Dear Friends, What awesome Purim, celebrating with hundreds of friends, families and community!
May the joy and celebration of Purim continue throughout the year, and may we merit the ultimate celebration with the coming of Moshiach now! Gala Purim Ball and Kids Rock Purim Party pictures coming soon!
Next Session: Monday, March 25 at 7pm Jteens invite children ages 6-11 to participate in an exciting bi-weekly workshop. Free Admission!
TEEN TALKS & LOUNGE Every Wednesday, 7:30pm- 8:30pm Hang out, and get connected with other Jewish
teens in the area for casual, social meet and discussions.
Chats, Snacks, and Drinks
Moms and Tots Shabbat
Saturdays 11am-12pm Give your child an opportunity to explore, learn and discover with songs, story time with Russian language, and kiddie play area! Bond with your little one while connecting with other moms in our area.
Jteen Chocolate Model Seder
Thursday, April 11 at 7:00pm
Join for an all chocolate Passover learning experience!
Go through the steps of the Seder and experience the story of Passover in chocolate heaven!
Dairy and non dairy choices available.
No charge, come and bring your friends!
Join Rabbi Mendel and Elke Zaltzman and family for a timeless Passover experience, discovering and celebrating Passover with anecdotes, stories, great traditional food, handmade Shmurah Matzah, and choices of wines and grape juice.
Join Rabbi Mendel & Elke Zaltzman & family for a Seder geared to families with children. A complete, but express Passover Seder complete with games, songs, prizes for kids and an interactive, hands on Passover experience for kids.
Complete traditional Passover dinner, select wines and grape juice, handmade Shmurah Matzah.
Yankel, Moishie, Abe and Chaim are sitting together for drinks.
Yankel: "Oy!"
Moishe: (after a long pause) "Oy vey!"
Abe: (after an even longer pause) "Nu?"
Chaim: "Look, if you guys won't stop discussing politics, I'm leaving!"
Weekly E- Torah
Some people are bulldozers. They move mountains, conquer countries, achieve the seemingly impossible. But then when there are no more mountains to climb, they falter. Routines, maintenance and sustainability are not their strong points. They respond to excitement and challenge, not to the uneventful, monotonous daily grind.
The title word of this week's Parshah, Tzav, means "Command." It introduces G‑d's call to Moses to instruct the Kohanim (priests) about the laws of the burnt offerings in the Sanctuary. Rashi points out that the word Tzav, "Command" - rather than the more familiar and softer "Speak" or "Tell" - is generally reserved for instructions which require a sense of zealousness. These are things which need to be performed "immediately as well as for posterity."
Would G‑d have doubted the commitment of Aaron and his sons? Was there concern that they would do anything other than what they were instructed to regarding the sacred services? After all, they were the most saintly and dedicated of men. Was there really anything to worry about? Why employ a word implying such urgency?
Says Rashi: it's not only the need for immediacy but also the insistence that the services carry on throughout the generations in the very same way. It is one thing to be committed and excited now when the mitzvah is still fresh and new, but what will happen in future? Will that same commitment still be there down the line, or will the enthusiasm have waned?
In the sporting arena there are athletes, and even teams, who make wonderful starts but then fade before the finish. Others go great guns throughout a contest, but then "choke" at the very end. One cannot achieve greatness by erratic bursts of energy. Concentration and consistency are needed to carry us through until the final moment of the match.
So too in life. People in Hollywood find it pretty easy to get married to one another. But how many stay married? And it is no different in Judaism. Lots of Jews are excellent at Yom Kippur. But what happens all year round? Many have moments of inspiration, but it is allowed to become a passing phase.
King David in Psalm 24 asks, "Who may ascend the mountain of G‑d, and who may stand in His holy place?" It is one thing to climb the mountain but quite another to be able to stay on the summit. There are outstanding trailblazers who struggle with the everyday maintenance of the very programs they themselves initiated. In an ideal world pioneers would do the initiating and ordinary folk would carry on the routine. But it doesn't always work that way. We cannot necessarily afford the luxury of focusing only on the parts of life we enjoy and are stimulated by. More often than not life is a grind. Moments of excitement and discovery are rare. Charting new courses are not everyday experiences. And our creations need long term, consistent maintenance, otherwise they collapse.
The command to the Kohanim echoes down the ages to each of us. If it is important, do it now. And if it is sacred, carry on doing it forever.
