Category Archives: 2020
TODAY WE COMMEMORATE THE MILLIONS OF JEWS WHO PERISHED IN THE HOLOCAUST, BY RABBI GILAD KARIV, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF IMPJ
Dear Friends,
In Hebrew years that do not have the extra month of Adar II, such as the present year, “Memorial Day for the Shoah and Heroism” takes place close to the Shabbat during which we read from the Torah, Parshat “Shemini”.
This Torah portion opens with a description of the day of dedication of the Holy Tabernacle and how it became a tragedy and disaster when Aaron’s two sons, Nadav and Avihu, die in front of his eyes after they sacrificed “strange fire” on the altar (which they had been commanded not to do). Only two words are used to describe the reaction of Aaron their father, when the day of joy became one of sorrow: “and Aaron became silent” (Leviticus: 10; 3).
For many long years, most of the refugees and survivors of the atrocities of the Holocaust chose silence. Moses, Aaron’s brother, did not try to penetrate the silence of his brother on that day. Today we have the mission of respecting the silence of those survivors who chose to continue that path, but at the same time to invite them with love and sensitivity, to find the key to their hearts and memories and end their silence. Unlike Moses, we have to convince them that we are more attentive than ever and that their experiences and stories will be treated as a rich treasure, rather than a mere footnote of history.
Throughout the book of Leviticus, the ritual and spiritual role of the Kohanim (High Priests) is described. At the same time, we learn about the material remuneration they receive for carrying out their mission. This teaches us that we cannot ask the survivors of the Holocaust to raise their voices, to bear witness, and to bestow their legacy, without being totally committed to their wellbeing and dignity.
Yom HaShoah is commemorated this year in the shadow of the Coronavirus pandemic. Not all of the senior citizens who lost their lives in assisted living facilities and homes for the aged were Holocaust survivors; but many were and are. Regardless of this terrible crisis that we are all dealing with, it has had an increased impact on the elderly.
The lack of effective measures in those locations, especially at the beginning of the pandemic (and, to a great degree, to this day) must be prominent in our minds this week when we remember the Shoah. Holocaust survivors are living the past months with heightened anxiety and are in significant danger. The same is true of their cohorts, the generation who founded the state of Israel who didn’t suffer the terror of the Holocaust, but who laid the foundation for life here in Israel for all of us. Like Aaron HaKohen, many of them cannot raise their voices – it is our responsibility to do it for them.
Reform Rabbi and Professor Emil Fackenheim, coined the phrase: “the 614th Mitzvah” – the commandment obligated by all Jews not to give the Nazis victory after their defeat, to guarantee the continuation of the Jewish people, to renew our ability to give hope and to act towards Tikkun Olam; and most of all not to be silent and close off our hearts.
We must maintain the ability to listen to what the survivors have to tell us during their last years of life and have the wisdom to help them and their counterparts escape the silence and feel protected and respected during normal times, and especially during days of crises – this is the foundation of the 614th Mitzvah. Regardless, this terrible crisis has had a devastating impact on the elderly. We must each do our part to take the lessons of past generations into future ones.
I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during this unsure time.
Sincerely,
IMPJ President & CEO Rabbi Gilad Kariv
PESACH GREETINGS, FROM RABBI RUZ GULKO
Shalom,
I want to wish everyone a safe and meaningful Pesach during this challenging time. Finding meaning in comfort at the Seder this year will be hard for us all, myself included. I look forward to better days together, and hope you are all doing well!
Love, Rabbi Ruz
WISHING ALL OUR FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD A HAPPY AND HEALTHY PESACH, FROM IMPJ
Join us Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at 4:30 PM Israel time (9:30 AM on the U.S. East Coast; 11:30 PM in Australia; 2:30 PM in the U.K.), as Student-Rabbi Naomi Efrat of Kehilat Ha Lev (part of the Daniel Center for Progressive Judaism) will be conducting a virtual Seder in English hosted here on our Facebook Page, Reform Judaism in Israel!
“שָׁמוֹר֙ אֶת־חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֔יב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פֶּ֔סַח לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֞י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֗יב הוֹצִ֨יאֲךָ֜ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם לָֽיְלָה”: (דברים, ט”ז; א)
“Keep the month of spring, and make the Passover offering to the Lord your G-d, for in the month of spring, the Lord, your G-d, brought you out of Egypt at night.” (Deuteronomy, 16; 1)
Dear Friends,
Each year, at the core of celebrating the holiday of Pesach, we are commanded to recall and retell the saga of our peoples’ Exodus from Egypt. It is auspiciously fitting that Pesach falls this week, as the world finds itself grappling with the Coronavirus pandemic. Here in Israel, shops and streets that would normally be bustling with activity in preparation for the holiday are empty and bare. On its surface, it may seem odd – to be preparing for such a celebratory holiday during a time of deep uncertainty and trepidation. However, there is a significant parallel between the Biblical story of Pesach and the times we find ourselves in today.
The night of Pesach, when we hold the Seder and recount the story of the Exodus, is a night that appears to focus on the past. It is, after all, an old story that recounts an event that took place thousands of years ago. But it is also an opportunity for perspective on the present and the future.
Matzah, the unleavened bread we eat each year at the Seder and throughout Pesach, has several names. The most common is “lechem oni” – the” bread of affliction” (Deuteronomy, 16; 3). This seems appropriate, as is says: “For in haste you went out of the land of Egypt, so that you shall remember the day when you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy, 16; 1). There are two other translations, however: the “bread of healing” and the “bread of faith” (Zohar II, 41a. Ibid, 183b).
Healing and faith? These seem to be contrary to affliction, what we remind ourselves that we suffered of so long ago. On the contrary, these two seemingly out-of-place elements remind us that Pesach is not just about the past: it is about the past, the present and the future. We need healing right now – at present, the world is in a state of near upheaval, with no corner of the globe left untouched. We need faith right now – that the future will stabilize, for ourselves, for our children and for our children’s children.
This past Shabbat, we had two joint Kabbalot Shabbat between congregations in Israel and around the world: the first between the Sha’ar HaNegev congregation and the Reform congregations in San-Diego, California; and the second between Kehilat Brit Olam in Kiryat Ono and Temple Israel in Johannesburg, South Africa. Other congregations in Israel, such as Ramot Shalom in Be’er Shava, Kehilat Ramot Negev and Kehillat Tzur Hadassah, are holding joint sessions with their DOMIM partners abroad, for both adults and teens.
Now more than ever, it is vital that we stay connected to each other by whatever means are available to us. We send a prayer of Refuah Shelemah to communities around the world who are grappling with this pandemic and to all those who are in need of healing and comfort.
Wishing you all a Chag Pesach Sameach,
Keren b’Kavod, the Israeli Reform Movement’s Center for Social and Communal Activity, continues to assist disadvantaged populations in Israel, including new Olim, immigrants from the Ethiopian community, the elderly, lone soldiers and deprived women.
The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism
13 King David Street
Jerusalem, Israel, 94101
Contact: avrohom@reform.org.il
WILL WE BE HAVING OUR SEDER? SONG PARODY BY BARBARA SARSHIK
Will We Be Having Our Seder?
To the tune of “Will you still love me tomorrow” by Carole King and Jerry Goffin
I’m feeling grumpy and grouchy
So tell me please, Dr. Fauci,
Can my friends come for matzah and maror?
Will we be having our Seder?
Is there a Pesach exemption
So we can mark our redemption?
And must Elijah stay outside my door?
Will we be having our Seder?
Bridge
I should be shopping for brisket.
I should clean up my dining room.
But I’m not sure I should risk it.
Would a night with my crowd spell doom?
I know we have to be wary
In times so scrambled and scary.
So tell me now what April has in store.
Will we be having our Seder?
Lyrics by Barbara Sarshik, Copyright 2020
You’ll find many more songs, along with a complete Seder songbook, at http://www.passoversongparodies.com. All of these songs are freely available. Share them with your family, friends, and religious congregations. Make copies for everyone at your Seder and post them on social media. Happy Pesach, everyone! Barbara Sarshik
TIPS FOR YOUR SEDER PLATE AND DOWNLOAD OUR FAVES, FROM WWW.HAGGADOT.COM
How do you solve a problem like the seder plate?
Whether you’re replacing the shank bone or adding some new foods, we’ve got plenty of ideas – including ginger, spices & more.
Getting creative with your virtual Seder plate
Favorite Content for 2020:
The Wandering is Over Haggadah
An updated version of Jewish Boston’s family-friendly and thought provoking seder
Comedy Seder
Because we need a laugh…
2020 Favorites Haggadah
An ongoing compilation of what’s new & relevant for your seder tables this year
Minimalist Haggadah
Get right to the point with a Haggadah that’s short & simple, yet filled with wisdom.
Coloring Book Haggadah
It’s a coloring book! It’s a haggadah!
Passover In The Time Of Covid-19
Because we had to…
Recommended Clips:
Building Your Mental Health Seder Plate
Jewish World Watch Second Seder Plate 2020
Embodying Passover With Jewish Yoga
Ready-to-print Haggadahs:
Moishe House London Reverse Seder
JQ International LGBTQ Haggadah
Women’s Seder Favorites Activities, games, and songs for kids and teens.
A Seder for Young Children Videos, activities, and simple blessings for young children.
Friends Seder Haggadah A short, fun Haggadah for a friendly gathering.
VIRTUAL PASSOVER
EDITOR’S NOTE: These days everything has gone virtual so that we may practice social distancing and flatten the curve of the COVID19 Coronavirus pandemic that has (temporarily, we hope) changed the way we interact with each other. You can probably pick your favorite place on the globe and they will have a virtual service streaming for the benefit of their local congregation. We have had to find creative ways to stay connected and keep our faith and traditions alive and well during this time of uncertainty. But we have survived many other times of trial, and working together to strengthen the ties that bind us together, we will survive this one stronger than ever.
Here is a suggestion from an email to Don and Helen Cherry from their daughter Karen.
… there are a number of virtual passover celebrations you can join on your computer. this is one from the Palo Alto JCC you can join. it is 4-5:15 on April 8th. Or maybe your local congregation wants to find one to do together. It seems a lot of the JCC’s and synagogues are offering these…
Click here for the Palo Alto virtual Pasover service
Submitted by Helen Cherry
The Aitz Chaim Ram's Horn 