LETTERS FROM OUR LEADERS

Rabbi Ari Averbach

rabbiaverbach@templeetzchaim.org

Rosh Hashanah makes us feel overjoyed.

Yom Kippur asks us to consider the void.

Sukkot is about how little we all need.

Hanukkah is a reminder that there are miracles indeed.

Purim recalls speaking truth to those on high.

Shavuot has Torah coming down from Mt Sinai. And Pesach is about becoming free.

Unless you’re the cook, then it’s slavery. Cleaning becomes the number one chore, Ensuring there is not a trace of hametz anymore.

We all sit around, retelling the tale, Someone spills wine without fail.

The Haggadah has songs so lyrical, To remind us of the incredible miracle.

Blood and frogs and the sea parting Everyone hungry until dinner is starting. For a whole week, we eat our theology, (Which, on occasion, affects our biology).

The seders are a great place for conversation, About how lucky we are to feel the liberation!

April ends with a bunch of Yoms

Recalling the places that have been our homes.

Yom HaShoah, the heavy devastation

Zikaron and Atzmaut – our brand-new nation. We hope April brings reasons for us to be together And hopefully some more sunshining weather!

Eric Feigenbaum

Passoverismyfavoriteholiday.WhenIwasyoung,Ilikedsittingwith my cousins at Seder, finding the afikomen, and enjoying the incredible food my mom and grandmothers made. My family turns PesachintoIronChef:PesadichChallenge.

While none of those things have lost their charm - I even try to get a seat next to my cousin still - as an adult I find Pesach the most relevantandresonantholidayoftheyear.

Jews were light years ahead of their time in supporting and celebrating the value of Freedom. We cherished and extolled Freedom before liberal democracy, constitutions and civil rights movements. Jews are the original enshriners of human rights and dignity. And to ensure we didn’t lose our way, rabbis over 1100 years ago wrote the first Haggadah – creating a tradition and a system for stayingtruetoourvalues.

Despite many advances – especially in the United States and Western world – Freedom remains elusive to so many. Authoritarianism is gaining strength in many parts of the world. Billions of people are governed at the whims of dictators – most of whom are not benevolent. Even in our own liberal democracy – and Israel’s–Freedomisdelicate.Wehavetonurtureandprotectit.Each of us is responsible for this precious gift we received and want to pass on for generations to come. Jews must continue to hold and shinethelightofFreedom.

Pesach is a time of cleansing, renewal of life, thanksgiving for the freedomswesooftentakeforgranted,teachingourchildren,inviting peopleintoourhomes,beingtogetherandbeingthenextinthechain to uphold universal and sacred values. What more is there, aside fromRussiancookiestodiefor?

April is here and Pesach is near, so our preschoolers and infants will begin their preparations for this favorite holiday. This spring holiday the preschool classes will be cooking and tasting Passover foods like matzah-brei, charoset, matzah ball soup and matzahdesserts. The children will be acting outthestoryofMoses,andlearningaboutthe ten plagues, the four questions, and the PassoverSeder.

The Infant classes are reading Passover stories, doing art activities, playing with their toySederplates,andsingingholidaysongs.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DIRECTOR

The infant classes are enjoying the holiday fun!

Ourpreschoolclassesforthe2023-24school yeararealljustaboutfilled.Ifyouareplanning on attending and have not registered, please contact Debbie Blumenthal or Keri Loventhal formoreinformation.

Towards the end of the month, our lessons willbeallaboutIsrael.ThecelebrationofYom Ha’Atzmautisalwaysoneofourfavoritedays at Temple Etz Chaim. We love to take a pretendtriptoIsraelandexperienceIsraeliart

JOYCE BRONSTEIN RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DIRECTOR

Recently while talking with a seven-year-old child, he said, “It’s better to be the younger one.” Surprisedbythecomment,Isaid,“Whydoyouthink that?”Hesaid,“Becauseyouknow.”Iresponded,“I know what?” “You know – the slaying of the firstborn!”Isaid,“thatwasalongtimeago.”Hesaid, “Well,whydidn’tG-djustgetridofPharoah?”Itold himthatG-dwasshowingPharoahthroughtheten plaguesthatG-dwasG-dandPharoahwasaman, not G-d. We talked longer as I tried to ease his concerns. In reflecting on this conversation, I thoughtaboutthebiggerpictureofaddressingour children’sthoughtswhilealwaysrememberingthat ourchildrenarelisteningandinternalizingwhatthey hear.DuringyourPassoverseder,sometimesit’sa time to have conversations to address their questions and provide reassurance. As we celebrate Passover, I feel especially awed when I think about the fact that the same ceremony has remainedunchangedforcenturies.

The Torah teaches us that the first Seder occurred on the eve of the Israelites’ quick departure from Egypt. The Seder represents another link in shared past, present and future traditions. Each year at the Passover Seder, the youngest participant asks the same Four Questions. The Four Questions are important because by asking these traditional questions, we are really asking, “What is the reason forthisPassoverholiday?”Andtheansweristhatif G-dhadnotbroughtusoutofEgypt,wewouldstillbe slaves.Inotherwords,itisnotjustourancestorswho were set free... we too, were set free! And so, the leadersaysinanswertotheFourQuestionsthatno matterhowwisewebecomeorhowmuchwestudy Torah, we still need to tell the story of the Exodus. TheTorahteachesusthatG-dhadcompassionand delivered us from slavery. Unfortunately, there are people today who are still oppressed. Our tradition teaches us that G-d wants all people to be free worldwide.

activities,workinginthegardensonakibbutz, an archaeological dig, Maccabee games and more.

The entire ECE staff wishes everyone a wonderfulPassoverholiday!

ChagSameach!

joyce@templeetzchaim.org

At Religious School, students participate in a classroom Seder. Depending on their grade level, various age-appropriate Haggadot will be used. It is inspiring to see teachers and students enjoy this specialholidaytogether.Asyourchildmatures,they will understand more. Try to include them in the preparationasmuchaspossible:cleaningthehouse, making haroset, searching for chametz, setting out thesederplate,andamultitudeofotherchores.Let’s create and give children their own memories to recount and share because, one day, they too will become parents and continue the traditions. From their Seder experience now, both at home and at school, our children will have special moments to sharewiththenextgeneration.Thecyclecontinues…. the memories grow… Jewish traditions are strengthened…Howwonderful!

HappyPassover.

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost Pesach (or that it’s over, depending on when you’re reading this). We are still feeling the excitement that is/was Purim at TEC. We were fortunate to have had an amazing carnival in between storm systems and a fantastic Pop-Up Purim Pizza Party, Shpiel, and Megillah reading. Thank you to the legions of volunteers who made the holiday so special for hundreds of TEC and community members. A particular shout-out goestoIlanaSweet,DaveAbramovicz,Paula Kaplan-Lefko, Kim Jacobsohn, Laura Bailin, Rachael Pugh, Karen Garelik, the entire Kinish-vurah, Men’s Club, Gideon Manzur, Shane Silverstein, Jessica Jacoby, Jill Rosenberg, Joyce Bronstein, Leo Bronstein, Kenny Ellis, Jeffery Prince, Paige Averbach, RicardoDelgado,AntonioNavesandtherest of the amazing maintenance team, and of course, our amazing Rabbi Averbach. The weekendwasalot,butnoneofitwouldhave happened without their help and positive dispositions.

MarchalsoprovidedanopportunityforTECto step out and join the cultural scene in the Conejo Valley with a trip to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Civic Arts Plaza! Thank you to Cheryl Wolf for sharing her expertise and her heartandmakingthiseventsospecial.

We also hosted our quarterly Town Hall, focused on Education, as well as a wonderful information and discussion session with Yizhar Hess, who spoke to us about Israel's Democracy and its evolving landscape, and continued our movie nights with "O Brother WhereArtThou?".

WehadwonderfulMacharandKadimalounges that helped get us in the ready for S’more Matzah fun coming up with Pesach, as well as BimBamShabbatwithMr.Steve.

Pesach offers us a number of opportunities to get together as a community, including our CommunitySederonApril6.Reserveyourspot now,ifyouhaven’talready.

After Pesach, we will be gathering as a community to visit the Reagan Library for their powerful Auschwitz Exhibit. This important event was offered to the community and is alreadyfilledtocapacity.

StaytunedforaplannedYomHaAtzmautBBQ on the Warren Lawn, Sunday, April 23 immediatelyfollowingReligiousSchool.

Also, those of you with teens, mark your calendars for Sunday, April 30 at 4:30pm for the Kulanu event we are co-sponsoring and holding at Adat Elohim. The afternoon’s program will focus on empowering youth and giving them tools to be able to face antisemitismoncampus.