What a wonderful 75th Anniversary year-long celebration we have had. Our culminating event was a proud moment for the synagogue. The food was special and the entertainment was wonderful. The sharing of memories of Synagogue, Sisterhood and Men’s Club Past Presidents were great nostalgic moments. Coming together for the first time in a long time was also extremely special. Seeing everyone in person to continue longstanding friendships is just what was needed. A huge thank you to all those that participated in making it an exceptional weekend.

Passover is very quickly approaching. Many of us are busy with our yearly cleaning out of our homes and putting in the pasidic dishes by now. Passover is the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday throughout all of Judaism. The Torah teaches us that every generation is obligated to tell the story of the Exodus from Egyptian bondage into freedom, as if we personally experienced it.  At the Passover Seder, we gather to retell the story of our original wandering and the freedom we found.

As we step into this historical experience, we cannot help but think about the heartbreaking war in Ukraine. The olive branch is famous for being the symbol of peace. As such, olives were introduced to the Seder plate as a symbol of hope for a future peace between Israelis and Palestinians. But this year, we should all have olives on our Seder plate. They will also symbolize the hope for peace for the Ukrainian people. They are fighting with such resolve for their freedom, safety and identity. As Jewish people, we are too familiar with these circumstances.

Also, coming up on our agenda is our Semi-Annual Shredding Event on Sunday, May 22. If you have thought about getting involved, this is a great way to do it. On, hopefully, a nice sunny spring day, you can be outside helping the Temple and meeting new members. Just call the Temple to let them know you are coming to help.

Chag Pesach Sameach,

Joan Levine

President