Pre-School Message
Photos from our Purim Party courtesy of Rabbi Klein.
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" FOR SEVEN DAYS YOU SHALL EAT MATZAH... Passover celebrates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Traditionally preparations for Passover begin the day after Purim, as the process of ridding the house of hametz (leavened products) begins.
How odd that we are asked to "relive" the experience of bondage and slavery and the subsequent relief and jubilation of freedom and redemption. How "full of ourselves" to consider that we know and understand the magnitude of suffering any peoples experience in this situation. And yet, this is exactly what we are expected to do. Generally hametz refers to leavening which causes dough to rise or inflate. The Rabbis believe that this hametz also symbolizes the egocentric, self-important personality that prevents us from treating others as if we are all created in the image of the Divine. Hametz also represents the emotional baggage we carry within; the disappointments, the hurt and the anger. Just as we literally clean our homes from top to bottom, searching out every last crumb the night before Pesach begins by the light of a candle, so too should we search for the hametz that is buried deep within us bringing it into the light. In the glow of this new light we can free ourselves from those shackles, and just as our homes sparkle in their cleanliness so too will our souls. Like the intense spring cleaning this process parallels, eliminating a year of hametz from the soul is an arduous task. Perhaps this is one reason why we begin this process thirty days before the holiday begins. Suggestions: Some like to incorporate "newness" to their seder each year; perhaps a new religious object, such as a new kiddush or Elijah's cup. Recently many families have added a Miriam's cup filled with water to symbolize the role of women in the Passover experience. The water is symbolic of the water Miriam placed Moses in so that he would not be killed. Water is also a symbol of life and sustenance. Two other courageous women in the story, midwives Shifra and Puah, ignored Pharoh's decree and refused to kill the children of the Hebrew slaves. Special thanks from Linda to: • All the parents who sent in supplies and helped set-up and clean up for the Tu B'Shevat seder as well as to all the room parents who organized this process. We had a crew of moms and dads who truly made the day special for everyone!!! • A special Todah Rabbah Gedolah- a huge thank you...to the moms, Karen S ztulman Alane Torf , Elyse Thaler, Michelle Goncalves, Teal Rothschild, Perri Leviss, Vicki Lambrozo and Lucy Maddock Mark, who came dough and rolling pins in hand to bake hamantaschen for the religious school Purim carnival. A freezer filled with three cornered delicious pastry treats!! (If I have inadvertently forgotten anyone my apologies in advance and please let me know so that I may thank you properly!!!) • To Judy Mintzer and her 3rd grade class for the wonderful play they put on as part of our Tu B' Shevat celebration. BRAVO!! • To Barbara Goldner who filled the trunk of my car with toys from Hasbro so we would have raffle items at the Purim carnival. • To Jordan Sheff for working with our Chai school students, helping them to design Judaica for their homes. • To April Peters for making conversational Hebrew fun for our Chai schoolers. • To Lucy Maddock, who taught our Chai schoolers the ins and outs of book making from concept to design and who was willing to substitute for several weeks in a row on a few minutes notice. G o raibh maith agat ( and I hope that means thank you ). • To Jamie Treibwasser fo r once again tackling the Purim Carnival and her very merry band of Chai schoolers who planned the carnival and sang and acted in the Purim shpiel. • To the Confirmat i on class for speaking to the rest of Chai school about their trip to Washington. I am so proud of all of you!! • To my husband Steve, who always makes time to help on the computer with all things temple and school related. • To the 6th grade class for leading us in worship so beautifully. • To Rabbi Klein for arranging for the sofer to come to Habonim- it was a great day of learning for all!!
Linda Temple Habonim |
