach. ● The charoset, usually composed of ground apples, pears, cinnamon, and red wine, is placed on the Seder plate in com- memoration of the mortar with which our ancestors were forced to construct buildings in Egypt. ● Also on the Seder plate should be the maror, the bitter vegetable. The most common choices are romaine lettuce and horseradish (unsweetened). Romaine lettuce must be washed and examined carefully for insects. (Take care not to soak the vegetable used for maror for 24 hours, since this would compromise its sharpness.)

STEP #9: Shopping and using sold chametz after Pesach. ● Chametz owned by a Jew during Pesach may not be eaten by a Jew even after Pesach. Care must therefore be taken after Pesach to purchase chametz with this issue in view. Stores owned by non-Jews present no problem; products in stores owned by Jews may be purchased if the proprietor sells the chametz for Pesach, or once enough time has passed that the items owned over Pesach have been purchased by other customers and have been replaced by new products from the store’s suppliers.

STEP #10: Next Pesach falls out on Friday, April 19th, 2019.

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P ESACH S CHEDULE 2018/5778 Pre-Pesach Friday, March 30 Count Omer 4 Sale of Chametz: Erev Pesach, First Checklist Rabbi Levine and Seder, Fast of the Wednesday, April 4 Rabbi Zirkind will be Firstborn Chol Hamoed Sell Chametz available at The Jewish Shacharit 7:00 & Shacharit 6:45AM Center at the following 8:00AM Minchah 7:10PM Maot Chittim times: Siyum 7:35AM Count Omer 5 Siyum for Firstborn Burning of chametz at Nullify & Burn Chametz  After regular The JC 10:00-11:15AM Thursday, April 5 Prepare for Seder minyanim and Finish eating chametz Chol Hamoed by 10:30AM Shacharit 6:45AM during office hours Nullify chametz by Candle Lighting 7:06PM from Wednesday, 11:45AM Minchah 7:10PM March 21 through Candle lighting 7:00PM Count Omer 6 Hospitality at Wednesday morn- Minchah 7:05PM ing, March 28 Chatzot 12:59AM Friday, April 6 The Jewish Center  Sunday, March 25 Pesach VII The Hospitality Committee from 9:30AM - Shabbat, March 31 Shacharit 9:00AM promotes the value of 12:30PM Pesach I, Second Seder Minchah 7:00PM hachnasat orchim,  Thursday, March Shacharit 9:30AM Candle Lighting 7:07PM welcoming guests, and 22 from 7:45PM- Daf Yomi 7:10PM Count Omer 7 creates an environment of 8:30PM Minchah 6:55PM warmth in the shul by Candle lighting and all Shabbat, April 7 welcoming newcomers and Seder preparations after Pesach VIII members each week. 8:01PM Shacharit 9:00AM Count Omer 1 Yizkor 10:30AM To host guests in your home Shabbat, March 24 Chatzot 1:00AM Shir Hashirim for Shabbat or Yom Tov Shabbat HaGadol Daf Yomi 6:15PM meals, to be hosted or to Drashah by Sunday, April 1 Minchah 7:00PM join the committee, Rabbi Yosie Levine Pesach II Count Omer 8 please contact: following 9:00AM Shacharit 9:30AM Shabbat concludes [email protected]. services Minchah 7:05PM 8:08PM Count Omer 2 Sunday, March 25 Yom Tov concludes Candle lighting and all Ma’ot Chittim Pesach Kashering 8:02PM preparations for second 9:30AM-12:30PM day of Yom Tov after Help us help others enjoy Monday, April 2 8:08PM and find meaning in the Thursday, March 29 Chol Hamoed Passover holiday.

Search for Chametz Shacharit 6:45AM Please wait one hour Help our needy Jewish may begin after 7:59PM Minchah 7:10PM before partaking of sold brothers and sisters observe Count Omer 3 chametz. Passover with dignity, in Tuesday, April 3 their homes by fulfilling the Chol Hamoed mission of Ma’ot Chittim, Shacharit 6:45AM “money for wheat” by send- Minchah 7:10PM ing in a generous donation.

Brachah for Counting the Omer: Make your check payable to the Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung ברוך אתה ה' אלקינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על ספירת העומר Blessed are you, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with Memorial Fund and mail it His commandments and has commanded us regarding the counting of the Omer. to The Jewish Center office.

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