4 RAYMOND ST. NASHUA, N.H. 03064-2317

April 2017 – Vol. 43, No. 07 • telephone: 603-883-8184 • e-mail: office@tbanashua.org • www.tbanashua.org

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDNashua, N. H.Permit No.788

Passover (Pesach) Begins On Monday April 10

Community Seder Is On Tuesday April 11

See Inside For Passover Service Times, Matzah Brei Brunch,

Chametz Contract, Seder Match And Passover Kashrut Guide

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Temple Beth Abraham April 2017 Vol. 43 No. 07Nisan / Iyyar 5777

Rabbi Spira-Savett

Feeling at home with Jewish ritual. Having access to studying Torah and other Jewish texts. Finding joy through the rhythms of Jew-ish life. Being capable and empowered as a Jew who can bring our teachings and traditions to bear on life today.

This is what Jewish leaders and educators are after in our work. Maybe you think that the previ-ous paragraph describes only a small number of Jews, and maybe you don’t number yourself among them. But I bet you are, or you’re closer than you think. If you can put on a Passover Seder, as a leader or host, then you are there, or well on the way.

Think about it: Across even our relatively small Jewish community in New Hampshire, there are probably a few hundred Seders in people’s homes. They are led by people who know a lot of Hebrew, some Hebrew, or none at all. They are led by people who are comfortable at Shabbat services, or who are not. They are led by people with all different kinds of theological beliefs.None – well, maybe a dozen or two

at the most – come to rabbis to get trained in how to lead a Seder. Maybe it’s a tradition you watched someone else carry out and you’ve picked up. Perhaps last year or this year, you just decided to jump in, buy some Hag-gadot, and start.Without any special training, think

of what you do! You guide people

through a study book composed by the sages of nearly two thousand years ago, with commentaries woven in over the centuries. Perhaps as the leader you explain some things, or an-swer questions, or get people talking. Congratulations – you’re like a rabbi!And so many other things go into

a Seder. Traditional foods, includ-ing ones prescribed by ritual and law. Leading a service. Engaging a tradition – reading the Haggadah, deciding how to edit it, adding a twist. An intergenerational gather-ing. Recitations and songs in the Hebrew language.And of course, at the core, a world-

changing story with a message about Jewish history and purpose, human freedom, dignity, possibility, and hope.

Seder: You Know More Than You Realize!

(Continued on the following page …)

(Continued on the following page …)

Back in the day, when the month of Nissan (Aviv) rolled around it was time for the great cook-out in Jerusalem. As it is said, Leviticus 23:5, “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the Lord’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.” This was a communal cookout.

You couldn’t do it at home the way we do it today. No, as it says in Deuteronomy 16:5, “Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passover offering within any of thy gates, which the

President Michael Harris

One Enormous CookoutLord thy God giveth thee; but at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to cause His name to dwell in (i.e. the Temple in Jerusalem), there thou shalt sacrifice the Passover offering at even, at the going down of the sun.” So, is it quite clear? On the tenth

day of the month you should go out and choose your unblemished sacrificial lamb, gather your cookout supplies and your clan and trek on up to Jerusalem. Back in the day, you see, it might take us two or three days from our town or village to make our way up to Jerusalem. When we got there, we had to set up tent and get ready for the great cookout so that when came the setting of the sun on the fourteenth day of the month we

could perform the sacrifice and have the feast. “And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.” Eat up everyone. Nothing should remain. “And there shall be no leaven seen with thee in all thy borders seven days; neither shall any of the flesh, which thou sacrificest the first day at even, remain all night until morning.”Okay now, imagine the scene. We

have all trekked on up to Jerusalem, three or four days, us, our neighbors people from the next town over, the town after that and so on from all over the land. Animals everywhere, doing what they do. Children run-

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Seder: continued…

You have the capacity to pull this off. There’s what you know and have learned and absorbed; there’s the Haggadah; and there are all kinds of resources in people and online. And what you create, as the Seder host or leader, is far more layered than if you just said, “Hey, come on over for dinner and let’s talk about human freedom.”The Seder is a microcosm of Ju-

daism. If you can host or lead a Seder, you have all the ingredients for being a modern Jew who draws from our rich tradition and takes on the challenge and responsibility of making it speak to your life and our world today.

This year as always, I hope you find something profound in our annual gathering to examine and reenact the Exodus. Our world is always in need of the transformations that no one before had ever thought possible. The Exodus reminds us that any people, no matter how degraded or disregarded, can become indis-pensable. That the most frozen and oppressive reality can be shattered by hope and faith and action. That we as Jews have a special role as the people who brought this story into the world, and hold ourselves and others to living by its implications.

I’m of course happy to teach you more, about Pesach and about the Seder. But I hope you will see at your own Seder that you are already the Jew who is poised to carry all facets of our tradition, to lead others, and to make Judaism sing in old ways and new ones in our world. Not just on Passover, not just at your table, but throughout the year and everywhere Jews gather and learn and act.A zissen Pesach – Have a sweet

Pesach,

Rabbi Jon

ning around and playing. Teenagers meeting friends from other towns. Big excitement. Our tents all set up, the preparation of the festive foods commences. We sacrifice our lamb, roast it and have a great feast. Us, our neighbors and people from all over – some we know and some from distant parts.It was forbidden to perform this

sacrifice and feast alone. It is said that at least ten people, but often more, would participate in the feast for one sacrificial animal. But how big was this giant communal cook-out. In the time of the Romans, the emperor Nero asked for a census. Now, since it was a commandment for everyone to go up to Jerusalem, it was thought that a way to estimate the population would be to perform

a count of the number of sacrifices. The historian, whom we call Jose-phus but whose name was בן מתתיהו ‎, Yosef ben Matityahu, actually יוסףrecorded the count of the number of sacrifices as 256,500, which, at ten people per sacrifice would mean one enormous cookout. E. P. Sand-ers in ‘Judaism: Practice and Belief 63 BCE - 66 CE’ (p. 126) contends that the Josephus number is exagger-ated. Using various means, Sanders estimates the actual number of at-tendees to be 300,000 to 500,000. Even if Josephus is off by a factor of five or ten as Sanders thinks, it is still an enormous cookout. All these people come to Jerusalem, all these tents. Roman soldiers milling about. Quite some event.Of course, the Temple was de-

stroyed. We no longer go up to Jerusalem for the Pesah sacrifice. We go to the shop. We no longer get to-gether in our tents like a huge tailgate party on the hills of Jerusalem. We have adopted the Greek custom. We have a Passover Seder in our homes, we have the Haggadah. We tell the story. We sing and drink wine. We have intellectual discussions. Some say we no longer do animal sacrifices (because those were only done in the Temple), but somehow the animals are still killed, we still roast them and have a feast.But back in the day, what a cookout!May you have a happy and a kosher

Pesah.

חג שמח וכשרשלום וברכה

Michael Harris

One Enormous Cookout continued…

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BULLETIN PUBLISHED MONTHLY ELEVEN TIMES A YEAR

VOL. 43, NO. 07 BY TEMPLE BETH ABRAHAM

4 RAYMOND STREETNASHUA, NH 03064-2317

(603) 883-8184FAX (603) 594-8983

Religious School 883-9844website: http://www.tbanashua.org/

Rabbi ...............................Jonathan Spira-Savett President .........................Michael Harris Secretary ...........................Alan GreenTreasurer ..........................Barry SackOffice Manager/ Bookkeeper & Editor. ......Judy GoldsteinAssistant Secretary & Associate Ed .....................Diane TothDirector of Education & Family Engagement.....Noreen LeibsonSchool Secretary ...............Janice Lariviere

BOARD OF DIRECTORSYami Baker .......................Jeff Masors Lisa Bonneau .....................David SacksLeon Goldstein.................Sharon WeissWendy Kolopsky ..............Gabrielle Zeira

Rebecca Green - Sisterhood Representative

Affiliated with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

April Service Schedule

Services are held every Friday evening at 8:00 PM (unless otherwise

noted), Saturday at 9:30 AM and Monday –Thursday at 7:30 PM.

SPECIAL EVENT SERVICESMarch 31 & April 1Elsa Vig Bat Mitzvah

April 1Jr. Congregation & Tot Shabbat

with Music TogetherApril 15

Jr. Congregation & Tot Shabbat with Music Together

April 21 & 22Talya Rezaoui Bat Mitzvah

April 28 & 29Ethan Ebersman Bar Mitzvah

Oneg, Kiddush and Flower Sponsors

March 16 & 17 Flowers sponsored by Murray

Deutsch in memory of his beloved sister, Eva Blatt

March 31 & April 1Ellen and Harry Vig in honor of

their daughter, Elsa’s Bat MitzvahApril 21 & 22

The Rezaoui family in honor of Talya’s Bat Mitzvah

April 28 & 29Bruce & Melissa Ebersman in

honor of son, Ethan’s Bar Mitzvah

Services and Community

Community NewsBest Wishes to:

• Arlene Shapiro on her 90thBirthday!

• Sandie & Seth Leonard on theengagement of daughter, Anatto Zach Wookey

To all those people in our community who are ill we wish you a complete &speedy recovery.

Honoring Our Veterans

SHABBAT SERVICES NOVEMBER 11, 2017

Temple Beth Abraham and the Lifelong Learning Committee are honored to celebrate the members of our congregation who have served our country, Israel, or any other country, in uniform.If you have served or are currently

serving in the military, or if members of your family have served in the past, please contact Laura Horowitz (459-3636; email: laurahorowitz@yahoo.com) or Judy Goldstein at the synagogue. We will send you a form to fill out with details of your (their service).We hope the congregation will join

us as we honor our veterans during Shabbat services on Saturday, No-vember 11, as well as at a luncheon following services. Thank you to all our veterans and their families for their service.

Passover Service ScheduleMonday, April 10

Siyyum for First Born 7:30 AMTuesday, April 11

9:30 AMWednesday, April 12

9:30 AM & 8:15 PM regular evening minyanSunday, April 16

7:30 PMMonday, April 17

9:30 AM and 8:15 PMTuesday, April 18

9:30 AM w/Yizkor and8:00 PM Yizkor and then

Maariv/end of chag

School Calender1 & 15 Jr. Congregation10-11 No school17-18 No school23-30 Spring Break

APRIL ‘17

S M T W Th F S

JC

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 X X 12 13 14 JC

16 X X 19 20 21 22

X X X X X X X

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Education and Programming

Elsa Vig Bat Mizvah

“Hi, my name is Elsa Vig, and I am a 7th grader at Mar-shall Middle School in North Billerica, MA. I have 2 broth-ers, Benjamin (15) and Daniel (11), 2 cats, 1 guinea pig, and lots of fish. I like theatre, animals, singing, and dancing. My Bat Mitzvah is April 1 and my Torah portion is Vayi-kra, which is about how to properly sacrifice an animal to God. When I grow up, I plan to be a veterinarian, so that I can help animals instead of sacrificing them.”

Talya Rezaoui Bat Mitzvah

It is with great pleasure we in-vite the Temple Beth Abraham community to join our friends and family as we celebrate Talya being called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on April 22. Talya has a younger brother, Zachariah, a younger sister Moriah and goes to school at Merrimack Middle School. She has been a student of TBA since she was in Gan Katan – that’s 8+ years of learning! Talya is also an active mem-ber of NH Chabad and has LOVED going to Gan Izzy summer day camp. This will be her 9th summer where she has more recently been a beloved counselor’s aide to the little kids who continue to find friendships in our ever so small, but amazing Southern NH Jewish community. Finally, Talya is

highly engaged in her Girl Scout troop since being a Daisy in Kindergarten. She works on badges, helping the Merrimack community and adores overnight Camp Farnsworth where she hopes to have more experiences towards being a horse-riding counselor in the coming years. Please enjoy a selection of Kosher Girl Scout cookies at her Kiddush. April 22 is also Earth Day and Talya’s

Torah portion - Shemini - talks about the laws of kashrut animals. So very fitting as the animals we respectfully eat (and not eat) come from the earth’s land, air, and sea…. Her mitzvah proj-ect revolves around helping to create a garden space and beautifying the Chabad’s NEW Manchester location. She has brainstormed design ideas, types of plants, and will be leading children’s garden activities as part of her Bat Mitzvah weekend. Please come see the Chabad Center sometime at one of their many events and celebrations. Thank you, from the Rezaoui Family.

Ethan Ebersman Bar Mitzvah

Hi, My Name is Ethan Solo-mon Ebers-man and my Bar Mitzvah is on April 29 at Temple Beth Abraham. The Torah portion I will present is Tazria-Metzora, which according to the Talmud has to do with gossip and the impact of our speech on others.In my freetime I enjoy playing bas-

ketball, soccer, and baseball. I also play the trombone and participate in Boy Scouts. My favorite subject in school is Science. Additionally, I have a strong interest in American history. I live and attend school in Dunstable, Massachusetts. Cur-rently I am in seventh grade. I look forward to celebrating with the community,friends, extended fam-ily, and parents, Melissa and Bruce Ebersman, and my brother Aaron.

Annual Fundraising Campaign Underway

Temple Beth Abraham’s annual fundraising appeal is in full swing. The letter which you recently re-ceived pointed out that there are two concerns with the greatest need: support for our religious school and funding for capital expenses. You have seen the color flyer pointing out the impact that our school has had on former students who are now leaders in Jewish education. And in our letter, we also noted large capi-tal expenses which have exceeded our budgeted amounts: repairs to the walk-in refrigerator, concrete walkways, and air conditioners

in both buildings, as well as the need for partial roof replacement, replacement of our HVAC system, and repairs to the school building’s entrance. Last year, our fundraising drive

raised $46,000. We are hoping to meet or exceed that amount this year. Contributions of any amount will help. If you have not yet done so, you can donate using either the form which was sent in our letter, or through the website. Please help us to maintain TBA as a vital and vibrant force in our community.

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Education and Programming

From Purim to Pesach, a Jewish Journey

Director of Education and Family Engagement

Noreen Leibson

I love this time of the Jewish year. We are just coming out of the ado of Purim and our sights turn toward Pesach. Did you know that The Butcherie in Brookline has already turned their kitchen over for Pesach? I called this week (March 14) to order the dinner for the Hai class and was told no rice pilaf. While that might not mean much to you, it means that our starch will be coming from mostly potatoes. We eat a lot of potatoes on Pesach. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself. I want to share some stories from Purim.Purim is a somewhat farcical holiday.

The Talmud states that we are to drink on Purim until “we can’t tell between cursed is Haman from blessed is Mor-dechai”. But even with all the craziness, there is a lot to learn from the story. The megillah (scroll of Esther) contains many secrets and also revelations. Es-ther hides her identity from the King while Mordechai reveals himself as a Jew when he refuses to bow down to Haman. Esther’s name itself means hidden or secret. She goes undercover only to reveal herself at the end at a time when she and her people will be put to death. Esther is a true hero. She puts her life at risk to save her people. Ultimately, good rises above evil. Like many times in our tradition, we tell the story. In Purim we read the megil-lah and typically perform a shpiel, an interpretative expansion of the original story. Many of our children and adults came in costume. Take a look at the photos to get a glimpse of what was going on.

And how about our Purim shpiel? Kudos to senior USY for organizing not only the shpiel but also Haman’s Haunted House. Deena Feldman took the music from Hamilton and wrote a clever parody of the Purim story for all to enjoy. Three cheers to or actors, Deena, Naomi Goodman, Jonah Savage, Ari Friedman, Rebekah Savage, Jodi Watterson and Sarinah Spira-Savett. Also I want to share my deepest gratitude to our teachers and volunteers who were on the scene and behind the scenes. I want to note the work of the Education and Family Engagement committee for their com-mitment to making the Mishloach Manot the best ever. Every member of our congregation received a basket. This is part of the mitzvah.Our first Pesach event will happen be-

fore you read this. I am referring to the Matzah Bakery on March 23. We will welcome Rabbi Krinsky from Chabad of NH to our shul, and our children will enjoy making matzah in his special portable oven. It’s fun and interesting to hear the timer go off as from start to finish the whole process of making the matzah must be completed in 18 minutes. Our Sunday school students will participate in a Pesach crafts buffet. We have invited our Yedidim friends to join us to make ritual objects for their Seders. On April 6, our weekday stu-dents will have their share of hands-on learning about Pesach with a moveable feast of foods and ritual objects. As you can see, Jewish holidays are

more than prayers and coming to the shul. So much happens in the home and requires one to “do” something. The Pesach Seder is an excellent example of “doing” the holiday. We retell the story with props. We use all of our senses – we see the beauty of the Pesach table, we hear the telling of the story

of Freedom, we taste the bitterness of the maror and the sweetness of the charoset, we feel what it was like to be freed from slavery, and we smell the enticing aroma of the chicken soup as the scent fills the house. Judaism asks more of us than coming

to synagogue to pray. This is vitally important but it’s not enough. As Jews we exercise our Jewish muscles through action. We go beyond learning about Tzdekah. We collect Tzedakah and choose a particular cause to support. We learn from the teaching of the Torah and then find a way to make it personal and contemporary. Just as the wicked child asks, “what does this have to do with me?” we need to be able to answer that question when our children ask what Jewish education and practice mean for them. The Haggadah presents this question, as coming from the wicked or rebellious child but this is how we learn, by asking questions. It is our responsibility as the adults in our children’s lives to teach them how Judaism is relevant to their lives. Throughout the Torah we are told to

teach our children dor l’dor, from gen-eration to generation. It is our stories and our understanding of Justice that sustains us. Judaism in one form or an-other goes back more than 5000 years. Given all the injustice that has befallen us, it is a miracle that we continue to thrive. As Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary sang, “Don’t let the lights go out! It’s lasted for so many years. Don’t let the lights go out! Let it shine through our hope and our tears.” May you continue to feel the blessings

that light our way through the joys and challenges of life. Hag Pesach Sameach

Noreen

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Education and Programming

SOUTHERN NH JEWISH MEN’S

CLUBThe SNHJMC has a number of

great programs coming up in the next few months. Please keep an eye on our website, www.snhjmc.org or our Facebook page for up to date events and information on our breakfasts and programs! In March, we put on our annual SNHJMC Children’s Breakfast featuring Mr. Vinny and his very engaging and funny puppet show! It was extremely well attended and everyone had a blast! April 2 Breakfast: It’s that time

already, annual meeting and elec-tions for the upcoming SNHJMC Breakfast year. We will be discussing the past year and events as well as some exciting changes on the hori-zon for the SNHJMC! If you are a member, or if you are interested in learning more about what the club has going on (OR if you just want a fantastic breakfast)- we hope you can make it! Two of the items on the agenda will be Elections and Affili-ation with Temple Beth Abraham.The breakfast will start at 9:30

AM at Temple Beth Abraham. Our famous bagels, lox, whitefish veggies, eggs, potatoes and more breakfast will be served! Cost is $8 for members and $12 for non-members and membership can be paid at the door. You can’t get a top quality breakfast for this price anywhere in town! While RSVP’s are not required, they are strongly sug-gested and are appreciated. Please let us know if you can make it at breakfastrsvp@snhjmc.org.

Book Reading at Barnes & NobleNoah Beit-Aharon, who publishes as N.S. Dolkart and is married to

former member Becky Dolkart, will be reading from his novel Among the Fallen at the Nashua Barnes & Noble on Sunday, April 23 at 1 PM.Among the Fallen is the second book in his Jewish epic

fantasy series The Godserfs. The first book, Silent Hall, revolves around the adventures of five refugees who must find themselves new lives and purpose without a homeland. In the course of their travels they meet the manipulative wizard Psander and begin a quest to free an ancient prophet and awaken his god. Silent Hall has won praise from reviewers and fellow authors for being “very nearly a perfect fantasy novel.”

Among the Fallen explores the ramifications of the heroes’ apparent success at the end of Silent Hall, when followers of the newly-active god are emboldened to take back the land that was once theirs. The resulting regional war pits friends against friends and hardliners against those who yearn for peace.

All members and friends are invited to the reading and Q&A on Sunday, April 23 at 1 PM, at the

Barnes & Noble located at 235 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua.

BABKA Book Club April 5BABKA, the

Temple Beth Abraham book d i s c u s s i o n group, will meet on Wednesday, April 5, follow-ing the 7:30 PM minyan.This month the group will discuss

the book Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle by Kati Preston.This book is the candid, no-holds-

barred autobiography of Kati Pres-ton. She is a Holocaust and cancer survivor, wife, mother, grandmother, mentor, fashion designer, model, journalist, entrepreneur, impresario,

friend, book, public speaker, and campaigner against hate of any sort.This is a personal account that

chronicles love, persecution, tri-umph, adversity, turmoil, peace, affairs, partings, collaborations, betrayals, births, and deaths. It is a history lesson told with much humor, insight, incisiveness, and empathy.Everyone is invited to join the

BABKA discussion.NOTE: Kati Preston will be the

presenter at the 2017 Yom HaShoah Remembrance Day program on Monday, April 24, 7:00 PM. This event is co-sponsored by Temple Beth Abraham and Rivier Univer-sity. Details elsewhere in bulletin.

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Education and Programming

Coming Events and ProgrammingBrought to You by the Lifelong Learning Committee

NH Jewish Film Festival, March 23 to April 2, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of NH

The Ethical Life, Sunday, April 2, 10:00 AMTopic: Can I buy things made in sweat shops?

The Criminal Justice System – Honoring Tradition, Championing ReformJTS Livestream event, Tuesday, April 4, 7:30 PM

Manhattan DA Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., shares new approaches to criminal justice reform. Livestream: www.jtsa.edu/live

BABKA meeting, Wednesday, April 5, 8:00 pm“Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle” by Kati Preston. Details elsewhere in bulletin.

Shabbat Lunch and Learn, Saturday, April 15Join us for lunch following morning services. Topic: Meet the Congregation – Lawyers.

Yom HaShoah Remembrance, Monday, April 24, 7:00 PM at Dion Center, Rivier UniversitySpeaker: Kati Preston, Holocaust Survivor. Details elsewhere in bulletin.

Till We Have Built Jerusalem: Architects of a New City, Sunday, April 30, 10:00 AMSpeaker: Adina Hoffman (formerly of Peterborough, NH). Details elsewhere in bulletin.

Ongoing:Torah Study with Rabbi Jon - Thursdays from 10:30 AM to Noon. Come once or many times.

Rabbijon.net and @TBARavTeachings on the weekly Torah reading and current events through a Jewish lens, podcasts, and music.

Rabbi Jon’s high holy day sermons are posted.

Save the Date!BABKA meeting, Wednesday, May 3, 8:00 PM - “Visible City” by Tovah Mirvis.

The Ethical Life, Sunday, May 7, 10:00 AM - Topic: End of life dilemmas.

Mighty Be Our Powers: Standing Together to Confront TyrannyJTS Livestream event, Wednesday, May 10, 7:30 PM

A talk by Leymah Gbowee, winner of the Nobel Prize for her work leading a women’s peace movement in Liberia.The annual John Paul II Lecture on Interfaith Understanding. Livestream: www.jtsa.edu/live

Shabbat Lunch and Learn, Saturday, May 13Join us for lunch and learning following morning services.

Shalom Israel-Yom Yerushalayim Festival, Sunday, May 21, 9:30 AMCome join us for the annual Jason Schenker Walkathon followed by the Festival.

Food, games, music, and more!

Have Ideas? Want to Help? Join Our Committee! Contact Jeff Masors at lifelonglearning@tbanashua.org or Rabbi Jon at rabbi@tbanashua.org.

Contribute to the Elizabeth Fischer Memorial Fund to support TBA’s ongoing scholarly and cultural special programming.

Consider sponsoring a specific speaker/event or the food for an event. Contact the office or Rabbi Jon.

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Education and Programming

March 12 Kiddie KarnivalApril 2 Make your own familiy seder plate, chocolate covered matzah afikoman bagMay 7- benson’s family picnicJune 4 - Odiorne state park

★★★★★

SAVE THE DATE!May 7- Benson’s family picnicJune 4 - Odiorne state park

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Fundraising

Thank You for Your Support of the Mishlo’ah Manot FundraiserOn behalf of the

Religious School and the School Commit-tee, we would like to thank all those who participated in this year’s Mishlo’ah Manot fundraiser. We exceeded our goal this year, and this money will go towards many of the terrific programs that are run by the Religious School. There are always many hands that

make a fundraiser successful, from those creating the baskets, those as-sembling several hundred baskets, the drivers who delivered all those baskets, the one who created the routes and all of the people behind the scenes that made it happen. This is our largest fun-draiser of the year and we couldn’t have been as successful as we were without the contributions from many places. I would like to acknowledge the fol-

lowing people for their contribution to our success:Bill Barry & Helen HonorowIlene & Ed BorodaBuzz & Elaine BrodyTamara BryantAndrea BuchinNancy CantorChris & Tammy Devine

Charles & Darlene DrutmanLeigh Eichel & Judy DeludeMartin & Ann FabianSamuel & Olga FainRobert & Marsha FederNancy FermanDavid FoxBen & Eileen FreedmanHenrietta FreedmanGary & Mara FriedmanLeslie & Fern GettoBill & Jane GoodmanDonald & Carol GorelickRochelle GorenAlan & Becky GreenIra GrollmanDaniel Guttman & Lisa Ferrisi-

GuttmanMichael & Ruth HarrisJenifer Hollander & Jackie BurkeStanley JudaRalph & Nancy KeyslayMarc & Wendy KolopskyBruce Labitt & Elinor SchwartzElliot & Bette LaskyMatthew & Stephanie LeeShirley LelchukMark & Cheryl LieblingCarlos & Joy MainemerJeffrey & Karen MasorsPaul Moverman

Sasha NizhnikovDaniel & Jessica PalmerSheryl Rich-KernMarilyn RosenMichael Rosenblum & Stephanie

Wolf-RosenblumCraig & Maryellen RothenbergLarry & Robin RubinBarry & Debra SackDavid & Vera SacksPaul & Rosalind SandlerChris & Alyse SavageHoward & Susan SchiffMr. Enrique & Dr. Sharon SernikRichard ShapiroLewis & Debrah SnapperRabbi Jon & Laurie Spira-Savett

and FamilyAbner Taub & Liliane SznycerLinda TrapassoRobert & Gina VegaEllen VigTerence & Beth WattersonJeffrey & Sharon WeissHeather WinerNoreen Leibson & Mitch WolperEitan & Gabriele ZeiraSo thank you again and if you

weren’t able to be involved this time, there’s always next year!

PURIM 5777 2017

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Community

MATZAH BREI BRUNCHSUNDAY, APRIL 16 • 10 AM - NOON

COME CELEBRATE PESACH WITH FRIENDS

DELICIOUS FOOD • CEREALS • QUICHES • FRUITS• DESSERTS • MATZAH BREI and more !!!

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

$ 10.00 per Adult Member • $ 5.00 per Child • $ 30.00 Family Maximum

RSVP to Office 883-8184 by April 10 •Or on-line at www.tbanashua.org

Keter Shem Tov Award‘Crown of a Good Name’

For that special person that you have noticed working tirelessly around the synagogue.Every year we ask our congregants which active member of the synagogue stands out as working tirelessly and devoting time and effort to improve the life of our synagogue and community. This prestigious acknowledgement is not given out every year and is only given out once in a members lifetime. The nominee must be an active member in good standing with a long list of accomplishments, and not currently a member of the Board of Directors or an employee of the synagogue.

Please send an email (office@tbanashua.org with Keter Shem Tov Committee in the subject line) or write a note (Temple Beth Abraham, 4 Raymond Street, Nashua, NH 03064-2317, Attn: Keter Shem Tov Committee) with the name of your nominee and your rationale for choosing that person. This must include the nominee’s accomplishments and contributions (not financial) to both Temple Beth Abraham and the community at large. The award will be presented at Temple Beth Abraham at services (date to be determined). The awardee will also be honored at the Jewish Federation of New Hampshire’s annual meeting in June.To be considered nominations must be submitted to the committee no later than April 30.

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Passover - Pesach

Seder Match FormSubmit this form to the office, or e-mail the information to office@tbanashua.orgIf you are seeking a Seder to attend:Name: Number of people: Childrens’ ages:

Do you only eat at strictly Kosher for Pesach homes?

Any other dietary restrictions?

If you have room at your Seder:

Name: Number of people you can host:

Would you be willing to have children at your Seder?

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Passover - Pesach

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Passover - Pesach

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Passover - Pesach

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Passover - Pesach

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Opinions

Something to Think AboutJust about the time

this column appears in your inbox or mailbox, Buzz and I will be on our way home. We’ll stop in California to have a couple of days with long time friends, Lanie and Jay Keystone, and will arrive at home on March 30…just in time to get ready for Pesach.The Pesach observances of my

childhood were filled with family and food. My earliest Seder recol-lection is sitting at my maternal grandparents’ dining room table on a bench made from a board placed over three chairs to make seating for five. One great grandmother, two grandparents, two parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all feasting on a meal prepared in a tiny galley kitchen and a back porch. We didn’t

go to shul much, but we spent a great deal of time going from one relative’s home to another. In preparation for the holiday, my

mother took us to South Pearl Street in Albany where a special Pesach foods store opened for a few weeks before the holiday near the kosher butchery. We children had to be on our best behavior or we were certain to hear the proprietor say to our mother, ”Missus, tell your children to keep their hands off the food.” No free samples were allowed. His goods were displayed in big barrels. Nuts of every description, dried fruits, candy (my favorites were the little hard raspberry candies with soft cen-ters), pickles, and the usual Pesach necessities of matzo, potato starch, meal, and farfel were so tempting. My mother made her famous

sponge cake and bought almond macaroons stuck to brown baking

Elaine Brody

paper from the kosher bakery. My grandmother made ingberlach and my bubbe made carrot candy. These, along with fruit compote, completed the dessert options. There were no cake mixes, no flourless chocolate tortes, or mousse. It was a simpler time.Over the last few years, I have

tried to streamline my Pesach food purchases. I buy matzo, potato starch, matzo meal, and farfel. For the rest, I try to stick with fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and meat. I make mom’s sponge cake and fruit compote. I also confess to buying chocolate covered jellies and marshmallows, fruit slices, and Barton’s chocolate almonds. I think we eat more candy during the week of Pesach than all of the rest of the year! I have tried to make carrot candy and ingberlach but both just seem to finish in either a sweet, gingery, soupy mess or molar endangering rocks.As you prepare for this holiday

celebrating our liberation from bondage, think about keeping it simple. Share memories of past celebrations with your children and grand children and friends. You might try some of the recipes you remember from your youth…even if they don’t turn out quite the way you remember them.It is, as always, just something to

think about. Chag Sameach from our home to yours.

L’hitraot,

Elaine

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Yom HaShoah Observance at Rivier University

Monday, April 24 at 7:00 PM

Dion Center Reception Room on Clement Street, Nashua

Featured Speaker:Kati Preston, Holocaust Survivor

NASHUA, NH - Temple Beth Abraham, in collaboration with Rivier University, welcomes activist and author Kati Preston, to this year’s Yom HaShoah event.Preston was born in 1939 in Nagyvarad, Romania, at the start of the Second World War, to

a Hungarian Catholic mother and a Jewish father. While a Christian peasant girl hid her in a hay barn, the Nazis exterminated all 28 members of her Jewish family.Preston grew up in Hungary and Romania under communism, and then later immigrated to

Israel. She studied in Paris, became a journalist and fashion designer in Israel, worked in fashion in New York, Lisbon, Milan and London where she ran her own large successful fashion business.In her 70s, Preston wrote a book about her life, “Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle,” which

is available in the Temple Beth Abraham Sisterhood gift shop. She is also working on a book for middle schools. Preston began speaking to schools and community groups because she says it’s important to not forget history. “I not only speak for the dead,” says Preston, “but through my life story, I hope to teach toler-

ance and acceptance. Young people are living in an exceptional time these days. They are more informed, more open, and they are willing to listen, accept and embrace tolerance.”Preston will share her stories of persecution and survival on Monday, April 24, at 7:00 PM.

at Rivier University’s Dion Center on 16 Clement Street in Nashua. The program is free and open to the public. No RSVPs are necessary. Temple Beth Abraham’s Zimria Choir will perform with an interfaith choir at the observance. A question-and-answer session and a candle-lighting ceremony memorializing the victims of the Holocaust

will follow the presentation. For more information, contact Sheryl Rich-Kern at 603-881-7264, or email her at sherylrichkern@gmail.com.

Education and Programming

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Education and Programming

Adina HoffmanTill We Have Built Jerusalem

Sunday, April 3010:00 AM

Temple Beth AbrahamPlease join us for brunch and a talk by award-winning essayist and biographer Adina Hoffman about her new book, Till We have Built Jerusalem: Architects of a New City. The book unfolds as an excavation, and is a gripping and intimate journey into the lives of three very different architects who helped shape modern Jerusalem. A beautifully written rumination on memory and forgetting, place and displacement, the book uncovers multiple layers of one great city’s buried history as it asks what it means, in Jerusalem and everywhere, to be foreign and to belong. The Los Angeles Times has called Till We Have Built Jerusalem a “brave and often beautiful book,” and Haaretz describes it as “a passionate, lyrical defense of a Jerusalem that could still be.” Adina Hoffman is also the author, with Peter Cole, of Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza, which was awarded the American Library Association’s prize for the Jewish Book of the Year. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, Hoffman was named one of the inaugural (2013) winners of the Windham Campbell Prize for Literature. She lives in Jerusalem and New Haven. To read more about the book: http://us.macmillan.com/tillwehavebuiltjerusalem/adinahoffman

Brunch at 10:00 AMSpeaker at 10:30 AM

Please RSVP by Monday, April 24, to office@tbanashua.org or 603-883-8184.•

A Package From Home We will be collecting donations for A Package From Home (www.apackagefromhome.org) for Israeli soldiers. Please bring travel size toiletries: Deodorant (non-aerosol), Toothpaste, Tooth brushes, Soap, Shampoo, Sun

screen, Medicated foot powder, and Lip balm. A collection basket will be available.This event is free and open to all.

Co-sponsored by the Lifelong Learning Committee and Temple Beth Abraham Sisterhood.

Temple Beth Abraham, 4 Raymond St, Nashua, NH 03064 – 603-883-8184 http://www.tbanashua.org – office@tbanashua.org

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ZIMRIA CHORAL CONCERT FUNDRAISER WHEN Sunday May 7th 5 – 7pm WHERE Temple Beth Abraham 4 Raymond Street, Nashua

FEATURING TBA’s Zimria (choir) performing a fantastic selection of Hebrew/Israel inspired music Signature Cocktails Hors D’oeuvres Dessert

ALL AGES EVENT

ADVANCE TICKETS (tba.nashua.org) $18 Adult

$3 per child (USY led games, grilled cheese & “mocktails”)

AT THE DOOR $20 Adult $4 per child

SPONSORS Jason Schenker Memorial Fund

BENEFITING All funds raised will support the TBA Zimria – expenses include music acquisition and the retention of a professional choral director.

Fundraising

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jly icEdid xywdYour Jewish (Internet) Connection!Your Jewish Connection

Brought to you by the Lifelong Learning Committee – Written by Linda S Trapasso

Education

The Once-in-28-Years MitzvahWhen the sun returns to the same position, at the same time of the week, that it occupied at the time of its

creation, we recite a special blessing: Birkat Hachamah, Blessing of the Sun.

Birkat Hachamah is a special blessing made on the “an-niversary” of the Sun’s apparent motion from the Earth. It is a rare and special blessing as it is made only once every 28 years and one normally only has two or so chances in a lifetime to perform.On this day, we set aside time to appreciate the gift of

the Sun and all life that comes from its energy. Tradition states that the confluence of these dates, this particular ar-

rangement of the cosmos, has happened only twice before: first, when the Israelites emerged from the bondage of Egypt to become a People; and second, when they were saved from the evils of persecution under Haman.The blessing is “Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Source of the Universe, who does the works of creation.”Since Talmudical times, this simple blessing has grown into a more complex liturgical order. The earliest printed

order of blessing for Birkat Hachamah comes from the Sephardic world, published in Leghorn (Livorno), Italy, in a prayer book entitled Tefilah zakah, compiled by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Castello (Castilho) in 1789. The Library of Hebrew Union College, in their rare book col-lections, possesses an attractive hand-colored illustrated pamphlet of this liturgy. Images of the pamphlet are at this web site.To learn how the date is calculated, refer to Wikipedia and the Berachot Site. A less

detailed description is at MyJewishLearning.Chabad.org has an overview page that includes a short Sun video and additional

pages, such as Multimedia articles and Study and insights. Some ways to observe are at MyJewishLearning. See supplementary prayers at ritualwell. And a music video by Rabbi Shawn Zevit is at YouTube.Though this blessing is once every 28 years, I would prefer to think of blessings for all God’s creations as being

part of every day. As spring is here, I am thankful to end the winter and receive the Sun’s warmth.

This mitzvah was last performed on April 8, 2009. Its next occurrence will be, God willing, April 8, 2037.

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Celebrate a Simcha Purchase a Leaf on Our Tree of Life • Bar and Bat Mitzvahs • Births • Graduations • Weddings •

Anniversaries • Honors • Special Birthdays • Best Wishes & Congratulations

The cost to purchase a leaf is $225. Leaves may be inscribed in English, Hebrew or both.

For more information, or to purchase a leaf, please call 883-8184 or office@tba.mv.com

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During Friday evening and Saturday morning services, Memorial prayers will be recited for the following:

Community

April Yahrzeits continued on next page…

March 31 & April 1 Louis Kaplan, grandfather of Jodi AdlerIrving Quart, father of Darlene DrutmanBruce Golub, brother of Larry GolubLuba Eisenberg, mother of Elliot EisenbergWilliam Schwartz, father of Elinor SchwartzEdward Krulik, father of Arthur KrulikGertrude Silverman, mother of Marilyn GreenspanBernard Paris, father of Rochelle GorenDolores Keller, mother of Marlene GallantPhilip Weisman, brother of Robert WeismanHarry Pastor, father-in-law of Selma PastorAbraham Landau, father of Esther RosenzweigMax Kliegman, father of Judy WolfeBlossom Marcus Geffner Zelia Sharpe Richard Tanzer David Liffman Benjamin Gordon Louis A. Brody Leon S. Marshall Leon Robert Mirsky Scott Thomas Nichols

April 7 & 8 Hyman Tubin, grandfather of Barbara GarnickBeatrice Tubin, mother of Barbara GarnickHarry Freeman, father of Daryl BannerNancy Goff, mother of Allison SharpeJohn Sharpe, father of Christopher SharpeLeonard Fox, father of David FoxHarry Gelman, father of Haywood GelmanHenny Koseterich, aunt of Les MildenbergMinnie Rosen, mother of Marilyn RosenSam Gorelick, father of Donald GorelickRuth Paris, mother of Rochelle GorenWaldemar Schaffer, father of Paula EllisRachel Freedman, sister-in-law of Henrietta FreedmanJoan Treitel, sister of Robert Treitel and Nancy MooreRonnie Goldstein, wife of Leon GoldsteinFlorence Greenspan, mother-in-law of Marilyn GreenspanHarold Cantor, father-in-law of Nancy CantorRuth Pelovitz, aunt of Robert PelovitzLena Taub, grandmother of Abner TaubFrances Agnes Berzets Hyman Rubenstein

April 14 & 15 Bess Gotlieb, grandmother of Rabbi Jonathan Spira-SavettMorton Steinberg, father of Barry SteinbergSidney Brother, father of Carol GelmanDaniel Sherman, uncle of Steven HaimePat Berkowitz, aunt of Howard BerkeShirley Green, mother of Alan GreenKeith J. Alexander, former husband of Jennifer AlexanderGrace Goodman, mother of Debbie WaldmanRachael Ann Karlsberg, sister of Lauren DonovanBessie Issokson, mother of Carol LevyBella Miriam Cantor, grandmother of Esther ArlanBlanche Gross, mother of Deni OvenWilliam W. Kadushin, father of Helen FederJoel Rovick, brother of Phyllis AdamsMeyer Slome Abraham Schuster Josiah Aronson Rachael Ann Karlsberg Robert Lipkind Joseph Osofsky Marion Aronson Anne Gelber Harry Davis Francis Offenberg

April 21 & 22 William Harris, father of Michael HarrisSidney Rosenblum, father of Michael RosenblumRuth Price, mother of Howard PriceSaul Goodman, father of Debbie WaldmanLise Bornstein, great aunt of Liliane SznycerLeizor Schnitzer, great uncle of Liliane SznycerIra Green, father of Alan GreenGussie Moskowitz Goldstein, mother of Leon GoldsteinBernard Toth, husband of Diane TothBen Gotlieb, great-grandfather of

Rabbi Jonathan Spira-SavettLena Weisman, sister of Robert WeismanHarry Sack, grandfather of Barry SackJoel Deifik, brother of David DeifikLillian Lappe, grandmother of Tal DaganIda Cohen Dorothy Gold Shirley Lea Weisman Gertrude A. Sandberg Leah Goodman Louis Folsom Dr. Abbott Winograd

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Community

We Gratefully Acknowledge Your Contributions

GENERAL FUND

DONORS IN HONOR OFDarlene & Charles Drutman Shira Grossman Bat MitzvahAlan Ferman in appreciation Shirley Lelchuk Arlene Shapiro Harriet & Herb Shanzer Gina Shapiro Harriet & Herb Shanzer Sharon & Charlie Goldstein granddaughter

DONORS IN MEMORY OFHoward Price Lillian Kessler Harriet & Herb Shanzer Mary Ann Sheirer

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUNDRicki Klopfer in appreciation The Snapper & Pepin families in appreciationDeborah Harari in memory of Walter MildenbergJoyce & Sharon Kessler in appreciation

TREE OF LIFEStephanie & Mike Rosenblum In Honor of the English birth date of grandson, Yonatan Hacohen

MEMORIAL PLAQUENoreen Leibson and Family In Memory of her father, Mel Leibson

April 28 & 29 Maida Sproul, mother of Nancy CantorClarice Schoenberger, mother of Kerry SchneiderTobias Schnitzer, grandfather of Liliane SznycerGeorge Hayden, father of Claretta MalinIda Kosofsky, mother of David KosofskyJudith Gorelick, first wife of Donald GorelickDavid Arthur Goldberg, father of Sandee GoldbergFrances Banner, mother of Stanley BannerHoward Katz, brother-in-law of Judy GoldsteinRichard Dorner, father of Bruce DornerRussell Sproul, father of Nancy CantorJackson Pastor, brother-in-law of Selma PastorLouis Rudnick, grandfather of Janis SilverFrances Brody, mother of David BrodyMurray B. Alter Etta Tanzer Harold Silverstein Morris Weisberg Morris Finkel Ann SunsteinElizabeth Fischer Charles Brown Irvin Harry Nichols

Yahrzeit DonationsLaura Kahn for mother, Estelle M. KahnJeffrey Levine for father, Theodore LevineHoward Schiff for mother, Rachel SchiffIda Stanger for mother, Edith StangerSteven Haime for great grandmother, Rebecca FreedmanHelen Feder for husband, Norman FederHoward Kessler for mother, Jessie KesslerJeanne Gerard for father, Jere LavineBarbara Garnick for father, Abraham TubinJanet Roth for mother, Ida LukatskyAlan Green for grandfather, Max SobelsonHarry Haymes for parents, Ida & Rudolph HamburgerMarlene Gallant for mother, Dolores KellerDotty Silber for father, Hyman AndlerGeorge Kessler for mother, Jessie KesslerRochelle Goren for father, Bernard ParisRuth Harris for parents, Hannah & Yitzhak WeinerNancy Keyslay for father, Franklin AlbertsMarilyn Greenspan for mother, Gertrude SilvermanMurray Deutsch for sister, Eva BlattDebra Rothberg for mother, Harriet SkortonMarty Rothberg for father, Morris RothbergRobert Berman for father, Jacob BermanLionel Arlan for brother, Philip Arlan, & father,

Chaim ArlanEsther Arlan for grandfather, Samuel ShermanShari Zedeck for grandparents, Sarah & Harry

Tulkoff, grandmother, Sarah Aspis, grandfather, Israel Lederfajn, and brother-in-law, Mark Zuroff

Steven Zedeck for mother, Sandra ZedeckHarriet Shanzer for mother, Louise HalletDiane Toth for father, Morris Kozak

April Yahrzeits continued…

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6 Mountain Laurels Dr. ~ Nashua, NH 03062

603.888.9000 ~ www.skymeadow.com

Sky Meadow is the perfect facility to host your Bar or Bat

Mitzvah, Wedding, Golf outing or even a Corporate event. You

do not have to be a member, so please call or email for further

information.

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