What are you doing this Shabbat?

Why not join us in worship as our Kitah Hey/5th Grade students lead services this Saturday morning?  One of our post-Bnai Mitzvah students, Joshua Kalfus, will be chanting some Torah.  We hope you can join us.

Family Education Workshop

Today the 5th Grade had their Family Education workshop on the theme of Passover.  Here are some students hard at work:

Their plates were just delightful too.  Here are a couple:

Wishing you all a Happy Passover

The Passover Story In Brief

On Passover, we commemorate the Exodus from Egyptian slavery. The following is a brief summary: Jacob's family came to Egypt to escape a famine in Canaan. Joseph, Jacob's son and the Viceroy to Pharaoh, settled his family in the land of Goshen, apart from the Egyptians. Joseph's contribution to Egyptian society was forgotten after his death, and the new Pharaoh, feeling threatened by the success of the Israelites, enslaved them with cruel and bitter labor. Alerted to a prophecy that the Israelites would be led to freedom by a boy yet to be born, Pharaoh ordered all newborn Jewish boys cast into the Nile. Yocheved set her newborn son (Moses) adrift in the Nile in a basket, where he was found by Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him. Years later, Moses came upon an Egyptian beating an Israelite. Outraged, Moses slew the Egyptian and and then fled Egypt fearing that his action had been discovered. He took refuge in Midian with Jethro and married Jethro's daughter, Tziporah. While shepherding Jethro's sheep, Moses came upon a burning bush that was not being consumed by the flame and from which he heard God's voice instructing him to go back and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses, joined by his older brother Aaron, went to Pharaoh and demanded the release of the Israelites. Pharaoh repeatedly said no--nine times. Each time he said no, another plague (blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts and darkness) struck Egypt. Finally, God struck all the Egyptian first born dead. After this tenth and final plague, Pharaoh finally said "yes" and the Jews left Egypt, matzah in hand. Pharaoh changed his mind and chased the Israelites, who were eventually trapped between the Egyptian army and the Sea of Reeds. But the Sea miraculously split and they crossed safely while the Egyptians drowned in the returning waters. Only Pharaoh survived. The Israelites then continued their journey to Mount Sinai, where they received the Torah. And while you're thinking of the story, watch this great video of the Exodus, as told from the viewpoint of if we had Google back then.

Passover

Pesach, known as Passover in English, is a major Jewish spring festival, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special home service called the seder (meaning "order") and a festive meal; the prohibition of chametz (leaven); and the eating of matzah (an unleavened bread). On the fifteenth day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, Jews gather with family and friends in the evening to read from a book called the hagaddah, meaning "telling," which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Passover seder. Today, the holiday is a celebration of freedom and family.
The URJ website has some wonderful resources you can use for Passover.  There's the:

• History
• Customs and Rituals
• Glossary

• Interactive Seder Plate
• Is Passover 7 or 8 Days?

There are activities for the young 'uns and recipes from many different traditions.  Check it out!