April 13th, 2016
5 Nisan 5776
Dear Friends,
This will be a busy weekend at Beth Sholom.
In addition to Sisterhood's pre-Passover event this evening, and our regular Shabbat morning fun, we have a chance to do an institutional mitzvah this Shabbat morning. As in previous years, we are inviting you to help us pass out water and energy drinks to those taking part in the Youth Villages 5K race. It's been a lot of fun the past two years, and a nice way to help support a good cause. My thanks to Susan Moinester for her hard work making it happen. Please come to Beth Sholom at 8 am on Saturday morning to help set up the table and prepare for the runners, who should arrive not long after.
Sunday morning will be our regular 8 am minyan, followed by our Intro to Judaism class. In the afternoon I and a number of our members will take part in Hillel's Yiddishe Cup, and then of course we have FreedomSong here at 6:30 on Sunday night. It's wonderful to be in such an active community!
I will be in Little Rock on Shabbat at a Toastmasters Conference so I will unfortunately miss the water station fun. I'll be back late Saturday night. My thanks to all who are helping lead services in my absence.
Many of you have asked questions about what foods may be eaten on Passover, how to prepare for Passover, etc. I urge you to check out this Pesach guide from the Conservative movement's Rabbinical Assembly.
You may also have heard that the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative movement has now permitted all Jews to eat kitniyot - corn, rice, and beans on Passover. Obviously, you are not required to do so - if you're interested in their reasoning or their decision, with which i wholeheartedly agree, click here.
Here is our Passover services schedule as well as the form to sell your chametz. Jewish tradition holds that we may not own or consume any leavened products on Passover - to avoid doing so we may sell them to a non-Jew. By filling out the form, you appoint me as your agent to sell your chametz to Cheryl, who we trust will do a fine job as the owner of the synagogue and our houses for Passover. The contract will become null and void just after Passover ends, freeing you to eat your chametz thereafter.
Selling Our Chametz form
Passover Services Schedule
That's all for now. Happy Passover prep to us all!
Blessings,
Rabbi Ilan
