7 Adar 5772 • March 2012 | Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Beineinu


From the President page 2


Purim Events pages 2-3


Religious School & Youth pages 4


Hunger Walk page 5


Congregational Retreat page 5


AA Celebrates 125 Years pages 6-7


Family Trip to Israel page 14


Sisterhood News page 8


The Goodman Institute page 9


Shabbat Services


& Candle Lighting page 10


Bar Mitzvah page 10


Welcome New Members page 10


Cultural Arts Concert page 10


All About Passover pages 11-13


Special Announcements page 14


Contributions pages 15-18


In Memoriam page 16


Alternative Services page 17


JFC&S News page 18


March Calendar pages 19


From the Rabbi: Counting Down —Rabbi Neil Sandler


“10…9…8…7…6…5… 4…3…2…1…”


We have no more exciting way to mark time as we anticipate an


event’s arrival than counting down the seconds until it occurs. The beginning of a new year. The moment of a spacecraft’s liftoff from the launch pad. True anticipation accompanies these happenings, and we intensify the ex- citement as we count down the moments to their arrival. Another, less intense, way of reflecting our anticipation is crossing off calendar dates or the number of days until some noteworthy event occurs in our lives. We hardly have any established parallel practice in


our Jewish tradition. As far as actual counting goes, it gets about as exciting as…Sefirat Haomer, counting each of the days between the sec- ond day of Passover and the onset of the holiday of Shavuot. Not exactly exciting, is it? Our tradition places more emphasis on certain practices that are traditionally observed during this seven week period rather than on the actual counting of each day at the Ma’ariv service. In similar fashion, we have other notable time periods that are marked by traditional practices rather than by actually counting the days that comprise them. The Ten Days of Repentance, beginning with Rosh Hashana and ending with Yom Kippur, are not a time when we count from one to ten. They are a time marked by intense reflection and acts of repentance. The three week sum- mer period, beginning with the 17th of Tammuz and ending with Tisha B’av, is not a time when we count the days. It is a time again marked by reflection and by mourning practices that help us to consider the lasting meaning of the Destruction of the Temple and loss of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel nearly two thousand years ago. This year I have been thinking about another time period which, in accordance with our tradition, we will neither count nor attach particular significance. The one month period between Purim (March 7 – 8) and


“


Passover (beginning the evening of April 6) is a time of preparation. However, other than several specially- named Shabbatot that fall within this period, this month has no special practices associated with it (other than preparing our homes for Passover, of course). I, however, would like to suggest a thought and


How often do we really show our true selves to people? How often do we, instead, put up fronts to cover over something we would rather not expose? How often do we not project our true selves and how we genuinely feel?


we genuinely feel? ”


process, rather than a distinct action, that you might try this year as soon as Purim ends, and you begin to prepare for Passover. On Purim, we wear masks and costumes—literally and figuratively. We disguise our external appearance so that we become unrecognizable. But do we really remove our masks and costumes at the conclusion of the holiday? Of course, the actual costumes that disguise our outward appearance come off. But what about the “masks” we may wear on other days? How often do we really show our true selves to people? How often do we, instead, put up fronts to cover over something we would rather not expose? How often do we not project our true selves and how


The conclusion of Purim is a time to become aware


of these other “masks” and begin to find a way to start peeling them off to reveal our genuine selves. It can become a period of time, much like the time preceding the High Holidays is meant to be, in which you ask yourself, “What am I covering up? Why am I doing so? How can I gain the confidence or do whatever is necessary to express my true self? How can I become more comfortable with sharing my true feelings and views?” To be honest, therapeutic analysis may be necessary to accomplish all of that! But short of making such a commitment the time between Purim and Passover can become an introspective one in which we consider such important questions. Then, as we begin to remove the “ masks” and


reveal our true selves, we will become more personally “free” as we celebrate our people’s liberation. 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1...? No, the


process I have described entails more than just count- ing down. But as we engage in it, we might reach some exciting and significant realizations.


. . . between you and me The Newsletter of Ahavath Achim Synagogue


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