Jewish Perspectives : Kids & Family

Purim and Easter Weekend

Temple Israel of Manchester — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:29:00 GMT

Most years our neighbors’ Easter celebrations coincide with the holiday of Passover on the Jewish calendar. As I explained in an earlier column, because of the Jewish leap year, Passover is “late” and starts a month after Easter this year. This means that the most significant of the Christian festivals occurs not during our Feast of Freedom as usual, but instead on the same weekend that Jews observe a rather raucous, carnival-like, holiday of Purim, with activities somewhat resembling Mardi Gras festivities. In earlier times, when this happened, Jews frequently toned down their activities a bit lest it appear that we are in joyful celebration in response to the death of Jesus on the cross which Christians mark that very same day as Good Friday prior to the Easter celebration. There was fear in medieval times that a too exuberant Purim holiday might provoke anti-Semitic outbursts from people who thought that the Jews were mocking them and rejoicing in the death of Jesus.

In fact, of course, Purim has nothing to do with Good Friday or Easter. It is a holiday established centuries before the Christian era, in the ninth chapter of the Book of Esther. It celebrates the defeat of Haman, a Persian official who sought to destroy all the Jews. His nefarious plan was exposed to the Persian King, Ahasuerus, by his Jewish Queen, Esther, and her cousin Mordecai. The Jews were then allowed to defend themselves against their enemies and win a great victory. Haman and his ten sons were ultimately hanged and an annual festival was declared on the 14^th of the Hebrew month of Adar which was last Thursday night and Friday. The holiday is known as Purim which means “lots” as in a lottery. Haman chose the day for the attack on the Jews by casting lots. Much in the Purim story in the Book of Esther seems at first glance to depend solely on chance and coincidence, on the casting of lots as it were. God’s name never appears in the book, He seems to be absent. Nonetheless the Divine Hand is clearly operating behind the scenes throughout the story to bring about the salvation of the Jews as we come to realize that nothing is really left to chance. All is in the hands of our Heavenly Father even when His face and name seem to be hidden from view.

There is much controversy about the historicity of the biblical story of Esther. The background details about the Persian court seem very authentic, but historians question many of the events mentioned in this satirical book. Ahasuerus the King is generally identified with the king known in Greek as Xerxes. His Persian name apparently is much closer to “Ahasuerus.” However there is no indication from our knowledge of ancient Persia that Xerxes ever took a Jewish queen and many other details of the story do not jive with what historians have uncovered about Persia of that time. It may be that Esther is just an historical novel or a fantasy of what might have been if only the Jews had gained power back then. Regardless, religious history, as usual, demands that we not be confused by the facts. We are more interested in the theological lessons to be drawn from the story whether or not it occurred precisely as described in the Bible.

Haman is linked in our tradition with Amalek, a descendant of Esau, whose people attacked the Israelites unprovoked as they departed Egypt. The Torah tells us that we must blot out the memory of Amalek from beneath the heavens. Thus in every generation we struggle against the forces of evil that try to attack us be they named Amalek, Haman, Hitler, or, if the shoe fits, Ahmedinajad. If Haman is a fictional character, he represents all too many real historic figures down through the ages who were much more successful in their efforts to kill Jews. Esther and Mordecai represent the power of faith in the Almighty and the uniting of the community to face the enemies who rise up in every age. This dark struggle is masked in black humor and hilarity as we read the Book of Esther somewhat melodramatically on Purim night and again on Purim morning. Congregants, particularly the children, drown out the name of Haman with their noisemakers, their graggers. In our congregation this year, one member dressed up villainously like Haman and tried to sneak out onto the altar while I was reading the Megillah, the book of Esther, but he retreated in haste into an alcove every time the noisemakers went off. The kids ate it up and had a great time.

On Purim, people put on masks and costumes thus symbolically hiding their faces as does God Himself in the Megillah. We are encouraged to send gifts of food to one another (shalach manot) and gifts to the poor. A feast is to be held on Purim day at which time one is urged, uncharacteristically for Jews who usually prefer food to drink, to get high on wine and liquor. We are to be so intoxicated that we can no longer distinguish between “Blessed is Mordecai” and “Cursed be Haman.” Since much of the Purim story takes place under the influence of strong drink, the drinking tradition of Purim mimics that custom. In some places, Purim songs are sung, Purim spiels (plays) are performed, and detailed parodies of rabbinic discussions are held. Nothing is sacred on this day of joy and celebration, it seems. It is truly a carnavale. It has been suggested that we numb our reasoning faculties on this day to appreciate the fact that God’s grace transcends the rational and, in spite of our sins and failures, He is there for us and ready to save us from our enemies.

We move now from Purim in the next weeks toward the great redemption of Passover and begin our preparations for a week of that major holiday next month and for our Seder meals. This week is Shabbat Parah, the Sabbath of the Cow, on which we read of the purification rites involving the ashes of a red heifer necessary before one could offer a sacrifice in the ancient Temple. As we read this arcane passage from Numbers, we remind ourselves of the need to purify our hearts and minds for the upcoming holiday on which we hope to renew ourselves as a people.

Taking Time to Stop

Temple Israel of Manchester — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:22:00 GMT

We often hear how important the Ten Commandments are in our society as the foundation of Western Civilization. While many people talk about keeping these basic laws, one wonders how many people actually are able to live by them. Aside from the very difficult commandment against coveting (a topic for another time, perhaps), I’m thinking, in particular, of the fourth commandment about the Sabbath, which appears in two different versions in the Bible.

In Exodus 20, we are told:

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six day you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God: you shall not do any work – you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle, or the stranger who is within your settlements. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth and sea, and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Here we are told to “remember the Sabbath day” and the reason given is that God rested from creation on the seventh day, blessed it and made it holy. We keep it holy by remembering it and by not laboring on it.

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses recalls the events at Sinai forty years earlier and repeats the Ten Commandments, but when he gets to the fourth one he states it somewhat differently, as follows:

Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; you shall not do any work – you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or your ass, or any of your cattle, or the stranger in your settlements, so that your male and female slave may rest as you do. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God freed you from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

Now the commandment is not “remember” but “observe”. The reason given for the commandment is not the remembrance of the Creation story, but the application of the lessons of the Exodus story to those who serve us now. When we observe Shabbat properly, we maintain the dignity of all of the creatures on the earth in remembrance of the Exodus. It is a completely different version of the fourth commandment.

Was Moses having a senior moment and, failing to recall the original version of the fourth commandment, decided to wing it? Our Jewish sages say “no.” Both versions of the biblical text are valid, both are the word of the living God. In fact, they believe, God said both versions at the same time, just as we sing in the hymn L’cha Dodi at our Friday night service, “Shamor v’zachor b’dibur echad hishmianu El hameyuchad.” “’Observe’ and ‘Remember’ in one commandment did the one God cause us to hear.” When we sanctify the Sabbath day over a cup of wine at home on Friday evening, we assert that the Sabbath is both in remembrance of the works of creation and also a memorial of the Exodus from Egypt. These two central events are inextricably linked to the Sabbath day.

In the Creation story, we are not told that God “rested” on the seventh day, but back in Genesis, it says “vayishbot,” from the same root as Shabbat, the Sabbath. God “stopped” on the seventh day. He could have continued, He could have perfected the world, He could have got it right with no war, no dissension, no inequities, but He intentionally chose to stop and leave room for human accomplishment, to allow us to take up the role of partners in creation. The Creation story ends with the words, “For on that day God stopped all of His labor which He had created to be done.” He made a world crying out for more things to be done by us to make it better. The Sabbath day is a day for us all to stop and look at the world that God has created, to appreciate all the beauty of nature, and give thanks for the wonder of His handiwork, as we contemplate the work that we have before us in the days ahead.

One of the areas God left unfinished was the area of human relationships. He brought the people of Israel first into slavery in Egypt and then later redeemed us from that state in order to sensitize us to the plight of the stranger, of the unfortunate, to open our eyes and ears to the needs of the lowest elements in society. We are always to remember the stranger, for we were strangers in Egypt. The Sabbath day is also intended to be a day when we experience a taste of that ideal society when all will live in harmony and in peace, the third central event, the one yet to come, the Sabbath day of the Messianic era. On the Sabbath, the people of the world are called upon to stop for the day and take note of our common humanity and our common task to complete the work of creation during the six other days of the week.

For Jews, the two versions of the fourth commandment complement one another by emphasizing both the positive and negative aspects of Sabbath observance. On the positive side, we are to “remember” Shabbat by preparing our homes as if to greet a special guest each week. We dress for the occasion, we set a special table with our best china and silver, we prepare a feast, and the whole family makes time to dine together. Candles are lit, blessings are bestowed upon the children, the day is sanctified over a cup of wine and braided loaves of challah bread. We are to speak words of Torah, sing Sabbath songs and conclude the meal with a rousing chorus of the grace after meals, birkat hamazon. The day continues with times for prayer and study, two more special meals, and periods of rest and relaxation. At the conclusion, we send off the Sabbath with the Havdalah ritual over wine, spices, and a braided candle. This is how we remember the Sabbath.

As for observing the day, that is equally important. How in our busy 24/7 schedule can we find time for such a special observance unless we declare a moratorium on creative labor during that time? For that one day each week, we are to do no work. The sages, seeing how the Torah connects Shabbat to the instructions on building the desert Tabernacle, determine that 39 categories of labor involved in creating that sacred structure, a miniature universe as it were, are the same types of labor which are prohibited on Shabbat. When we avoid those labors, we create what Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel called a “sanctuary in time.” We literally carve out of the time allotted us on earth, a place where we can experience the joy and relaxation of the Sabbath day.

Our Christian neighbors instituted a “Lord’s Day” on Sunday rather than keeping the Jewish Sabbath that Jesus observed. They tried to make it into a Sabbath-like day. There were in the early days of this country and there still are in some places, people and congregations that adhere to that old-fashioned Sabbath, who maintain the holiness of the Sabbath, but on Sunday instead. In recent years, however, we see that Sunday has once again become rather secular for the vast majority of our society. Yes, church services are held in the morning, but then just about any other activity is permitted. The shopping malls are open, many businesses run seven days a week, and Sunday has become like any other day for many people in our community. People who are off from their regular jobs, continue to do other forms of work. They use Sunday as a day for mowing the lawn, doing household chores, or running off in many different directions. Sunday as family day, is no longer what it used to be for gentile or Jew.

Unfortunately, Friday night and Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, also is too often completely forgotten, or observed only in the most superficial manner. It is wonderful that there are still some people who have adopted the traditional Friday night meal as a part of their family life. I wish there were many more. Yet for too many, once the dinner plates have been removed from the Friday night table, the Sabbath comes to an end for them. They’ve made a great beginning, but the rest of the day is often spent in totally secular pursuits without any attempt to maintain the sense of Sabbath holiness with which they began. In our hectic society, I feel, the Sabbath is needed more than ever and yet, unfortunately, it is ignored more than ever.

It is for this reason, that annually Jewish congregations across the United States and Canada have signed onto the Shabbat Across America project. We invite Jews to join in a Friday night service which will be explained as it proceeds and then to stay on for a traditional Sabbath dinner that follows. Several synagogues in New Hampshire, including Temple Israel in Manchester, are participating this week in Shabbat Across America. It is an opportunity once more to “Remember the Sabbath day” in the hopes that more of us may come to “Observe” it week after week.

Temple Israel to Receive Large Outdoor Menorah Just in Time for Chanukah

Temple Israel of Manchester — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:22:00 GMT

For the past several weeks, Temple Israel member Steve Saulten has been working on a special wood-working project. In recent years, as a hobby, Steve has been creating decorative boxes, clocks, and other small objects out of wood. Some of these items have been exhibited in local crafts fairs in New Hampshire.

Having seen Steve's work, Rabbi Edward Friedman, the Temple's spiritual leader, suggested that it might be nice if Steve could come up with a design for a large wooden outdoor menorah to help celebrate the holiday of Chanukah. Steve graciously agreed and came up with a plan which has now been completed. The new menorah will be set up in front of Temple Israel at 66 Salmon Street in Manchester this afternoon and lit for the first time at 4:30 p.m. with a number of Temple members in attendance. We welcome anyone else in the community who might care to join us at that time.

Part of the Chanukah holiday involves "pirsumei nisa" publicizing God's miracles in the world. Thus traditionally the small household menorahs (candleholders) were placed in the window or doorway where people passing by might see their flickering lights and remember the miracles of Chanukah. In Israel, electrified versions of the Chanukah menorah or Chanukiah, are placed atop many public buildings all across the country. In recent years, many of the synagogues and temples, Hillel houses and Jewish community centers in this country have emulated this Israeli practice and made public displays of the Chanukah lights on their grounds.

Each night of Chanukah an additional light is added to the menorah until eight lights are burning on the final night of the holiday. In this way, the rabbinic teachers of Judaism hoped to emphasize the idea of increasing the light of the world throughout the holiday at this season of darkness. Light, of course, symbolizes holiness, knowledge, commitment, and purity among other things. The Torah is compared to light and a commandment to a candle. The Bible says that our souls are God's candles. "One must constantly work to add to holiness and not diminish it," states the Talmud, the major source of rabbinic teaching.

Chanukah begins tonight, December 4th, at sundown and continues throughout the week ending next Wednesday night, December 12th.

The Temple is planning a special holiday observance on Sunday morning, December 9th, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to which the entire community is invited at no charge. There will be holiday arts and crafts and games for children at 10:30 until noon. At noon will be the annual Braverman fund Chanukah lunch including the traditional potato latkes (pancakes) with sour cream and/or applesauce. A sing-along of favorite Chanukah songs will follow and then at 1:00 p.m. Boston storyteller Cindy Rivka Marshall will perform a special Chanukah program. All are welcome, but we urge people to RSVP to the Temple office at 622-6171 so that adequate food may be prepared.

Chanukah Begins Next Week

Temple Israel of Manchester — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:02:00 GMT

Chanukah, because it occurs in December, is often compared to Christmas. Indeed, in its American incarnation, Chanukah has taken on many of the trappings of the December holiday season: gift-giving, decorations, and parties, none of which are essential elements of either holiday but which add much fun to the season. When we look at the meaning of the two festivals, we may be surprised to see that Chanukah has more in common with Thanksgiving than with Christmas. The main observance of this Festival of Lights is the lighting of the nine-branched candlelabrum, the menorah (the generic term for a lamp in Hebrew) or chanukiah (the more specific name for a Chanukah lamp). The prayers recited at the time of lighting the candles state that this is done "in order to give thanks and praise to God for His miracles, wonders, and saving deeds." Simply put, we light the candles as a sign of thanksgiving. Each day of the holiday we add psalms of praise to our morning service and recall the offerings brought by the princes of the tribes of Israel at the time of the dedication of the desert tabernacle in Moses’ day. Some people suggest that these ancient gifts to God are recalled to a degree in the modern-day gifts that we exchange with family members and friends.

Since the Jewish calendar, like that of the Muslims, is based on the moon but, unlike the Muslim calendar, is adjusted periodically to the seasons of the solar calendar, the date of the first Chanukah light moves back and forth within a 30 day range from late November to late December each year. This year, we begin the eight-day festival on the evening of December 4th and continue until nightfall on the 12th. Each night we add to the light of the chanukiah. One candle is lit on the first night and then two on the second and one more is added each successive evening until eight are lit on the final night. Since the candles are considered holy and may not be used for any secular purpose, but only as a sign of thanksgiving and praise, an additional candle is required, the shamash, by whose light one may perform other tasks. The shamash is also used to light the other candles. In some traditions, I’ve learned, two extra candles are lit, one to provide additional light and the other to light the other candles.

The original miracle of Chanukah in the story of the Maccabees involved the Temple lamp which utilized pure olive oil. Because of this some people make a point of lighting olive oil lamps instead of wax candles. To distinguish the extra lamp from the eight olive oils lights, however, many folks use a wax candle as the shamash.

Everyone agrees that Chanukah is a season of miracles, but what exactly was the miracle of Chanukah? Some see it as the victory of the tiny army of the Maccabees against the mighty forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV. Others believe the miracle occurred once the Maccabees began cleansing and rededicating the desecrated Jerusalem Temple. When they tried to relight the seven-branched menorah, they found only a small container of oil, enough for but one night. Miraculously, we are told, this small quantity of oil burned for eight nights. The fact that this story is first told centuries after the events, leads many to see the miracle of the oil as more symbolic than factual. Light stands for holiness, Torah, God’s commandments, learning, spirituality, the human soul, the essence of Judaism and all other good things. It is this positive force in the world, no matter how small its flame may be in any generation that continues to grow and flourish and bring comfort to a world in need of God’s presence. The miracle was the survival of the flame of Torah in the face of the majority culture which threatened to overwhelm it. It is this flame that each generation must watch over and add to.

The additional candle of the chanukiah, the shamash, is a humble servant, used for secular purposes. However, over time, its role was seen by our teachers as one of holiness as well. After all, we ask, who served as the shamash to light the menorah in the ancient Temple? Was it not the holy priests who served before God? When we light the candles on each night of Chanukah we remember that we are part of "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" and therefore each of us plays an important role in bringing light to this world. Each of us serves as God’s own servant to increase the light, the holiness, in our own household and to bring more light to all people throughout the world.

Chanukah is primarily a holiday celebrated in the home. The minimum requirement, say the ancient rabbis, is for each man and his household to light a single lamp each night. Only if one is able to afford the oil or candles does one follow the practice of adding more and more candles each night. The emphasis in either case is on lighting in the home. Even so, there is a communal aspect to Chanukah as well. It is also appropriate to light candles in the synagogue each night. This year at Temple Israel, a new large wooden menorah is being built by our member Steve Saulten. This electric menorah will stand outside the front door of the Temple at 66 Salmon Street, proclaiming the celebration of Chanukah throughout the week.

We have planned several special events marking the weekend of Chanukah. On Friday evening, December 7th at 6:15 p.m., we will be gathering for our monthly Shabbat on the Road service. This time we’ve decided to hold it at Courville Nursing Home at 44 West Webster St. in Manchester. Congregants will join residents in celebrating Chanukah with a special service and a potluck Shabbat and holiday dinner. Participants are requested to RSVP to the Temple office, 622-6171. Members of the community who have Jewish family members residing at Courville may wish to join us.

On Sunday, December 9th, the entire community is invited to join in a celebration of Chanukah at the Temple from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be games and arts and crafts projects for children from 10:30 to 12:00. At noon, adults will join the children for an annual Chanukah lunch sponsored by the Braverman fund and for a singalong of all the familiar Chanukah songs. At 1:00 p.m. Boston storyteller Cindy Rivka Marshall will join us with Chanukah stories for young and old. There is no charge for this event, but we ask that people call the office to reserve a place for lunch.

Offerings of Thanksgiving

Temple Israel of Manchester — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:54:00 GMT

Giving thanks is one of the most universal of religious expressions. Every religion and culture has rituals, holidays, and customs that allow people to acknowledge the many gifts with which the Almighty has blessed us. The Jewish tradition is no exception. In ancient times numerous animal sacrifices, meal offerings, and libations were placed upon the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem to thank God and celebrate His goodness as well as to seek forgiveness for sin and wrongdoing. The sacrificial system was abolished with the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in the year 70. Many Jews continue to pray these many centuries for a restoration of the Temple and its sacrifices while others believe that prayer, righteous deeds, study, and meditation not only take the place of those sacrificial offerings now, but represent higher expressions of worship for Jews. While they pray for the rebuilding of the Temple as a central shrine for Jewish reflection, they do not desire a return to what is seen as a more primitive form of worship. Even the ancient rabbis concede that one day all of the sacrifices will be abolished, except for one, and that is the thanksgiving offering. We may reach a time of perfection when we no longer require sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, but we always will need to give thanks.

Three times each day, as the traditional Jew prays for the return of God’s Presence to Zion, he or she offers thanks for all of the miracles and wonders which we experience in this world, “evening, morn, and noon.” Beyond this, we are told that we should acknowledge God at least one hundred times daily with the familiar blessing formula of “Baruch ata Adonay Eloheinu Melech HaOlam…” “Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe….” Not only do we thank God for the food we eat with appropriate blessings before and after our meals, but we acknowledge His graciousness at every step of our morning preparations and again before we go to bed. In formal prayer services, three times a day, more than three-quarters of the hundred blessings appear. There are blessings when we smell pleasant fragrances, hear good news or bad, experience wondrous phenomena of nature, thunder, lightning, earthquakes and comets. We say a blessing even after going to the bathroom, praising the Lord who keeps our bodies functioning properly.

Each week, we set aside the Sabbath Day as a tribute to God who created all that exists and ceased His work on the seventh day so that we, as partners of the Divine, might complete the work of creation on the other six. We feast and celebrate at a weekly thanksgiving dinner on Friday night and again on Saturday. So important is this family gathering week after week, that some very traditional Jews fail to understand the significance of holding a secular Thanksgiving dinner on the last Thursday of November. It seems a bit redundant perhaps.

I would disagree. Truly there is no end to God’s blessings of us in this world and another opportunity to thank the Almighty for all He does for us is always welcome. We can never thank God enough. More significantly, however, our national day of thanksgiving provides us Jews with an opportunity to emphasize all that we share with our non-Jewish neighbors, our common traditions, aspirations, and prayers. As unique as our rituals may seem and as strange as the Hebrew words of our prayers may sound, our tradition teaches similar values to those taught by other faiths practiced by our neighbors and indeed we all share the impulse to offer thanks to God.

We are pleased this year at Temple Israel to be able to host the first of what is anticipated to be an annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service sponsored by the Manchester Interfaith Clergy Association. This service will take place on Sunday evening, November 18^th at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Israel, 66 Salmon Street, Manchester. People of all faiths are invited. The service will include reflections on Thanksgiving by a Catholic priest, a rabbi, and a Muslim professor. Songs, hymns and chants from different traditions will be heard and some of the Thanksgiving standards will be sung. Other Christian clergy and a Unitarian minister will be taking part in the service as well. We hope that our neighbors regardless of religious affiliation will find this gathering to be meaningful as we approach our national day of thanksgiving and emphasize how much more brings us together than divides us. The Temple will provide a reception and fellowship gathering following the service.

Purim Festivities Open the Passover Season

Temple Israel of Manchester — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 01:32:00 GMT

Saturday night and Sunday, March 3 and 4, we celebrated the joyful holiday of Purim at Temple Israel. A small group of people from one of the local churches, who are studying the Book of Esther in their Bible class, dropped by the Temple on Saturday night and heard that biblical text in a way I'm sure they had never heard it before.

As with all biblical texts read in the synagogue, the Book of Esther, the Megillah, is chanted to a traditional melody which is indicated by little symbols printed above and below the Hebrew text in the Bible. The primary melody for the Book of Esther is a joyous, fast-paced tune. The custom, however, is to intersperse it with a number of other melodies to underline the meaning of the text. Thus when certain verses are read that remind us of the sad events of Jewish history, we switch from the upbeat melody of the Book of Esther to the mournful melody of Lamentations.

When the book tells us that the king could not sleep one night, we recall the rabbinic commentary that says that this refers not only to the earthly King, Ahasuerus, but to the Heavenly King as well. To underscore that commentary, we sing the phrase about the king's insomnia to the melody of the introduction to the High Holiday liturgy, which speaks of "the King who sits on a high and exalted throne."

It is customary for both children and adults to attend Purim services in costume, often representing characters in the Book of Esther. I add to the fun by attempting to read the dialogue in the Megillah with an appropriate voice for each character: a deep voice for the king, a high voice for the queen, a raspy wicked voice for Haman, the villain. Whenever the name Haman is mentioned, all those present use noisemakers, called graggers, to attempt to drown out his name. In short, we have a lot of fun with the reading. This is the Jewish version of the Mardi Gras carnival.

Sunday morning, we read the book a second time and, again, those present got into the spirit of the holiday by wearing costumes and using their graggers during the reading of the text. Afterwards, we enjoyed an impromptu French Toast breakfast. While this might not be exactly what Queen Esther had in mind when she proclaimed this holiday a time of feasting, this little meal in the Temple's social hall began the process of linking Purim to the next major festival of the year. Only one month from now, we mark the holiday of Passover or Pesach.

Passover celebrates the redemption of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery over three thousand years ago. There are many customs associated with Passover, but the most distinctive is preparing for the holiday by removing all sorts of bread and leaven products (chametz) from our homes. Throughout the eight days of the holiday, it is forbidden to eat any chametz. We eat matzah ,unleavened bread, and various products made from matzah meal. Our ancestors showed their faith in God's providence by marching forth from Egypt into the wilderness with only the unleavened cakes they had quickly pulled from their ovens on the night of the Exodus. We recall that faith by eating matzah on the holiday. For many commentators the leavened products symbolize evil qualities that we should strive to remove from our lives. Because leaven is totally forbidden on Passover, observant Jews go out of their way to clean their houses thoroughly and remove anything that might contain chametz.

Our French Toast breakfast Sunday morning was the first step in the cleansing process for Passover. The Temple's freezer held an overabundance of challah bread that should be finished off before Passover. Those gathered for the Purim celebration did their small part in finishing off several loaves of Challah, which makes wonderful French Toast. Though Passover is still nearly four weeks away, it is not too early to begin preparing ourselves and our homes for that holiday. Thirty days before Passover, the rabbis suggest that we begin to review the laws of Chametz and Matzah to make sure that we are familiar with the requirements of the tradition and that our homes are ready when the holiday arrives.

The redemption of the Jews that we celebrate at Purim is seen as a harbinger of the greater redemption marked by Passover. Passover, in turn, is a holiday on which we look forward to the ultimate redemption of the world when Elijah the Prophet will arrive as predicted in the book of Malachi: "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers" in preparation for "the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord." Lofty concepts are so often hidden in modest symbols. A loaf of bread or a sheet of matzah point beyond themselves to significant values, and our quest as Jews is to seek ever deeper meaning in these symbols.

Masks and Purim

Temple Israel of Manchester — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 02:50:00 GMT

The holiday of Purim, the Jewish Feast of Lots begins on Saturday evening, March 3rd. Its major observance includes the reading of the biblical Book of Esther (the Megillah) around which a kind of Mardi Gras atmosphere has been created with costumes, masks, noisemakers, the exchanging of gifts of food and, uncharacteristically for Jewish folks, drinking a bit in imitation of King Ahasuerus, Queen Esther's husband. In fact, one is supposed to drink at the Purim feast "Ad d'lo yada," until one no longer can distinguish between 'Blessed be Mordecai' (the hero of the book) and 'Cursed be Haman' (the villain in the story. We also are expected to give generously to the poor. I wrote the followng piece about the tradition of masks and costumes on Purim for the Temple Israel March Bulletin:

When one thinks about the joyous holiday of Purim, aside from the reading of the Megillah (scroll of Esther) and the groggers (noisemakers) blotting out the name of Haman, one thinks of masks and costumes and Purim spiels (plays). When the Halloween costumes go on sale at the beginning of November, some far-thinking Jewish parents think "Purim!" and run out to get a bargain.

What is it about Purim that leads us to play "dress-up" and have our children become little Esthers and Ahasueruses? How come even adults in recent years have joined the fun and dug up disguises in the attic or gone to the costume shop to rent an outfit? There is just a lot of fun in putting on a mask or a costume and pretending to be something one really isn't. My favorite costume of all time was back when I was the rabbi in Northampton, Massachusetts, the arsty-craftsy town which continues to live as if the '60s never ended. We had a number of craftspeople in the congregation including a wonderful glassblower named Joe Morse, who wore his hair long and had a full beard and dressed in casual attire most of the time. When Purim came around one year, he found a costume that nobody could penetrate until he opened his mouth: He came as a stock broker. He cut his hair, shaved his beard, and dressed in a business suit. He won first prize hands down.

Some wags over the years have played on the official liturgical name of Yom Kippur, "Yom Ha-Kippurim" and explain that Yom Kippur is a day K'Purim, like Purim. Why? Because on Yom Kippur, pious Jews come to shul and beat their breasts and pretend to be sinners while sinners try their best to pass as pious Jews. On Purim, we all dress up and pretend to be other than what we are.

The tradition began, we're told, because of a Talmudic discussion about the biblical foundations of the holiday. Even though Purim was clearly created after the close of the Torah, the rabbis always look for hints of later traditions imbedded in the text of the Torah. Thus they ask the question, "Where does Esther appear in the Torah?" The answer they give is that Esther is hinted at in the verse in Deuteronomy where God tells Moses that in the future when the people go astray after other gods, He will hide his face from them, "v'anochi haster astir et panay bayom ha-hu." (Deut. 31:18) The words "haster" and "astir" have the same consonants as the Hebrew name "Esther" so it is almost as if God mentions Esther in the Torah. On top of that, if one looks in the book of Esther, one notices that God's name never appears in the book. It is as if God has purposely hidden His face from the Jewish people of that time, but not really.

Throughout the book, even though He is never mentioned by name, God's presence is strongly felt. Scholars find many parallels between the story of Esther and that of Joseph back in Genesis. There are many linguistic parallels as well as similarities in the story. Both Joseph and Esther are raised to high office and both hide their identities behind their royal personas until the dramatic highpoint of the stories occur and each of them reveals their real selfs, Joseph to his brothers and Esther to the King. In both stories a number of "coincidences" occur and forward the action of the story. In Genesis, Joseph makes explicit the fact that all that has occurred to him was the work of God. It was God who brought him down to Egypt so that he might save his family. When we read the Megillah, since we are familiar with the Joseph story, we should not need to be told who is behind all the so-called coincidences. God's name may not be mentioned, but He is still working behind the scenes. Similarly, we are to remind ourselves today, that God, whether or not we perceive Him openly, is still working in our lives. His face may be hidden and we may wonder what became of Him, but we should know that He is still on the job and everything is being directed according to His plan.

When we dress up in masks and costumes on Purim, we may be remembering the hidden face of God, or we may in fact be recalling our own hidden reality, the pintele yid, that essence of Jewish commitment and identity that we cannot completely hide even if we are raised to the highest levels of royalty and honor. Esther, who hides her Jewish identity from the king and his court, is reminded by her cousin Mordecai when her people are in danger that she is only playing a role and that it is for this very reason that she has been raised to glory, in order to save her people. All of the honor and glory we enjoy in this world is ours only to enable us to serve a higher purpose and to do honor to the Almighty.

So let us join together and have fun on Purim on March 3rd at 6:00 p.m. and March 4th at 9:00 a.m. at Temple Israel. Let us twirl the graggers and eat the hamentaschen and, by all means, dress up in masks and costumes, but let us remember the deeper significance of the masks that we wear and try not to forget our real faces hidden away behind these outer appearances or the face of God hidden behind the actions of this world.

Chag Purim Sameach! Happy Purim to all!

Rabbi Edward M. Friedman

Temple Israel of Manchester at 50

Temple Israel of Manchester — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:47:00 GMT

Temple Israel of Manchester is preparing to celebrate its Golden Jubilee, fifty years at its present location on Salmon Street as a Conservative Jewish Congregation. Previously it had been located on Central Street for about 40 years under the name of Anshe Sephard and it had been an Orthodox Congregation for some 60 years total including years when the congregation had met in private homes. There are plans for a gala weekend in May to mark this milestone.

In September, Temple Israel engaged a new rabbi, Edward Friedman, to serve as its spiritual leader. The rabbi and his wife Janice moved to Goffstown from Bloomfield, CT, and he immediately began introducing a variety of exciting programs and activities in the congregation. Arriving just before the High Holidays in September, the rabbi was enthusiastically received by the congregation and many in the community have come by to see what the excitement is about. The congregation under the leadership of Rabbi Friedman and its President Irma Wallin has ambitious goals of attracting new families and bringing back former members who had drifted away during a period when the congregation had no rabbinic leadership.

Virtually every Friday night, the congregation has had some different type of program to appeal to a wide range of congregants. Though many traditional Jewish congregations do not allow musical instruments to be used at Sabbath services, it seems that a number of congregation in recent years have begun experimenting with the use of acoustic guitars and other instruments to accompany and enhance the Sabbath worship experience. Rabbi Friedman has invited local musicians to assist him at a monthly service dubbed “Shabbat Shirah,” “A Sabbath of Song” and following the services, at the oneg Shabbat reception a sing-along of old favorites has followed with the enthusiastic participation of congregants. The next Shabbat Shirah is scheduled for March 9^th at the Temple at 8:00 p.m. and, like all Temple programs, is open to the public as well.

Another innovation has been the establishment of a monthly Tot Shabbat service. This early service, held at 6:30 p.m. is geared to young children even as it includes the basics elements of the Sabbath service for adults who might wish to attend and worship. The abbreviated service features singing, a story for the kids related to Jewish values or holidays, and a Cupcake Oneg Shabbat Reception to follow. The next Tot Shabbat is on February 23^rd at 6:30 p.m. and, generally, these services have taken place on the final Friday of the month, though one should check with the Temple office to be sure (603-622-6171).

Yet another new service the rabbi has suggested is a monthly Shabbat On the Road which takes the synagogue service to the homes of members living in the Manchester suburbs. Those attending are urged to participate not only in the worship service, but also in a pot-luck dairy Sabbath dinner at the home of the host. The first of these Shabbat on the Road events was on the first night of Chanukah at the home of Rabbi Friedman and his wife Janice in Goffstown. In January the group moved to Hooksett to the home of congregant Judith Shapiro. The February event was to have been in Chester at the home of Pam and Steve Saulten, but weather forced its cancellation and rescheduling to April. The next Shabbat on the Road will be in Bedford on March 23^rd. RSVPs are a must for these events and the Temple office can give interested people more detail about the event. We welcome people who’d like to get to know our congregation in a less formal way by coming to the Shabbat on the Road.

Aside from these three types of services, the Temple has also hosted guest speakers at Friday evening services. Adam Solender of the Jewish Federation of New Hampshire spoke earlier this month about the work of the Jewish Federation and Irma Wallin, the synagogue president, will be speaking on March 2^nd at the 8:00 p.m. service about her recent trip to Israel and Jordan and particularly about Jordan as part of the Holy Land. This event also is open to the community.

Sabbath services also take place every Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. with a spirited traditional worship and are also open to the community. Indeed, every day, the congregation opens its doors for morning worship at 7:00 a.m. on Monday through Friday and at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday and secular holidays.

Jewish holidays are also well celebrated. Aside from the Chanukah Shabbat on the Road, the congregation had a major Chanukah party during Chanukah week including a wonderful performance by a local magician and a lovely lunch. A Tu BiShvat Seder was held in spite of poor weather earlier in February with fruits and nuts and wine served in honor of the new year of the trees. The celebration of Purim will soon be upon us with events planned for Saturday evening March 3^rd at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday morning, March 4^th at 9:00 a.m. More details will follow in the next column.

The Temple encourages people to visit and join our community and we welcome your interest and hope you will stop by to check us out.