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Dear Friends,
Welcome to the second issue of our new
quarterly bulletin, Chalonot. This edition
is being published during a unique period
in the shul‘s 125-year history. The shul is
completely closed to slow down the spread
of the coronavirus and we have switched
much of our programming, like so many
other communities, to online venues.
These are certainly unprecedented times
and we are learning and adapting as we go
along. I am enormously proud of our
community‘s response to this epidemic.
The medical professionals we assembled
to guide us through these uncertain times
have kept us ahead of the curve in making
difficult decisions. Our lay leadership have
been keenly sensitive to the needs of our
members. This situation has challenged us
to find new ways to collaborate and care
for each other and it has shined a light on
the strong foundation of chesed present in
our community.
True, the fact that we cannot physically
congregate and conduct minyanim is a
spiritual challenge and being isolated
from one another makes it difficult to stay
connected. Nevertheless, our situation –
all of us confined to our separate homes –
reminds me of a scene from the Torah.
When the wicked, non-Jewish prophet
Bilaam observed the Jewish people as an
outsider, he couldn‘t but praise them for
how their individual homes were arrayed.
He declared in his famous blessing: מה טבו
,how good are your tents אהליך יעקב
Jacob. Here we find one of the most
meaningful blessings bestowed up on the
Jewish people collectively, though not
when they were amassed together in one
congregation. Rather, it was made when
observing them all separated into their
individual homes - much like we are
today. Even if we can‘t be together, this
blessing reminds us of the beauty of the
Jewish community as it is made up by
individual homes. And as I was thinking
about this verse, I realized that the
climactic event of the Exodus from Egypt
took place in a very similar layout.
Hashem passed over the homes of Bnei
Yisrael in Egypt during the plague of the
firstborn not when the entire people was
gathered together in one place. Hashem
passed over each individual home that had
blood over its door. We were all spread
out in our individual homes during this
powerful moment, just as we were when
Bilaam pronounced his blessing. And just
as we are right now and will most likely be
the night of Pesach.
We expect that this Pesach will be
different than all other Pesach
celebrations in recent memory. Many of
us who planned to be away will find
ourselves here in Englewood in their
homes. Most likely, we will still be
practicing social distancing. Here at the
shul, we are hard at work making sure we
can provide all the necessary resources
and guidance for those making Pesach
and the unique challenges of this
particular Pesach during a pandemic.
Please look through the table of contents
on this page carefully to find important
Pesach information in this Spring edition
of Chalonot.
Shoshana, our daughters, and I wish
everyone a happy, healthy, kosher, and
meaningful Pesach.
Rabbi Poupko
CAT BULLETIN ON-LINE: www.ahavathtorah.org/bulletin
WISHING A HAPPY PASSOVER TO EVERYONE!
RABBI POUPKO, SENIOR RABBI
IN THIS ISSUE: RABBI CHAIM POUPKO
MICHAEL RATZKER, PRESIDENT
PASSOVER GUIDE:
PESACH PREPARATIONS
EREV PESACH
SEDER STARTERS
RITUAL OF REMEMBRANCE
PESACH SCHEDULE
YOUTH DEPARTMENT
DOR L’DOR EVENTS
NEW MEMBERS
LEFECYCLE EVENTS
PESACH TAKE-OUT MENUS
ENJOY DIVREI TORAH & SEDER
STARTERS FROM RABBI POUPKO, RABBI
GOLDBERG, RABBI KUESSOUS, RABBI
ISRAELI AND RABBI ROSENSWEIG
A NEW QUARTERLY JOURNAL
PROVIDING A WINDOW INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING AT
CONGREGATION
AHAVATH TORAH Chalonot is Hebrew for Windows
THE PASSOVER EDITION!
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PASSOVER GUIDE
CLICK HERE FOR PDF
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Once we were
slaves now we
are free.
Next month, we will
chant these words at our private
Seders, but with the arrival of COVID-
19, this statement seemingly does not
ring true this year. Free people can
attend services at their Synagogues,
visit their loved ones, shop for more
than 20 minutes at a time, and don‘t
have an 8pm curfew. Additionally,
people who are free have at least a
perceived sense of security in their
lives.
This has been an extremely challenging
time for all of us, some more than
others. We continue to daven for the
cholim, to pray that this insidious virus
ceases to spread and that a vaccine is
imminent. While we are all living with
restrictions that we never could have
imagined, we are still free. We have the
luxury of spending time, whether
physically or virtually, with our families
and friends, praying and learning with
our Rabbis, and benefitting from the
widespread talents of our members
ranging in areas of expertise from
medical advice to community service to
online workout classes. The array of
programming whether educational or
solely for entertainment purposes is
truly remarkable.
I am very grateful to the following
individuals for all of their efforts.
Thank you Rabbi Poupko for taking the
initiative and forming the Medical
Advisory Committee to help us
navigate these challenging times. We
are so thankful to our medical
professionals who have selflessly
volunteered their time, Josef Schenker,
Aliza Solomon, Lisa Wisotsky, Josh
Hartman and Vickie Shulman. Your
advice and guidance has been
extremely helpful to CAT‘s executive
board, facilitating our decision-making
process in a way that prioritizes the
safety of our members.
Thank you to our Rabbinical and office
staff, who have adapted so well to
working remotely and continue to offer
support to our members, catering panel
and local businesses. A special thank
you to Shoshana for establishing a
committee to address the needs of our
more vulnerable community members.
I also want to thank Shira and Nurit for
providing virtual work-out classes
which are keeping us both heart
healthy and sane.
Lastly, thank you to all of our members
for your outpouring of support and
constructive suggestions. It is truly
remarkable to see, once again, evidence
of this community‘s overwhelming
generosity, kindness and resilience.
Two weeks ago, I was sitting in a Czech
stadium watching a Sparta Prague
hockey game. On the boards was the
team‘s mission statement,
NEZASTAVIS or DON‘T STOP.
I am so thankful that so many of you
have not stopped looking for
opportunities to ease the current
situation. May we all enjoy a
meaningful Pesach as we look forward
MICHAEL RATZKER, PRESIDENT LISTEN TO CAT
SHIURIM ONLINE AND
ON THE GO!
Did you miss a weekday class at
Ahavath Torah? Don’t sweat it!
Now you can find all of our
weekday classes online. Listen
on the go and when it works for
you.
Just visit our SoundCloud
homepage at
soundcloud.com/ahavathtorah
for all recordings.
Particular playlists include...
Rabbi Kuessous: Shir Hashirim
Shiur for Women
Nach B'iyun with Rabbi Goldberg
In-Depth Halacha with Rabbi
Kuessous
Eve Flechner Parsha Shiur with
Rabbi Poupko
Dr. Shoshana Poupko: Reflecting
with the Rebbetzin
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Mechirat Chametz
Any large quantities of Chametz which cannot be dis-
posed are then put into a separate closed and marked
location and completely sold to a non-Jew. Please note,
one should preferably physically dispose of all actual
Chametz (bread, cereal, etc.) rather than include such
substances in the sale. That which cannot be disposed
of, however, will be included in the sale. Any of the Rab-
bis can act as an intermediary in the selling of Chametz
to a non-Jew for the Passover period. When this is
done, the seller should remember not to eat the Cha-
metz in question for some time after Passover is over in
order to allow the Rabbi the opportunity to repurchase
the products from the non-Jew. (This year such Cha-
metz should not be eaten before 9:00pm).
To maintain social distancing, please fill out the online
form available for members: click here. All forms must
be received by April 7th at 12:00pm. The custom is to
make a donation to the Rabbi‘s Discretionary Fund
when submitting a contract. Click here to make dona-
tions.
Maot Chitim
Maot Chitim is a long-held tradition to contribute gen-
erously towards funds that ensure that everyone who is
in need has the means to celebrate Pesach properly.
Given the current economic impact of the pandemic,
the needs of many families are far greater this year.
Please click here to donate to our Maot Chitim fund.
Shmurah Matzah
Ideally, one should use hand-made Shmurah Matzah to
fulfill the mitzvah of eating Matzah at the Seder. Only in
a case of great need, what is called in halachah a Sha‘at
haDechak, can one make use of machine-made Shmu-
rah Matzah. This year certainly qualifies as a Sha‘at
haDechak since it will be far more difficult to obtain
hand-made Shmurah Matzah.
Therefore, if one cannot find hand-made Shmurah Mat-
zah one may use machine-made Shmurah Matzah for
the Seder. It is best to use machine-made Shmurah
Matzah whose wheat has been watched from the time of
harvesting (k‘tzirah). If one can find only Machine-
made Shmurah Matzah whose wheat has been watched
from the time of grinding (t‘chinah) this is acceptable as
well.
Kitchen Preparations
Englewood Keilim Mikvah
As of March 24, the Englewood Keilim Mikvah is
closed. The Rabbis will be distributing alternative pro-
cedures for newly purchased utensils that require
tevilah.
Communal Keilim Kashering
There will be no Communal Keilim Kashering. See
‗Kashering the Kitchen‘ below for written instructions.
Click here (https://youtu.be/OA3P1shmhME) for video
demonstrations.
Pesach Kashrut Guides
The Kashrut industry has produced a number of high-
quality, easy to follow guides. The following guide pro-
duced by the Chicago Rabbinical Council is one of the
most user-friendly and most in line with our communi-
ty‘s standards and practices.
The following are the most relevant portions for prepar-
ing your home and shopping for Pesach:
Kashering the Kitchen (pdf)
or type in http://bit.ly/KasherKitchen
Which Items Can Be Kashered?
Countertops
Tevillas Keilim
Shopping Guide (pdf)
or type in http://bit.ly/CATshopping
Medicine and Cosmetics (pdf)
or type in http://bit.ly/MedCosm
Pets (pdf)
or type in http://bit.ly/PesachPets
Click here for the complete Guide (large pdf file)
or type in http://bit.ly/CRCPesachGuide
PESACH GUIDE 2020: PREPARATIONS FOR PESACH
CHECK SEDER AND A LA CARTE PESACH MENUES
FROM OUR CATERERS
CLICK HERE
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Bedikat and Biur Chametz - The home, car and any
area in which Chametz has regularly been eaten should
be fully cleaned during the weeks preceding Passover.
All Chametz found during this cleaning must be proper-
ly disposed of. On Tuesday night, April 7, as soon as
possible after 8:10 p.m., the home is carefully searched
by candlelight or by flashlight for any remaining Cha-
metz. The blessing for this search can be found in a Sid-
dur or a Haggadah. All Chametz found during the
search (which we have not sold; see below) is then
burned on Wednesday morning, April 8 by 11:53am.
The latest time to eat Chametz is 10:47am.
There will be no Communal Biur Chametz this
year. One should burn their small pieces of chametz
used for the Bedikat Chametz using as much caution as
possible. One can burn them in your BBQ grill. An al-
ternative, safer method is to flush the small pieces down
the toilet.
Bitul Chametz - In addition to physically destroying
the Chametz of which we are aware, as an added pre-
caution we also nullify our ownership over any Chametz
which we may have missed. The formula for this nullifi-
cation (Kol Chamira) is found in the siddur or Hagga-
dah and is recited after the search at night and on
Wednesday morning before 11:53am, immediately after
the burning of the Chametz. As this formula deals with
the legal concept of ownership, we must fully under-
stand what we are saying and have full intent to nullify
our ownership over any remaining Chametz. The Eng-
lish text of the Kol Chamira can be said as follows: "All
Chametz and leavening that may still be in my property
which I have or have not seen, which I may have or
have not removed, of whose existence I have or have no
knowledge, shall be considered ownerless and deemed
as valueless as the dust of the earth."
PESACH GUIDE 2020: EREV PESACH
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HALAKHOT OF BITTUL CHAMETZ
RABBI ITAMAR ROSENSWEIG
Scholar in Residence
We dispose of chametz in multiple ways:
bi’ur, mekhirah, and bittul chametz. The
process of bi’ur chametz begins with
house cleaning several weeks before yom tov. It culminates
with bedikah on erev pesach eve and burning the chametz
the next morning. Mekhirat chametz is the practice of sell-
ing chametz to a gentile before yom tov. Because the Torah
prohibits owning chametz, you can avoid the Torah prohi-
bition by transferring title of the chametz to a gentile. Bittul
chametz is the act of renouncing of chametz before pesach.
Bittul is usually performed by reciting the kol chamira
statement after bedikat chametz and again after bi’ur.
How does bittul chametz work and what does it accom-
plish? Tosafot (Pesachim 4b s.v. mi-deoraita) argue that
bittul constitutes a form of hefker, the halakhic process of
renouncing ownership and abandoning title to an object.
According to Tosafot, the mechanism of bittul is like that of
mekhirah. In both cases you avoid the Torah prohibition
through terminating your ownership. In the case of
mekhirah this is done through transferring the chametz to
a gentile. In the case of bittul this is accomplished through
legally abandoning it.
Ramban (Pesachim 4b s.v. inyan) disagrees with Tosafot‘s
account of bittul and raises several objections. The core of
Ramban‘s attack is that the familiar procedure of bittul
chametz is incompatible with the rules of hefker. For exam-
ple, according to one view of hefker (R. Yossi in Nedarim
43a), the abandoner (mafkir) doesn‘t lose title until the
item has been captured by another party. On this view, bit-
tul would be ineffective until someone else takes possession
of the chametz. (Usually, no one takes possession of it.) Se-
cond, some opinions maintain (Nedarim 45a) that the act
of legal abandonment is valid only if it is witnessed by three
persons. Yet bittul chametz does not need to be witnessed
by anyone. Third, Ramban notes that whereas renouncing
ownership through hefker is prohibited on shabbat (as a
form of property transfer), the Talmud assumes (Pesachim
7a) that you can do bittul on shabbat. These considerations
suggest that bittul is not grounded in the principle of
hefker.
Ramban therefore proposes a different theory of bittul.
Ramban‘s account begins by observing that as a matter of
halakhic property law, persons do not have the legal power
to own prohibited items (issurei hanaah). The halakhah
dispossesses owners of holding title to such goods. Since
chametz is a prohibited item on pesach, the pure principles
of Jewish property law imply that it is not possible to vio-
late the Torah prohibition of owning chametz. You are ha-
lakhically dispossessed of your chametz ownership the mo-
ment the chametz prohibition goes into effect. How then
can the chametz prohibition be violated?
Ramban argues that the Torah imposes a special penalty on
persons who ―desire and intend to maintain possession‖ of
their chametz on pesach (da’ato alav ve-hu rotzeh be-
kiyumo). It does so by overriding the standard rules of ha-
lakhic property law by artificially assigning ownership to
those persons who want to (and in fact do) possess cha-
metz—solely for the purpose of holding them accountable
for the chametz transgression (see Pesachim 6b). Crucial
for Ramban‘s theory, this penalty through assignment of
ownership is limited to persons who ―desire and intend‖ to
possess chametz on yom tov.
Bittul chametz is a procedure for avoiding the penalty of
artificial ownership assignment. It is a formal declaration
that you neither desire nor intend to possess or benefit
from chametz. If you genuinely do not want to benefit from
chametz or possess it over yom tov, you will not be penal-
ized with artificial ownership and therefore you won‘t vio-
late the chametz prohibition, even if you so happens to
have chametz in your possession. Under Jewish property
law one is automatically dispossessed of ownership of pro-
hibited items (such as chametz), and there is no basis for
penalizing someone who has no desire to possess chametz.
Consistent with his theory, Ramban maintains that you
need not recite the bittul. What matters is your state of
mind: that you have no interest in possessing or benefiting
from chametz.
Why do we do bedikah and bi’ur in addition to bittul? In
principle, the Talmud suggests that bittul by itself would be
enough. But bittul is effective only if you genuinely have no
desire to possess and benefit from chametz on pesach. The
Talmud is concerned that if you don‘t physically dispose of
your chametz, you might come across a doughnut or liquor
bottle in your pantry and want to either consume it or to
continue to possess it. This would undermine your bittul
(now you want your chametz!) and trigger the artificial as-
signment of ownership. That‘s why the halakhah advises
you to get rid of all chametz, through bedikah and bi’ur and
not to rely on bittul alone. Ramban notes that this concern
is limited to the kind and quantity of chametz that you
might actually desire on pesach. For small crumbs lying
around the house, bittul can do the job by itself.
PESACH DVAR TORAH
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STRANGER THINGS AT THE SEDER
RABBI CHAIM POUPKO, Senior Rabbi
The Pesach Seder is designed
intentionally with strange
behaviors. There are a number of
mitzvot and minhagim that we
perform that make this night different from all other
nights for very specific reasons. In fact, we pause and
declare that this night is different than all other nights.
Many of the things that we do that are strange, have very
good reasons for them. It‘s easy to understand why we
eat the bitter maror, why we break the middle matzoh,
or why we have the charoset. There is one practice that
we have, though, that is not just strange - we‘re not even
sure why we do it. Karpas, the dipping of a vegetable into
saltwater before the meal begins, is one of the most
mysterious rituals of the evening. Indeed, according to
some there is no deeper reason or symbolism behind it
other than to look strange…to arouse the curiosity of the
children. One novel approach suggests that it is a veiled
reference to the events that initiated the entire story of
Yetziyat Mitzrayim, events which are not referred to in the
Haggadah at all. Karpas is also one of the colors used by
Rashi to describe the Ketones Pasim, the coat of many
colors dipped in blood by the brothers of Yosef to convince
Yaakov that he was dead. That series of events eventually
led to Bnei Yisrael coming down to Egypt. Therefore, the
Karpas is dipped as well to recall the brothers‘ actions.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
• Do you think the Haggadah intentionally or
unintentionally left out the story of the family‘s descent to
Egypt? Why or why not?
• Should everything we do at the Seder have a specific
reason or is ―to arouse the curiosity of the children‖ reason
enough? Why?
• If you had to write the story of Yetziyas Mitzrayim in your
own words, with what event would you start it?
RABBI DANIEL GOLDBERG, ASSOCIATE RABBI
PLEASE AND THANK YOU
RABBI DANIEL GOLDBERG, Associate Rabbi
The Gemara in Pesachim (116b) presents
a fascinating machloket between Rabbi
Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon regarding the
bracha that we recite over the second cup of wine as we con-
clude Maggid. According to Rabbi Tarfon the bracha should
read:
רים, גאל את־אבותינו מםצ אלנו ו ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם, אשר ג
לה הזה לאכל־בו מצה ומרור הגיענו הלי ו
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who
redeemed us and redeemed our ancestors from Egypt, and
brought us on this night to eat matsa and marror.
However, according to Rabbi Akiva, the bracha must contin-
ue from there with the words:
גלים אחרים הבאים לר מועדים ו כן ה' אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו יגיענו ל
נאכל שם מן ששים בעבודתך. ו ין עירך ו בנ מחים ב שלום, ש ראתנו ל לק
ך שיר נודה ל רצון, ו בחך ל סחים אשר יגיע דמם על קיר מז בחים ומן הפ הז
ראל. שנו. ברוך אתה ה', גאל יש דות נפ על פ אלתנו ו חדש על ג
so too, Lord our God, and God of our ancestors, bring us to
other appointed times and holidays that will come to greet
us in peace, joyful in the building of Your city and happy in
Your worship; that we shall eat there from the offerings
and from the Pesach sacrifices, the blood of which shall
reach the wall of Your altar for favor, and we shall thank
You with a new song upon our redemption and upon the
restoration of our souls. Blessed are you, Lord, who re-
deemed Israel.
We, of course, follow the position of Rabbi Akiva. But it is
worth considering the different approaches expressed by
these two sages. For Rabbi Tarfon, the summation of Mag-
gid is a simple expression of gratitude. For Rabbi Akiva, on
the other hand, we conclude Maggid with more than grati-
tude. We conclude with a prayer for future redemption,
which reflects our current state of exile.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
• How does this machloket represent a broader tension on
Seder night?
• Does Rabbi Akiva‘s concluding prayer undermine the ex-
pression of gratitude that precedes it?
• How can a person express deep gratitude without becom-
ing complacent and accepting the status quo?
• How can a person make requests of Hashem and yearn for
a better world without displaying a lack of gratitude for all of
the good that God has already bestowed upon him/her?
SEDER STARTERS
TORAH NUGGETS AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS FROM THE CAT SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP TEAM
TO INSPIRE DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION AT YOUR SEDER TABLE
7
RABBI WILLIE & ESTEE BALK, YOUTH DIRECORS
ברוך "המקום"
RABBI ANDREW ISRAELI
TEEN DIRECTOR
There are many words in the Hebrew
language that we use to refer to the
creator of the world. When we make a
bracha, we use the word, ah-do-nay,
implying Hashem is the master of the world. The word
elo-heinu, implies that Hashem is not only our God, but
the God of the entire world.
On the night of the seder we refer to Hashem with the
word ―Makom‖, something to do with place, as we in-
troduce the four sons. The question that many of the
commentators ask is, what is the reason that God is re-
ferred to as ―hamakom” specifically on the night of the
seder. We see the word hamakom refer to God in nu-
merous other instances throughout tanach as well.
In parshat vaytze, when Yaakov Avinu is running away
from his brother Eisav, he falls asleep again in the ma-
kom, in the place, and Rashi comments that Yaaakov
encountered God in prayer. Again this word appears in
the megillat Esther, when we are told that the salvation
with come, m’makom acher, and the Maharal from
Prague points out that this is an allusion to God as well.
In a situation in which we would have to go to a house
of morning, again the word makom appears, when we
take leave of the mourners, and ask God to comfort the
mourners amongst the mourners of Tzion and
Yerushalayim.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
Why at these times do we refer to God as makom,
―place‖? Does it have what to do with God being om-
nipresent and omnipotent? Can we find this allusion
elsewhere in tanach or in the Haggadah?
Why might this phrase specifically introduce the
four sons?
What role does the place in which we are having the
seder, play into our overall seder experience? If we
could choose a place in the world to have our seder,
where would it be and why?
SEDER STARTERS
RABBI MORDECHAI KUESSOUS
ASSISTANT RABBI
FOR THE BENAROYA SEPHARDIC CENTER
There is something very curious about
the language in which we begin the
Magid. Why would the Baal Haggadah choose to write
only this paragraph in Aramaic, when the rest of the Hag-
gadah was written in Hebrew? The Zohar offers a fasci-
nating explanation based on a Gemara in Masechet Shab-
bat 12a. The Gemara there teaches that we should never
pray in Aramaic because that is the only language the an-
gels do not understand and they won't be able to deliver
our prayers to God. But don‘t we want the angels to bring
the tefillot of the seder up for us like all other tefillot? The
answer the Zohar gives is so profound! Tonight, we don‘t
need the angels to handle our prayers for us because Ha-
shem himself comes to our seder and joins in together
with us. The Baal Haggadah wanted us to know what an
incredible opportunity we have so he intentionally began
the Magid in Aramaic to emphasize this point. How
amazing it is that on this night we have Hashem himself
in our midst! Let‘s ensure we take advantage of God's
presence and let‘s also remember to conduct ourselves in
a way befitting the presence of our king.
Q: If God was the one sitting next to you at the Seder,
what would you ask him?
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PESACH GUIDE 2020: SEDER RITUAL OF REMEMBRANCE
9
SHABBAT
Shabbat, April 3/4, Parshat Tzav, Shabbat HaGadol
7:06 pm - Shabbat Candle Lighting
9:46 am - Latest Shema
8:06 pm – Shabbat ends
Shabbat, April 17/18, Parshat Shmini, Shab-bat Mevarchim, 8th/9th Omer
7:20 pm Shabbat Candle Lighting
9:33 am – Latest Shema
8:23 pm – Shabbat Ends
Shabbat, April 24/25, Parshat Tazria-Metzora, Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, 15/16 Omer
7:28 pm – Shabbat Candle Lighting
9:28 am – Latest Shema
8:31 pm – Shabbat Ends
PESACH GUIDE 2020: SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, APRIL 2 PRE-SHABBAT HAGADOL DRASHA Delivered by Rabbi Poupko (Zoom) 8:00pm TUESDAY, APRIL 7 - BEDIKAT CHAMETZ Bedikat Chametz no earlier than 8:10pm WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 EREV PESACH - TAANIT BECHOROT Fast begins 5:02am Siyum (Zoom) 8:30am Last Chametz before 10:47am Destroy Chametz before 11:53am Eruv Tavshilin Yom Tov Candle Lighting 7:11pm Daven Mincha before sunset 7:29pm First Seder after 8:11pm THURSDAY, APRIL 9 - 1ST DAY OF PESACH Latest Kriyat Shema 9:41am Daven Mincha before sunset 7:30pm Yom Tov Candle Lighting & Second Seder after 8:12pm FRIDAY, APRIL 10 - 2ND DAY OF PESACH, 1 Omer Latest Kriyat Shema 9:40am Shabbat Candle Lighting 7:13am Daven Mincha before sunset 7:30pm SHABBAT, APRIL 11 – CHOL HAMOED, 2 OMER Latest Kriyat Shema 9:39am Daven Mincha before sunset 7:32pm Shabbat Ends/Havdalah after 8:14pm TUESDAY, APRIL 14 CHOL HAMOED PESACH, EREV YOM TOV, 5 Omer Yom Tov Candle Lighting 7:17pm Daven Mincha before sunset 7:35pm WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, PESACH, 6 Omer Latest Shema 9:36am Daven Mincha before sunset 7:36pm Yom Tov Candle Lighting 8:19pm THURSDAY APRIL 16, PESACH, 7 Omer Latest Shema 9:35am Daven Mincha before sunset 7:37pm Yom Tov Ends/Havdalah 8:20pm Chametz sold thru Rabbis permitted after 9:00pm
FIRE SAFETY TIPS:
Cooking
• If you are cooking, check on it regularly. Preferably, one should stay in the kitchen any time food is cooking over an open flame, or your cooking device does not have an auto-shut off.
• Keep anything that can catch fire, for example, oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, and curtains, away from heat sources such as stove burners, Hot Plates, or a Shab-bat Hot Plate.
• If using an external timer with any heat-producing device, make certain it is compatible with the device you are using.
Candles
• Use candle holders that are sturdy and won't tip over easily. • Put candles on uncluttered, non-slippery surface. You can cut to size, then glue, non-slip materials, such as some drawer/cabinet liners, to the bottom of your candle holder.
• Try to avoid burning the candle all the way down if it's not absolutely necessary.
• If a candle must burn continuously, be sure it's enclosed in a glass container, and placed in a sink, on a metal tray, or in a deep basin filled with water.
• Lit candles should not be placed in windows, where window blinds, curtains, or other window treatments could accidentally ignite.
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FUN PRINTABLE GAMES
FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY
Click on the links to download
RABBI WILLIE & ESTEE BALK, YOUTH DIRECTORS
RABBI WILLE & ESTEE BALK
YOUTH DIRECTORS
Over the last two weeks so much has changed. Just a month ago, we enjoyed our 5th and 4th grade luncheons with
over 50 kids at each luncheon! There were Divrei Torah, singing, games and of course lots of raffle prizes. Although we missed each other on Purim, we hope everyone is staying safe in their homes. We had so much planned and although we couldn‘t gather together, we were thankful to decorate the sanctuaries with festive balloons to feel the simcha of the day.
While we are still processing our new reality, we are working hard on creating and gathering resources to help enhance Shabbos, even when it looks different. To us, Shabbos is a time where we can bring the light of Torah to our youth, share the warm atmosphere
together. We will continue doing this through various resources. During the times of King David, they had their own plague that infected the people at that time and his antidote was that each person should try to say 100 Brachot everyday.
The idea is to become more aware of the brachot we say and appreciate what we have more than before. With this in mind, we have created a printable game to play at home on Shabbos, ―Me‘ah Brachot The Game‖. We will also have virtual raffles with challenges that kids can complete on their own and as a whole family. Additionally, if we can‘t come together in groups, we will bring groups to you with our new ―Parsha Commotion‖ printable game. Our hope is that we can utilize our new quality time with our families to reconnect with each other and rekindle the beauty of Shabbos that we haven‘t done before.
Have a happy and safe Pesach and we hope that we‘ll be able to come back together soon!
Parsha Commotion
Brachot Campaign
Brachot Campaign Week 2
SIMPLE CHAROSET RECIPE
3 apples, peeled and diced
1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped*
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon sugar, or brown sugar
1 tablespoon red wine or grape juice
1 tablespoon honey
Nut allergies? Substitute walnuts with dates
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food pro-
cessor and pulse until just forming a paste.
SIMPLE MAROR RECIPE
1 horseradish root (fresh), peeled, chopped
1 beetroot, roasted/boiled, peeled, chopped
(¼ cup) white vinegar
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food proces-sor and pulse until just forming a paste. Transfer paste to a small sterilized jar; and cover with a lid.
It will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
SIMPLE SEDER RECIPES
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DOR L’DOR a project of Congregation Ahavath Torah
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Wednesday, May 20
Pre-Shavuot Virtual Lunch & Learn with Rabbi
Kuessous; Sephardic menu Concert by The Choraleers
Wednesday, June 17
Trip to Wave Hill Gardens
Tuesday, July 21
Pre-Tisha B’Av Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Daniel
Goldberg; Video: ‘Names, Not Numbers’
Dor L’Dor Committee:
Eileen Gorlyn: [email protected]
Ruth Schapiro: [email protected]
Deborah Berger: [email protected]
Ellen Flamholz: [email protected]
Esther Fruchter: [email protected]
Diane Katzenstein: [email protected]
Beryl Niewood: [email protected]
Esther Berezin: [email protected]
Dor L’Dor offers a variety of cultural experiences for
adult members of our community.
•Visits to major current art exhibitions
•Lunch and Learns
•Outstanding movies and discussions
•Presentations by historians and other experts.
•Excursions to museums such as the Museum of Jewish
Heritage. Trips always include transportation, lunch,
docent or electronic guides, and admission
To contact Dor L’Dor please e-mail:
[email protected] or call 201-569-4560
HAGGADA HIGHLIGHTS
Join on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/2015681315
or dial-in (646) 558 8656 Meeting ID: 201 568 1315
TUESDAY, MARCH 31 12:30pm
WITH RABBI CHAIM POUPKO Senior Rabbi, Congregation Ahavath Torah
12
LIFECYCLE EVENTS
MAZEL TOV TO:
December/January
Erica & Arnaud Bensoussan on the Bar Mitzvah of
their son Samuel.
Debbie & Sam Moed on the birth of a
granddaughter, a baby girl born to parents Zoe &
Jonathan Moed
John & Nina Nanasi on the birth of a
granddaughter, a baby girl born to parents Sarah
and Pete Russell
Pearl & Irving (ob"m) Zuckerbrot on the marriage
of her grandson Asher to Avigayil Rosensweig.
Mazal tov as well to Rav Joel & Bluma Finkelstein,
Rav Michael & Smadar Rosensweig, and Rav
Itamar Rosensweig
Debra & Shlomo Tsadok on the birth of a
granddaughter, named Noa Lev, a baby girl born
to Ronit Tsadok
Emily & Eli Isak on the birth of a baby boy
Jackie & Sid Adler on the birth of a grandson, born
to parents Amy & Michael Adler
Our Teen Director Rabbi Israeli and his wife,
Racheli on the birth of a son
Chana and Jordan Katz on the engagement of their
daughter, Aleeza, to Zachary Braverman of
Lakewood, NJ
Ilana & Jeff Gdanski on being honored with the
Keter Shem Tov award at the Yachad Gala this
coming week.
Barbara & Rudy Treitel on the birth of a grandson,
a baby boy born to parents Andrew & Avivit Treitel
Nicki & Mordy Katz and Marleen & Kenneth Wolf
on the engagement of their grandson Andrew Katz
to Ronit Langer of Teaneck
Beatrice & Chaim Rosen on the engagement of
their son Jared to Adeena Chefitz
Nina & John Nanasi on the aufruf and
forthcoming marriage of their son Marc to Miri
Mauskop
Ilana & Jeff Gdanski on being honored with the
Keter Shem Tov award at the Yachad Gala
Tanya & Darren Wolf on the Bar Mitzvah of their
son Henry, celebrated in Israel during Chanukah
Esther & Moshe Muschel on the engagement of
their son Jeremy to Anna Siegel of New York, NY
Rene & Raphael Levy on the engagement of their
son Joseph to Risa Schwartz
Howard Miller on the birth of his first grandchild,
a daughter born to Kristen & Andrew Miller
Pam & Robert Lunzer on the engagement of their son Eli to Yosefa Heber
February
Lori & Martin Schlakman on the marriage of their
daughter Gabrielle Schlakman to Ahron Guttman
of Houston, TX
Caroline & David Kinzelberg on Nathaniel's Bar
Mitzvah.
Pauline & Natan Hayes on the birth of a daughter
Grandparents Esther & Moshe Muschel,
grandparents Jill & Daniel Wohlfarth, great
grandparents Miriam & Felix Glaubach, on the
birth of a grandson born to parents Lea & Justin
Muschel
Ilana & Stuart Goldberg, Guests of Honor, at The
Frisch School's dinner
Aliza & Rabbi Gideon Black on the birth of a son.
Mazal tov as well to grandparents Helene & Barry
Berkowitz and Mrs. Naomi Jacobs & Mr. Michael
Black
Dena Guttmann & David Schwartz
Aliza & Gary Liebman
Mindy & Joshua Sladowsky
Jenni & Ari Jacobovitz
WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS
...continued on page 13
13
TO SPONSOR
A DAY/WEEK/MONTH
OF LEARNING PLEASE CONTACT THE
SHUL OFFICE:
201-568-1315
OR E-MAIL
MAZEL TOV TO:
February (continued)
Talya & Mark Douek on the birth of a daughter
Aura & Dr. Michael Herman on the birth of a baby
boy. Mazal Tov to the grandparents Denise & Marc
Setton and Sharon & Dr. Robert Herman
Our Annual Dinner Honorees: Norris & Nancy
Nissim - Guests of Honor, Eileen & Rabbi Norman
Gorlyn - HaKarat HaTov Award, and Beth & Nat
Lipschitz - Young Leadership Award
Peggy & Philip Danishefsky on being honored by
Sinai Schools at their Annual Dinner.
Deborah & Isaac Nesser on the Bar Mitzvah of
their son Michael.
Merce & Richard Andron on the Bat Mitzvah of
their daughter Kate.
Daliah & Doran Shapiro on the birth of a son.
Mazal Tov as well to grandparents Marla & Saadia
Shapiro.
Sarah Bartges & Gil Ohana on the birth of a son.
Linda & Seth Epstein on the birth of a grand-
daughter, born to parents Aviva & Michael Epstein
Cheryl & Evan Borenstein for being named Guests
of Honor at the Moriah Annual Dinner
Ayelet (née Lichtiger) & Brian Rosen for being
honored with the Alumni Leadership Award at the
Moriah Annual Dinner
March
Barbara & Marty Teicher on the Bar Mitzvah of
their grandson Yitzy Teicher, son of Elana & Ira
Teicher
Danielle & Joe Cohen on the birth of a son. Con-
gratulations to grandparents Faye & Doron Cohen
and Francie & Fred Brinn
Samantha & Nachi Engelhardt on the birth of
twins, a son and a daughter
Roni & Yehuda Blinder on the engagement of Abi-gail Blinder to David Peyser from Great Neck.
Jeffrey & Eden Aronoff on the engagement of their
son Joseph to Nechama Simon of Los Angeles. Mazal tov as well to Nechama's parents, Esther & Milton Simon of Santa Monica, and Joseph's grandparents, Carole & Mordy Appleton
Sandy & Alex Solomon on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Darren
CONDOLENCES TO:
December/January
Cheryl Lasher on the loss of her mother, Mrs. Peggy Zimmerman, ob‖m
The family of our member Mrs Wendy Brandell Sebrow, ob‖m on her passing
Francine Aronson Dinovitzer on the passing of her mother, Barbara Aronson, ob‖m
The family of Kate Tannenbaum, ob‖m
February
The family of Mrs. Naomi Feder, ob‖m, on her passing
Leah Almo on the passing of her father, Joel Fink, ob‖m
Amy Spivak on the passing of her mother, Uschi Kugelman, ob‖m
MB Cohen on the passing of her mother, Evelyn Sternberg, ob‖m Dr. Shalom Mehler on the passing of his brother, Dr. David Mehler
Diane Strobel on the passing of her mother, Mrs. Irene Buchman, ob‖m
March
Melissa Bane on the passing of her father, David Berman
Mrs. Debbie Moed and Dr. Cheryl Kramer on the passing of their mother, Mrs. Gloria Zeisel ob"m
Mrs. Cheryl Borenstein on the passing of her father, Mr.Michael Reinhard ob"m
Rabbi Shlomo Hyman on the passing of his father, Rabbi Chaim Hyman, ob"m
LIFECYCLE EVENTS
14
Celebrate your simcha at Ahavath Torah!
Contact Robyn Safier to book your event:
201-568-1315 ext 2020
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