Dor L’Dor |
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Temple Beth-El Religious School March 19, 2002 Number 19 |
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Parshat HaShavua: Tzav, Leviticus 6:1-8:36
Passover customs and quirks vary tremendously between Ashkenazi, Sephardi
RABBI JONATHAN CHIPMAN Jerusalem Post Service
Pesach is not only food bans and kitchen anxieties. Entire books have been written about the many colorful and interesting customs of different Jewish communities.
The Seder itself is marked by many different customs. Iraqi and Kurdistani Jews begin the Seder with a dramatic dialogue. One of the children goes outside, knocks on the door and then answers the questions of the Seder leader: "Where have you come from?" "Egypt." "Where are you going?" "To Jerusalem." "What are your supplies?"
The child answers by reciting the Four Questions, thereby opening the Seder.
A similar custom is observed by Yemenite Jews, who perform a symbolic reenactment of the Exodus. The seder leader gets up from the table, throws the afikoman in its bag over his back like a knapsack, walks around the room leaning on a cane and relates to those assembled how he has just now come out of Egypt and experienced miracles.
Several years ago, I was invited to a Seder of Afghan Jews. Midway through the reading of the Haggadah, our hostess gave each of the guests a spring onion -- a thick, footlong scallion. As they came to the singing of "Dayenu," each person banged his onion over the head and arms of his neighbors. Nobody seemed to know the origin or rationale, if any, of this bizarre custom.
On the last day of Pesach, there are various ways of celebrating and reenacting the parting of the Red Sea. In many communities, both Ashkenazi and Sephardi, it is customary to gather toward midnight in the synagogue or in the town square to recite the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15), with much singing, dancing, and rejoicing.
Among Moroccan Jews, the end of Pesach is the portal to the Mimouna -- the great Moroccan festival in honor of Rabbi Maimon, father of Moses Maimonides, a beloved leader of Moroccan Jewry more than 800 years ago.
During the evening of the Mimouna, people traditionally visit one another in their homes, and ply each other with freshly prepared chametz foods, such as thin fragrant pancakes known as mufleita, stuffed dates, sweets and other delicacies.
We will be having a 6-8th grade retreat meeting on Sunday, March 24th from 8:00 AM. To 8:45 A.M. All teachers and Ma’aseh involved or desiring to be involved, should attend. Coffee, donuts and bagels will be served at 8:00 A.M.; the meeting will start at 8:10 A.M. Teachers and Ma’aseh must be there if you plan to attend retreat. Our theme is “Jewish Influences on American Life,” please come prepared to brainstorm programming ideas.
Elise Birenblat, a professional Israeli dance teacher, will be coming to Religious School for the next three Sundays to work with a self-selected group of 3rd through 6th graders to teach them a dance that they will be performing for Yom Ha’atzmaut, at the Campus. Please know that 3 or 4 of your students might be out of your classroom for the last 30 minutes of school.
The Passover Dessert Seder takes place April 2, at 7:00 P.M. at Parish Hall. The second graders will be working hard to learn songs to present during the Seder. Also, each Hebrew class has been assigned parts to give to their students so that there will be representatives from each Hebrew class participating in the service. Rabbi Stahl will be rehearsing with them on March 31st.
This Sunday at 1:00 P.M. at the Campus, in the Holzman auditorium, there will be a rally in support of Israel. The entire Jewish community will be coming out to support Israel. Rabbi Stahl and Rabbi Block will be speaking as well as other Jewish and Political leaders from the community. Please make every effort to attend.
This Sunday there will be two Temple Youth Group events occurring after Religious School. The 6th through 8th graders, BEST, will be meeting outside McCreless hall after Religious School and will be going to Embassy Miniature Golf. The cost is $7.00, and pick up time is at 2:00 PM there. SAFTY will be working at the Ronald McDonald House; their program ends at 3:30.
We have enclosed a survey about your plans for next year with this Dor L’Dor. Please fill it out and return it this Sunday. If you are not sure whether you’ll be teaching next year, write this on the form, and let’s set up a time to talk about this.