Congregation Ohav Shalom’s Passover Guide 5779/2019 PESACH-PASSOVER: FEASTING FOR FREEDOM (The follow- ing passages have been adapted from the highly recommended book by Michael Strassfeld, “The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commen- PESACH 5779 SERVICES tary,” Harper & Row, 1985. Rabbi Ornstein has also made some addi- tions to the text.) SCHEDULE Thursday, April 18: Search for Chametz: After 8:11PM AMES AND HEMES OF THE OLIDAY N T H Friday, April 19: 6:45 AM: Morning Service, The name Passover is taken from the by the sights and smells of spring Siyyum and Fast of the Firstborn. Exodus story: During the tenth and and is reinforced in a Jewish context All forms for the sale of Chametz ultimate plague inflicted on Pharaoh by Passover and the theme of (see page 8), must be in the to break his will, God passed over liberation. Passover reminds us an- synagogue office by 10 AM. the Israelites and struck down only nually that no matter how terrible our Friday, April 19: the Egyptian firstborn. That night situation, we must not lose hope. FIRST SEDER NIGHT There will be no Shabbat Pharaoh finally agreed to let the Passover holds out that such change evening service. Israelites go; and ever since then, we is as intrinsic to human nature as are Candle lighting at 7:24 PM gather together on that night to com- blossoming trees to the natural world. memorate that time, and to contem- Another name for Passover is Saturday, April 20: plate the meaning of being freed by chag ha-matzot-the holiday of (Day 1 of Pesach) the “mighty hand and outstretched unleavened bread. The mitzvah SECOND SEDER NIGHT arm” of the Holy One. evokes images of that night when the Morning Services: 9:30 AM The central meaning of Passover is End of Day 1 Israelites ate the sacrificial lamb in liberation, and hence it is also called Shabbat and Yom Tov fearful and eager anticipation of the ‘zeman heiruteinu’-the season of our Second Seder begins: 8:27 PM. future. Around them arose the wails liberation. Another name for Candle lighting from a preexisting of Egyptians mourning the deaths of Passover is chag ha-aviv-the holiday flame, 8:27 PM their firstborn. Suddenly, the word of spring. The Jewish calendar is set Sefirat Ha Omer, came from Moses to hurry forth. The so that certain holidays always occur (Counting of the Omer), begins. Israelites had no time to let the in a particular season of the year. dough rise for bread, and so they Sunday, April 21: Thus, the holiday of liberation is also carried with them this “matzah” as (Day 2 of Pesach) the holiday of spring, not simply by their only provisions. Morning Services: 9:30AM coincidence but by design. Similarly, No afternoon or evening services a people enshackled in oppressive Matzah as a symbol of liberation is at the synagogue. slavery, doomed to a slow process of meant to trigger in our minds the End of Day 2 Pesach: 8:29PM degradation or even extinction, whole story, which began in slavery bursts forth out of Egypt into a new and ended in freedom. It also life’s journey leading to a land flowing reminds us of God’s role in the with milk and honey. Exodus, for it recalls the faith of the Continued on page 8 Israelites, who were willing to leave The watchwords of both spring and the home they knew and go off into Passover are rebirth and hope. The the desert. spirit of renewed optimism is aroused 1 JEWISH HISTORY: LIVING IN THE symbols are meant to remind us, on Congregation PAST AND PRESENT the one hand, of the bitterness of slav- ery and, on the other, of the great joy Ohav Shalom Passover marks the beginning of the of our liberation. At the Seder, we re- relationship between God and the 113 New Krumkill Rd. cite a special text, the Haggadah. Jews as a people. Because it is the Celebrating the Seder by reading the Albany, NY 12208 crucial event that marks the beginning Haggadah is one of the most widely of our sacred history, the Exodus is (518) 489-4706 observed practices in Judaism. Eagerly referred to repeatedly in Jewish liturgy anticipated, the Haggadah includes and thought. At Passover, we are com- www.ohavshalom.org such parts as the Four Questions (Mah manded to tell the story of the Exodus. Nishtanah), the Four Children, the Founded 1911 This commandment, unique to this songs (e.g. “Dayyeinu”) and the cus- holiday, leads us not only to remember A Conservative/Egalitarian tom of stealing the afi komen matzah. the Exodus but also to expand upon Synagogue But underlying the fun and the warmth the tale, to explore its complexities and affiliated with of families and friends gathered togeth- develop its meanings. Thus the The United Synagogue of er is an important religious drama in Haggadah, the liturgy we use at the Conservative Judaism which the props are the symbols, the Seder, states: In every generation, script is the Haggadah, and the actors each person should feel as though she Rabbi Daniel Ornstein are our families, our friends, and who- or he were redeemed from Egypt, as it ever would understand the drama. Rabbi Rena Kieval is said: “You shall tell your children on that day saying, It is because of what Passover is a family holiday because the Lord did for me when I went free of the importance it places on convey- President: Judy Avner out of Egypt. For the Holy One ing the story and meaning of Passover redeemed not only our ancestors; He to the next generation. It is the chil- redeemed us with them.” dren’s role to ask the Four Questions; Synagogue Administrator: it is our role to impress upon them the Nancy Pandolfo The uniqueness of Passover is encap- significance of the answers, for we sulated in the above passage. It teach- understand fully what our children may B’Yachad Principal: es us that Jewish history is also a time- not: that the future of the Jewish peo- Rabbi Miriam Midlarsky- less present, that Passover is not ple lies with them. For that people to Lichtenfeld simply a commemoration of an continue its 4000-year history, in every important event in our past-analogous generation each of us and each of our Early Childhood Director: to the Fourth of July or Bastille Day-but children must feel as though we our- Sheryl Welton an event in which we participated and selves were slaves in Egypt and were in which we continue to participate. We redeemed. In this way, each new Finance Coordinator: are meant to re-experience the slavery generation can take its place in the Patty Marcinkowski and the redemption that occurs in each chain of the Jewish people leading day of our lives. It is our own story, not down from the Exodus to the present. Administrative Assistant: just some ancient history that we retell Cecelia Soloviev at Passover. PREPARING THE SEDER TABLE THE SEDER The whole group or family should be “In every generation, each person involved if possible. Children can help The structure of this reliving and should feel as though she or he were set the table, color place cards, make retelling is the Seder. The Hebrew redeemed from Egypt, as it is said: matzah covers from napkins and take word Seder means “order,” and the charge of the salt water. The more that ‘You shall tell your children on that meal ritual has a very carefully con- people participate, the greater their day saying, It is because of what the structed order to it. The Seder in- sense of involvement. Lord did for me when I went free out cludes many rituals, such as eating of Egypt. For the Holy One redeemed matzah and maror (the bitter not only our ancestors; He herbs) ,drinking four cups of wine, and redeemed us with them.’” eating a sumptuous feast. Its many 2 and the lighter the burden on those doing the Passover sacrifice, which was WINE: the planning and cooking. Besides the roasted. For vegetarians and others “Kosher for Passover” wine is needed for Haggadot and whatever food will be who prefer not to use a bone, the the Four Cups. Since each person is re- served at the meal, the main items rabbis have suggested an alternative: quired to drink four cups, everyone needed for the Seder are the Seder plate, a broiled beet. should have his or her own glass. The matzot and wine. (Some Seder plates have a sixth symbol, drinking of the four cups is a mitzvah (of THE SEDER PLATE: hazeret, which is additional maror to be rabbinic origin), not an endurance test. The Seder plate-k’arah-contains all the used for the koreikh sandwich. The four cups of wine symbolize the four symbols of the Seder. While any dish can different ways in which God speaks with be used, many people own special Moses about redeeming the Israelites ceremonial plates with places marked for from slavery, found in chapter 6 of each item. One Seder plate will suffice, Exodus. but people often lay out individual ones. Since it is important to be fully conscious The foods on the Seder plate are not at the Seder, rather than sleepy or tipsy, eaten during the Seder. They are: you may use “Kosher for Passover” grape 1. Karpas: a vegetable, usually green juice instead of wine. If, for reasons of such as parsley, symbolizing spring health, you cannot drink grape wine or and rebirth.