Rabbi Shapiro's Current Bulletin Message

For Your Consideration
Rabbi Mark Dov Shapiro

Dear Friends – Compliments of Judaism’s lunar calendar, Passover comes “early” this year. It happens this way because the lunar months are 29 or 30 days in length. On average, then, they are “shorter” than the months of the secular calendar, which means the Jewish holidays tend to creep earlier each year. In 5773/2013, for example, the holidays have slid about as early as they can go. To prevent Passover from slipping into February, there will be an adjustment next year 5774/2014. We’ll have a Jewish leap year, which will add a month to the calendar and push the holidays back to their more familiar time.

Be that as it may, this year’s Seder arrives on Monday, March 26. It’s time to begin your Pesach Countdown:

Three weeks before the Seder – Find and count last year’s Haggadahs. If they look bad or if you suddenly remember how inappropriate they were, visit the Sinai Gift Shop and consider buying new Haggadahs.

OR take advantage of the offer inside this bulletin. We do have a lending library of Reform Haggadahs. You can borrow some of them to freshen up this year’s Seder.

Don’t stop there, however. Visit our Sinai website where you’ll discover multiple readings and ideas for enhancing your Seder. Some will work for families with adults around the Seder table; some will work for families with children. Go online and discover a fabulous resource that has been growing for many years. www.sinai-temple.org

Two weeks before the Seder - Talk with your Seder guests and decide who is cooking, baking, or bringing which part of the Seder. (Sharing the preparations makes life easier and also involves more people.) Buy some of the products you’ll need for Passover: new ketchup, new coffee. A full list is available at our website www.sinai-temple.org.

Also two weeks before Passover – Make your chicken soup and matzah balls (then freeze them), and, while you’re in the kitchen, clean your cupboards. Clean your car. (It’s probably got crumbs from chametz scattered around from a year’s worth of snacking.) Have you decided yet which Haggadah to use? Have you considered what parts to give to your guests? Think about some relevant themes for the 2013 Seder. Check for additions to the website which I usually make as my own preparations proceed.

One week before - Buy horse radish root for the maror on the Seder plate.

Buy a shankbone and Passover wine. Do place cards for your guests. Get out your Seder dishes. (Change to Passover dishes the night before if you do so.) Move aside those “chametz” cereal boxes and crackers. Watch the news to see how your Seder can reflect 2013 most powerfully.

Monday, March 25 - Enjoy one of our people’s greatest evenings. Passover has arrived! (And don’t forget….TUESDAY, MARCH 26…Join me at the Congregational Passover Morning Service.)

Prior Bulletin Messages from the Rabbi are available on this site.