Pesach
I am writing this on the day of our Seder, anticipating gathering with so many this evening. We are full to overflowing, and I know we will have a very freilich, joyous, and meaningful evening together.
Thank you to the many volunteers who helped with setting up (and cleaning up), with bringing tasty charoset for us to share, for bringing flowers for our tables, and mostly for coming and sharing this precious time of Seder together.
I am also so very aware of how challenging it can be to celebrate in the face of absence, be that absence personal or the larger absence of the hostages. And yet our tradition mandates we celebrate – we remember, and we look forward at the same time. In one of our readings from Torah through the days of Pesach we go back to Ki Tissa in Exodus. We read near the very end how radiant Moses’ face became after his encounter with God. May each of us experience the shared radiance of renewing relationships with friends and with family over these coming days.
With love, Chag Pesach sameach,
Rabbi Lynn
Acharei Mot
April 30, 2024 by Rabbi Lynn Greenhough • From the Rabbi's Desk
I hope everyone had meaningful and joyous Sedarim – we all enjoyed our Seder here at the JCC. Many thanks again to everyone who helped. My kitchen will be back to usual on Wednesday – I always miss the bright green tablecloth that says Pesach to me every year when I unpack it from its box.
This year putting boxes in the attic was a little easier for two reasons. I had some help from a younger member, and we were also able to pass on several carpets that we had inherited from a dear friend who died years ago. Pets have precluded their use in our home, and recently two dear and much younger friends bought a new home – and hence with acquired more space for some of our treasures~
Letting go and acquiring treasured paintings, furniture and dishes may seem materialistic – but those treasure are full of memories. How meaningful to pass on those memories and stories to the next generation. So too, our Torah is full of memories and stories, our Haggadah commanding us to tell our story to our children and children’s children. Our stories come in many shapes, many sizes. We make these stories our own Torah to add to those of our ancestors.
With love,
Rabbi Lynn