Thursday, March 13, 2014 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW
6
Purim celebration for all ages at CSAIR
Once again this year, the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale (CSAIR) is adding a social action twist to its Purim celebration. During the reading of the Megillah, along with traditional groggers (noisemakers), Rabbi Barry Dov Katz will also hand out boxes of Wacky Mac macaroni which Purim celebrants will shake to make noise to blot out the name of Haman whenever it is mentioned. After the Purim festivities, the boxes will be collected and donated to local food pantries. The celebration begins on Saturday evening, March 15, with Maariv (evening) services at 8:15 PM followed by the reading of the Megillah. The festivities will also include a costume parade, musical performances and festive refreshments. This year there will also be a special 20/30 somethings Casino ‘After Party’ following the Megillah reading. This event, which will also take place at CSAIR, is sponsored by the Riverdale Jewish Project. (For information, contact CSAIR Rabbinic Intern Roni Tabick at roni.tabick@gmail.com.) The celebration continues on Sunday, March 16 when there will truly be something for everyone, including: a full Megillah reading at morning services at 9:00 am; a Family Program featuring a participatory drumming experience led by Jewish Drum Tales for families with kids age 6-11 starting at 10:00 am; a Young Children’s Family Program featuring ‘The Hearty Story of Purim’ performed by Jewish Drum Tales for families with kids age 0-5 starting at 10:45 am; and finally The
Best Ever CSAIR Purim Carnival -complete with Jumping Castle!-for children of all ages at 11:00 am. All Purim activities at CSAIR are open to the entire community. For more information, call the synagogue office at 718-543-8400 or visit the synagogue website, www.csair.org.
Borough launches ‘Respect our Block’ poster contest
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced the launch of the ‘Respect Our Block’ Poster Contest. The contest will be open to elementary, middle and high school students across the borough, and will invite individual students or groups of students to create a poster urging their neighbors to ‘Respect Our Block.’ ‘Warmer weather is coming soon, and we want to make sure our streets and our parks are clean so that we can all enjoy the outdoors. This poster contest will help Bronx students display their own community spirit, and I hope that students from every corner of the borough participate in this contest and help keep their neighborhood clean,’ said Borough President Diaz. The ‘Respect Our Block’ contest, which is part of the borough’s ongoing centennial celebrations, is being launched in response to concerns and complaints raised by Bronxites to the Borough President’s Office regarding litter, pet waste and other issues that can make a neighborhood look unappealing. Through this contest, Borough President Diaz hopes to engage the children of The Bronx and use their energy to make our streets cleaner and increase pride in The Bronx.
Compare Our Prices! We Are Far More Affordable Than Any of Our Competitors A Family Owned and Operated Jewish Funeral Home CHAPEL SERVICES AVAILABLE IN RIVERDALE
Jewish Memorial Chapel 15 Spring Street, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
1-800-617-2303
Located Just a Few Miles from Riverdale We Service the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Communities Ask About Our Florida Affiliates • Pre-planned Funerals with Guaranteed Pricing
www.jewishmemorialchapel.com
‘It is never too early to get our youth involved in their communities. Through this contest, we can help instill a strong love for The Bronx in our students while making our communities nicer. We encourage students and teachers alike to get involved, and tell the world to ‘Respect Our Block!’’ said Borough President Diaz. The contest will begin today, and is open to all public, private, charter and parochial Bronx schools. All entries are due to the Office of the Bronx Borough President by Friday, April 11. Contest winners will be hosted at a press conference with Borough President Diaz in the spring. For more information about the contest, visit http://bit.ly/respectourblock.
Party with Chabad of Riverdale this Purim
Purim, a sacred holiday in Judaism, is celebrated with great joy and festivities. As told in the Book of Esther, Purim commemorates the survival of the Jewish people in Persia, from 460-430 B.C., from an attack from Haman, advisor to the Persian king. Each year, Purim, as a great victory in the Jewish faith, is celebrated with triumph and fun. On Saturday evening, March 15, the Purim fun at Chabad of Riverdale will begin at 8:00 pm with Purimania, featuring magic shows by Michael Kirschner and Book of Esther Readings. Schedule is as follows: Downstairs: Mini-Book of Esther Reading at 8:00 pm, Magic and Comedy Show with Michael Kirschner for children ages 3-7 at 8:10 pm. Upstairs: Evening prayers at 8:00 pm. Book of Esther reading at 8:10 pm. Prizes to children dressed up. Magic and Mentalism with Michael Kirschner (children ages 8-adult) at 9:10 pm. Additional Book of Esther reading at 9:10 pm. NO CHARGE! Continuing the celebrations on Purim Day, Sunday March 16, Chabad of Riverdale is hosting exciting programs that offer entertainment for whole family. At
10:15 am, our Purim Puppet Theater for Preschoolers will feature a Mishloach Manot (Purim basket) exchange, children’s Book of Esther Reading, Masquerade for Preschoolers, and spectacular puppetry by Hagit. NO CHARGE! Book of Esther readings will be all day long: 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm. At 6 pm, there will be a Purim in the Holy Land Family dinner. Guests are welcome to join us dressed-Israeli style! Along with Israeli cuisine and freshly squeezed orange juice, guests will have the opportunity to write cards to IDF soldiers and mingle and bond in a fun and relaxed setting. Prices are $35 per adult, $18 per child, and under threes are free! Sponsorship for this event is $100, and includes reservations for two. Register online at www.ChabadRiverdale.org for Purim in the Holy Land. RSVP today! Places fill up fast! All Purim events will take place at Chabad of Riverdale, 535 West 246th Street, Riverdale, NY 10471. For more information, visit www.ChabadRiverdale.org or call 718-549-1100 Ext. 10. All events are open to the public and are family-friendly. For more information, please contact Rabbi Levi Y. Shemtov at Chabad of Riverdale at 718-549-1100 Ext. 10 or email Library@ChabadRiverdale.org
Riverdale AARP Chapter to meet
Riverdale Chapter 1546 of AARP will meet on Wednesday, March 19th at the Riverdale Presbyterian Church at 12:30 P.M. located at 4765 Henry Hudson Parkway West. at this informative meeting. we have the pleasure of Deirdre Donovan, a soprano and her accompanist, Eugene Papay at the piano who will perform solos and duets from their favorite romantic Broadway hits. Refreshments will be served. The community is invited to join us. For more information call Manfred Segal at 718-549-0088.