In This Issue: Second Decade Shabbat, page 5 Unity Through Harmony Concert, page 6 VOLUME 15 NUMBER 8 APRIL, 2019 ADAR II-NISAN 5779 SPIRITS OF OUR PAST: IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER Where it all began - A toast to our founders In September 1894, Beth Abraham’s founders purchased land to serve as the two-month-old congregation’s cemetery, near what is now West Schantz Avenue. Sometime between 1894 and 1895, they also began renting space for prayer services at the southeast corner of Fifth Street and Wayne Avenue. This was the shul’s home until 1902. Join us at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 5th, when we gather at Beth Abraham Cemetery’s main circle (in the chapel in case of inclement weather) with Dayton Jewish Observer Editor & Publisher Marshall Weiss to learn more about the history of this sacred place, its founders, and to share stories of your loved ones who are interred there. Afterward, we’ll reconvene at 4:30 p.m. at The Dublin Pub - which now occupies the site of Beth Abraham’s Fifth and Wayne location - for a toast to the shul’s founders, accompanied by tasty vegetarian appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. Please RSVP to the Beth Abraham Synagogue office by Thursday, April 25th if you will be attending the gathering at the Dublin Pub so we can plan accordingly. There is no cost to attend for the hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic drinks. We hope you’ll join us at this event as we continue celebrating our 125th anniversary! The Cantor’s Corner 2 Cantor Andrea Raizen With Purim behind us, Passover is Many explanations have been written hurtling its way towards us. The about the meaning. The most common is cleaning frenzy begins, as we clear that the kid symbolizes the Jewish people away all traces of chametz and then and the animals and people, represent the schlep boxes of nations that have persecuted us through Passover utensils the ages. The end of the song expresses from their year-long the hope for messianic redemption, akin hideaways and our to our redemption from Egypt, and kitchens become therefore a connection to the festival. Pesadik. Besides the Many famous Jewish thinkers have menu planning, found other deep teachings within the shopping and song. cooking, many of us Midrashic: The original author of begin to plan out the Chad Gadya plays on a famous midrash. seder, as well. The The Aramean King Nimrod challenges basic structure is set our monotheistic ancestor Abraham to a according to the traditional steps of the theological dialogue. Nimrod suggests seder, as outlined in every haggadah. that Abraham should worship fire. But But many look for ways to change Abraham argues that water quenches fire, things up, whether it be placing an clouds bring water, wind blows away unusual object on the seder plate or clouds, and humans can control wind table, a new and engaging way to tell through breath – so if you worship forces the story or adding new songs. of nature, you might as well worship Speaking of songs, most of our yourself. Nimrod, angry, sentences holiday repertoire contains songs with Abraham to death by fire, but God saves lyrics that reflect the theme or an aspect Abraham’s life. Hence, Chad Gadya of the festival. During the seder, this is explains, the Holy One of Blessing can true of such songs as Avadim Hayinu slay the Angel of Death. (We were slaves in Egypt), Dayenu (It Political: According to Lawrence would have been enough) and Ha Hoffman, a contemporary scholar of Lachma Anya (This is the bread of Jewish liturgy, Chad Gadya warns affliction). But think about the against taking revenge. The cycle, once concluding songs at the seder, like started, may never end. Similarly, modern Chad Gadya (One Kid) and Echad Mi Israeli songwriter Chava Alberstein used Yodea (Who Knows One?). There is Chad Gadya as a metaphor in a 1989 nothing overtly related to Passover in song urging the Israeli military not to either of these songs. Many say that retaliate against Palestinian strikes. “Why their inclusion at the end of the seder is are you singing Chad Gadya? How long to keep the interest of the children, will the cycle of horror last, the pursuer much like the 4 Questions do at the and the pursued, the striker and the beginning. Researchers have tried to stricken?” track down the origins of both, but Ethical: Rav Nasan Adler (1741-1800) there is no definitive consensus as to taught that Chad Gadya is really a where either began. Most scholars do warning against lashon hara (gossip). agree that both songs have German Once, this controversial rabbi overheard folksong counterparts, but no one is a group of strangers gossiping about certain which came first. Both originally him. He walked over and said, “How were also primarily found only in the about that Chad Gadya! The cat that ate Ashkenazic tradition, but today they are the kid did a terrible thing, so the dog included by many Sephardic families. was right to bite it, and the staff was Chad Gadya is written in Aramaic, wrong to beat the dog. If you follow the the spoken and scholarly language of logical steps of the song, it seems like the Jews of the Middle East from God was wrong to punish the angel of around 200 to 1200 C.E. While death. The song cannot really be Haggadahs were not printed until the criticizing God, so how do you solve the 1500’s, the earliest known inclusion of problem?” “You have thought about this Chad Gadya in any text was by Rabbi a lot, so perhaps you have an idea,” said Elazar ben Yehuda of Worms (1160-1238 the strangers. “Indeed I do!” said the CE) in his compendium of law codes Rav. “Actually, the dog was wrong. It entitled, “Sefer Rokeach.” The fact that was up to the father who owned the kid it can be traced back to at least the 13th to punish the cat. The dog should never Century ensures its standing as an have gotten involved in someone else’s indispensable part of the Seder. But business!” what does a song about one little goat Whatever explanation you prefer, I getting eaten by a cat that was bit by a wish everyone a Chag Sameach dog, etc. have to do with Passover? v’kasher! The Cycles of our Lives 3 Rabbi Joshua Ginsberg I recently learned of an interesting • The full month of Elul used as Tradition helps link us backwards, to our Jewish concept, called “mitzvah preparation before Rosh Hashanah and ancient ancestors as well as to our recently recycling,” an the High Holidays departed family members. Innovation helps idea where an • The ten Days of Awe between propel us forward, inspiring our children item used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. and grandchildren, empowering them to one mitzvah is • The four special Shabbatot keep these practices alive for future then used for leading into Passover. generations. This is a really important another. Perhaps • The 49-day Omer period discussion, because we get so bogged the most famous between Passover and Shavuot. down in day-to-day life, we rarely have example is the We do this a lot. We connect things, opportunities to step back and reflect. Yet custom of and we link together Jewish more than any other holiday, Passover is saving one’s observances. Even at our Pesach Seder, the perfect time for reflection. lulav (palm we talk about connecting one Seder to How will your Seder be different this branch) from another across time: “This year we are year from last? Who used to be there every Sukkot and here, next year may we be in Jerusalem.” year, always making the (insert special saving it until the eve of holiday food), but who Passover, to use for passed away since last kindling a fire for the “Tradition helps link us backwards, to our ancient Pesach? Which nephew/ mitzvah of burning ancestors as well as to our recently departed family niece/grandchild seemed to chameitz. be an infant two minutes Though it is often members. Innovation helps propel us forward, inspiring our ago, but now stands thought of as a kabbalistic children and grandchildren, empowering them to keep proudly on a chair and custom, the minhag actually these practices alive for future generations.” sings the Four Questions in derives from the Talmud Hebrew? Or who now (Tractate Shabbat 117b), coaxes a child of his/her where Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Assi took We reflect on ancient Seders, medieval own to sing them instead? We compare the bread they had used to make an Seders, Seders from our childhood, and foods, tunes, and stories to Seders of eruv (so they could carry food items to the future Seders where we will celebrate years and decades past, and in that each other’s’ homes on Shabbat) and the arrival of the Messianic Era. It is one moment we feel deeply connected to our reused it by eating it for a second meal. cycle after another; one cycle inside heritage. And that is precisely why we This is the source for later ideas of another. think in terms of cycles. halachic recycling of things like the Many of us debate within our We remind ourselves about the passage etrog (making jam, to eat on Tu families whether our Seder should be of time, helping us to appreciate this B’Shevat), Havdalah candle wax traditional – filled with all the practices, moment, right now.