22 5775 11 April 2015 KOL MEVASSER President’s Message KJ Schedule 2015/ 5775 Dear Members and Friends,

The story of the is thousands of years old, yet Erev Yom Tov, Sixth Day Passover Thursday, April 9th it remains as relevant today as ever. By Rabbi Ben -Zion Meir Hai Uziel Shaharit / Morning Prayer .. 6:30 am The First Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Throughout our history, there have been those who Eruv Tavshillin before candle lighting (translated from Hebrew by Rabbi Daniel Bouskila) Candle lighting ...... 7:02 pm targeted the Jewish people, as we are painfully and ...... constantly reminded; just as, throughout history, there Minha & Arbit 7:00 pm Sefirat Ha’Omer, Sixth Night This year, we have named Passo- have been those who seek to oppress others because ver “The Passover,” as of their religion, ethnicity or the color of their skin. Erev & Seventh Day Pesah this marks the very first year that Friday, April 10th During Passover, around the world renew their Shaharit / Morning Prayer .. 8:30 am we celebrate the festival of free- ...... dom as a truly free people in our faith that liberty will ultimately prevail over tyran- Candle lighting 7:02 pm Minha & Arbit ...... 7:00 pm land, in our holy city of Jerusalem. ny. We give thanks for the blessings of freedom, while remembering those who are still not free. We Sefirat Ha’Omer, Seventh Night In addition to all of the traditional ask one of life's most difficult questions: once we Shabbat & Eighth Day Passover symbols of freedom associated with Passover, such as reclining have passed from bondage to freedom, how do we Saturday, April 11th Shaharit / Morning Prayer .. 8:30 am and drinking the 4 cups of wine make the most of what God has given us? The search for this answer has deepened the Jewish peo- Minha & Arbit ...... 7:25 pm symbolic of our past and future ...... ple’s commitment to repairing the world with selfless- Havdalla 8:11 pm redemption, this year we express our freedom on Sefirat Ha’Omer, Eighth Night Passover by celebrating the holiday in a Jerusalem ness, with a common hope, and with a remarkable sense of obligation. Weekdays / Sunday, April 12th that is no longer threatened by enemies and is no Shaharit / Morning Prayer .. 7:30 am longer under siege (as it was just last year). We cele- Letizia and I are proud to celebrate Passover with Sefirat Ha’Omer, Ninth Night brate our freedom through the wonderful victories and family and friends, and we wish all our members, heroism of our soldiers, who are armed with both spir- Monday to Friday, April 13 to 17 Rabbi Daniel Bouskila and his family, Hazan Saeed Shaharit / Morning Prayer .. 6:30 am itual faith and physical strength. This year, we cele- Jalali and his family, Hazan Sassoon and his Sefirat Ha’Omer, Tenth to Fourteenth brate our freedom by expressing our national inde- family, and our entire Kahal family a beautiful pendence in our newly established “State of Israel,” and meaningful holiday focused on all the things that Yom Hashoah/Holocaust Day Thursday, April 16th which, in addition to providing shelter and independ- matter most in our lives. May each of us rejoice in the ence for our people, gives us elevated political and rich traditions of Pesah, with warmth and reflection, Erev Shabbat/ Friday, April 17th economic status amongst the nations of the world. By togetherness, prosperity and happiness always. Shaharit / Morning Prayer 6:30 am witnessing all of these before our eyes this Minha / Arvit 7:08 pm Hag Sameach, Candle Lighting 7:08 pm (Continued on page 3) Ronald Einy, President Sefirat Ha’Omer, Fourteenth Night

Refuah Shlemah Rabbi Daniel Bouskila Moselle Amron • Maurice Ovadia •Tilda Levy will be delivering the sermon Thank You Esther Duke • Abe • Sassoon Ezra at KJ this Shabbat, the 8th Day of to our generous donors who Pesah on the topic of helped sponsor KJ’s new tallitot In Memoriam We remember these yahrzeit anniversaries for "The Valley of the Dry Bones: April 11 to 18, 2015. It is customary to light a me- Auschwitz, 1945" Desi and Aghalar morial candle, donate tzedaka, & attend services Audrey and Vlady Cornateanu the preceding Shabbat. Rabbi Bouskila's sermon will connect Dr. Eva Dloomy the Haftarah of the 8th Day of Passover 22 Nisan / Shabbat, April 11th Edward Ezrapour Eliyahu ben Ezra Avraham Hayim to this week's upcoming observance of David and Louise Elias Hanini Horesh Suleiman Yom Hashoah. Rylla and Ben Elias Rica and Messod Emquies 25 Nisan / Tuesday, April 14th Frederick Tizabi Yehezkiel ben Avraham Diana and Isaac Gazal Helen Jonah 27 Nisan / Thursday, April 16th Congratulations Aharon Levy Aharon Isaac Levy Reggie Karen & Daniel Levi Soraya and Fred Khorshidi on the birth of a son Rebecca and David Kohan & Haftara Readings Fri: Shemot /Exodus XIII:17 -XV:26 pp. 265 to 274 Elias Levi Blanche and Fred Maslavi Sat: /Deut XIV:22 -XVI:17 pp. 810 to 818

Ruby and Joe Samuel Both: Bamidbar/Numb XXVIII: 19 -25 pp. 695 -696 Mazal Tov on the Susan and Bijan Zadeh ______first great grandson of Fri: Shmuel Bet / Samuel II pp. 1017 to 1022

Rabbi Elias Levi, z’’l & Vera Levi Sat: Yishayahu/Isaiah pp 1023 to 1026

grandson of & Ariel Levi and to Aunt Rena, also rejoicing 24 Days / 24 Jours "24 Days" will have a nationwide release on on April 24, 2015. Congratulations In Los Angeles, the film will be playing at Laemmle's Music Hall.

"24 Days" will also be available on iTunes the same day Naomie & Shmuel Ezran January 20, 2006. After dinner with his family, Ilan Halimi called an attractive girl he on the birth of a daughter had met at work and made plans to meet her for coffee. Ilan did not suspect a thing; he was 23 and had his whole life ahead of him. The next time Ilan’s family heard Mazal Tov to grandparents from him, it was through a cryptic online message from kidnappers demanding a Rabbi Eliahu Shalom & Hana Ora ransom in exchange for their son’s life. Director Alexandre Arcady presents the vi- Ezran and Esther Sakoun cious circle from the kidnapping and torture of Ilan Halimi, to the 100s of phone calls, insults, and threats received by the family, through the Parisian police’s incompetence in dealing with what was clearly an anti - and the Ezran & Harroch families Semitic crime.

(Continued from page 1) State of Israel. past year, we feel the depth of complete inde- Despite this, we nevertheless rejoice on the pendence and freedom that God has once establishment of the “New Jerusalem” that we again given us, and we especially feel all of this currently live in by the good grace of God, se- through the spiritual merit of our holy city of cure from the threat of the enemy. Jerusalem. Let us now rejoice on this Passover, the holi- In every generation, the enemies of Israel day of freedom, and let us celebrate it with cast their eyes on Jerusalem, seeking to de- aspirations that peace and justice reign stroy her walls and exile her people. They throughout our land. Let us together lift our knew that emptying Jerusalem of her children voices to God and pray: would destroy the spirit of Israel, and would lead to the conquest of the entire Land of Isra- Lord our God, give strength to our army, el. This was the case during the destruction of spread over them the of peace and both the First and Second Temple, and during save them from all enemies. Endow our state the Bar -Kochba revolt. This was also the case and leaders with wisdom, understanding and in our generation, as the enemies of Israel strength, bring peace in our land and in the cast their eyes on Jerusalem and her Jewish world, and establish the in inhabitants, seeking to demoralize both the your holy city of Jerusalem. Bring freedom and city and her people, attempting to bring them redemption to our Jewish brethren in Arab lands, to their knees in humiliating surrender. But save them from the hands of their oppressors, Jerusalem stood firm like a solid rock, even and bring them home to their land together during the most awful days that threatened with all Jews dispersed in the diaspora. her existence. As we celebrate Passover this year in our Just a year ago on Passover, under extreme newly liberated City of Jerusalem, next year, conditions, we prepared and celebrated the and for many years to come, may we merit Seder. By the same merit that our ancestors celebrating Passover in the Holy Temple in were redeemed in Egypt, we, the people of Jerusalem, with great joy, happiness and Jerusalem, were also redeemed, and our re- songs of praise to God, Amen. demption spread out all across the land. So here we are today, one year later, celebrating Passover in Jerusalem, this time with joy and Kahal Joseph happiness. Membership

We want you to be a member! Our joy is tempered by the fact that Jerusalem “within the walls” (The Old City) lies in ruins, Did you join us for the Operation emptied of her Jewish people, with the Kotel Michaelberg talk? Did you enjoy “Ask standing alone. This breaks our hearts, and the Rabbi about Passover?” Join our we will never feel comforted until the day wonderful community! Call Sarah comes when we merit to return to the sacred about an annual membership at Old City, which is the eternal capital of the 310.474.0559

What is a ? There are two “mandatory Mimouna foods” that everyone must eat. By Rabbi Daniel Bouskila The first is a date filled with butter and honey. The host of the Mimouna welcomes you with this delicacy, accompanied by the In , the word mimoun means “mazal”; it’s a night when we bless each greeting “Tirbah u’tissad .” Eating this indulgent combination of other and pray for “mazal” in our lives. Because Passover is the anniversary sweets symbolizes the sweetness of prosperity and success. Then of our deliverance from to freedom, we conclude Passover with an there is moufletta, the piece de resistance of any authentic expression of belief — which in Hebrew is emunah (sounds like Mimouna ) Mimouna. Moufletta is a thin, tortilla-style crepe fried in oil and — that God will continue to bless and protect us beyond Passover. We greet served hot with butter, honey or jam. It’s our first post-Passover each other by saying Tirbah u’tissad or “may you prosper and succeed.” , and — appropriately for Mimouna — it’s sweet!

Mimouna centers around a colorful table adorned with symbols of blessing. Some additional features of a Mimouna table include fresh and A bowl of flour filled with gold coins represents livelihood and sustenance. dried fruits, marzipan pastries, sesame cookies rolled in honey, a Branches of greenery symbolize a successful agricultural spring season, and variety of jams and jellies, buttermilk and Moroccan tea a fish represents fertility and plentitude. The table is colorful, and so are with nana (fresh mint). the clothes we wear. The women wear long, elaborately embroidered dress- es called kaftan, and the men wear embroidered shirts or long robes We kick off the night with a long, festive, beautifully chant- called jalabiya. The sounds of Andalusian music fill the room, and as things ed havdalah that not only “distinguishes between Passover and warm up, so does the hand clapping and dancing. Shot glasses weekday,” but also features blessings for health, prosperity, happi- of mahya (the Moroccan name for arak) are passed around. ness and safety.

KAHAL JOSEPH MEMOUNA CELEBRATION

with Rabbi Daniel Bouskila memorial service & discussion with Rabbi Daniel Bouskila Sunday, April 12th@7 pm Program will be held at the The Errol Levi Social Hall Jewish Federation, 6505 Wilshire Blvd

RSVP required to [email protected] or 323.272.4574 Come enjoy with your community a delightful evening of Live Middle Eastern Music Food, Friendship, & Fun

$18 per person Please RSVP to Sarah 310-474-0559