EVENTS &
ANNOUNCEMENTS

WEEKLY SERVICES

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SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

INCLEMENT WEATHER NOTICES

BETH EL BULLETIN

  
Pesach food guides:
 

Click here for a printer friendly schedule & chametz sale form (PDF)

Passover begins March 25, 2013
Let All Who Are Hungry Come and Eat

Beth El wants to assure that all of our members are welcomed at a seder. As the Haggadah says, "let all who are hungry come and eat." That means, if you have extra places at your seder, please open your home to one or more members of the Beth El family. If you're a member--or a university student--who can't join relatives for this wonderful holiday, please give a member of your synagogue family the privilege of sharing a seder with you. The seder hospitality initiative is headed by the Synagogue Life Committee, and we will be pleased to arrange for hosts and guests to enjoy the seders together. To invite someone, or to request a place, please contact Miriam at Beth El (919-682-1238 or miriam@betheldurham.org) or contact Mardi Zeiger (919-932-5663 or mzeiger@nc.rr.com). Deadline for requests is March 18.

 

Chametz Brigade

Donate your open or unopened chametz:
Contact Miriam in the office (miriam@betheldurham.org or 919-682-1238)
with pick-up information or to volunteer to collect
by 3PM Thursday, 3/21.
Pick-up will be on Sunday, 3/24. 

If you prefer to deliver to Beth El,
all food must be there by 10:00AM Sunday, March 24. 
We will not accept food at Beth El after 10am on 3/24 through Pesach.

Beth El Pesach Schedule 5773

Chametz Brigade (3/24/13)
see above

Sunday, March 24: Family Pesach Program

Monday, March 25:
7:30am Main Sanctuary - Morning Services
followed by a siyyum (study for the first born) & chametz burning
Eat chametz until 11:18am
Burn/Sell chametz before 12:19pm
Office closes at 12:00pm and remains closed until Thursday morning
7:13pm candle lighting
First Seder

Tuesday, March 26 (Pesach I):
9:00am Orthodox Kehillah & Main Sanctuary (childcare for ages 1-7 available in classroom #3)
Second Seder
Begin counting the Omer

Wednesday, March 27 (Pesach II): (childcare for ages 1-7 available in classroom #3)
9:00am Main Sanctuary - Morning Services
TBD Orthodox Kehillah - Morning Services
8:15pm Havdalah

Saturday, March 30 (Shabbat CH'M):
9:00am Orthodox Kehillah - Morning Services
9:30am Main Sanctuary - Morning Services
(childcare for ages 1-7 available in classroom #3 10:30am-12:30pm)
8:17pm Havdalah

Sunday, March 31 (CH'M):
9:30am Main Sanctuary - Morning Services
7:18pm candlelighting

The Beth El office will be closed Monday, 4/1 & Tuesday, 4/2

Monday, April 1 (Pesach VII): (childcare for ages 1-7 available in classroom #3)
9:00am Main Sanctuary - Morning Services
9:00am Orthodox Kehillah - Morning Services (Yizkor)

Tuesday, April 2 (Pesach VIII): (childcare for ages 1-7 available in classroom #3)
9:00am Main Sanctuary - Morning Services (Yizkor)
TBD Orthodox Kehillah - Morning Services
8:20pm Havdalah / Yom Tov ends

 

Additional resources:

  1. Pesach Guides: A comprehensive, clear, and up-to-date guide from the Rabbinical Assembly (the "RA," the organization for Conservative Rabbis) to kashering your kitchen and the lowdown on foods - permitted and not - for Passover. http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/jewish-law/kashrut/pesah-guide
    A similar guide from the Orthodox Union is available here: http://oukosher.org/index.php/passover/passover_guide
  2. Nullifying Hametz - The night before Pesach begins, cleaning is complete and the mitzvahs begin with a "search for hametz."  The following morning, another formal declaration is made nullifying all possible hametz in your possession.  This link is to a pdf prepared by the RA to guide you through the blessings for these rituals:  http://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/jewish-law/holidays/pesah/b-dikat-hameitz.pdf?utm_source=RA+News+Tuesday+March+20&utm_campaign=RA+News&utm_medium=email  
  3. Magen Tzedek - As we think about kashrut in the coming weeks, I invite you to read and learn about an initiative of the Conservative Judaism called Magen Tzedek aimed at bringing together the values of kashrut, justice and Judaism. http://www.magentzedek.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/MT-PassoverFlyer.pdf
  4. The Sicha website offers essays engaging modern and classical texts in conversations on timeless themes. You will find a few short conversation starters for your Pesach Seder, such as A Passover Conversation in Four Voices: Four conversed about the pine tree. One defined it according to genus, species and variety. One held forth concerning its shortcomings in the lumber industry. One quoted verses about pine trees in numerous languages. One struck root, stretched out branches… visit here to continue the conversation:. http://bit.ly/4voices
  5. MAZON: Here you will find downloadable materials to help you introduce your seder guests & your community at large to the The Fifth Question: "Why on this night are millions of people still going hungry?" http://mazon.org/get-involved/the-fifth-question/
Hagaddah Helpers
Maxwell House Hagaddahs still exist, but there's a lot more out there now. Here are links to two websites that enable you to create and download your very own hagaddah.
Schedule Notes
  • Siyyum - It is a Jewish tradition for first born Jewish boys to fast on Erev Pesach in commemoration of Pharaoh's decree that all first born Jewish baby boys should be killed (Exodus 1:16).  To make Erev Pesach a bit easier on them, a tradition developed to hold a siyyum, a festive occasion celebrating the completition of studying a significant body of Jewish text.  Monday morning (3/25), there will be a minyan at 7:30am followed by a siyyum followed by a yummy coffee and chametz!
  • Chametz Burning - for the fire-lover in all of us, we will hold a small "hametz burning" in our parking lot at 8:45am on Monday morning (3/25).  Bring your chametz (ritual portions only please, larger quantities, including open containers, should be donated to local food shelters) that morning and take advantage of our communal fire to rid yourself of the hametz you found the night before and prepare to enter the Seder free from crumbs! Parents - please feel free to bring your kids (what kid doesn't love a fire?) but please watch them carefully to be sure nobody gets hurt!