Tune in for Zoom kabbalat shabbat this week! Pesach is approaching.

[Altshul]

TL;DR: Thoughts on passover below, Zoom kabbalat shabbat this week.

Upcoming at Altshul 

• This Friday, please join us for a virtual gathering as we welcome Shabbat.  
  Time: 6:20 - 7 PM 
  The zoom link is here and everyone is welcome to join!

Shabbat Info

• Shabbat begins at 7:05pm on Friday, April 3rd
• Shabbat ends at 8:06pm on Saturday, April 4th
• Parsha: Tzav -- contains the middle verse of the Torah!

• Zoom info: 
  Kabbalat Shabbat with Altshul and Mishkan Minyan:  Friday, April 3rd from 6:20 PM to 7 PM 
  Kabbalat Shabbat led by: The Eisenstadt/Feil family - Tehilah, Simon, and Adin
  Drash by: David Cooper

Thoughts on Passover 2020

Passover begins on Wednesday, April 8th at 7:10pm. This year will be profoundly and perhaps painfully different from all previous years. This is meant to be a holiday of multi-generational gathering, shared customs, old melodies, bounteous food, and late-night discussion. There will be palpable absences at nearly every seder this year, and a new element of mourning for loved ones who have passed away. At the same time, there may be flickers of possibility for those who have never hosted before to try out new melodies, new dishes, and new topics of study. This may be a year when new traditions are born. It's a complicated experience in all respects. Altshul was planning to meet on the 7th and 8th days, and we're saddened just thinking about the rows of empty seats in the Chapel.  

So how do we enter this holiday? First by committing to social distancing and refraining from inviting guests to our seders. Difficult as it is, we are keeping our city safer and healthier this way. Second, by being kind to ourselves and our loved ones. This may not be the year for meticulous preparation. We'll try our best and then embrace the holiday as we can. As the chag approaches, let us consider: What can we do to be together as a kahal in uncertain times? What does freedom mean right now? What lessons can we take from our journey out of Mitzrayim? What do we carry with us as we move forward? While these aren't the traditional four questions, let's ask and answer them together this Passover.

Next year may all be free.  לשנה הבאה בירושלים

Below are a few recommended resources for Pesach:

• Rabbanit Leah Sarna's guide to Passover and Seder (updated for 2020)
• Mechon Hadar's Minimalist Approach to Pesach created by R. Aviva Richman and R. Ethan Tucker (updated for 2020)
  
• Rabbi Jeff Fox for Maharat/YCT: Pesach during Covid-19
• Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter's zoom conversation about small and solo seders, here.
• Chametz selling, coordinated by Rabbi Micah Kelber here. 
• Micah has also graciously offered to answer community members' questions about preparing for the chag. Email him at micah...@me.com

Altshul Announcements

• Altshul Inter-generational Beit Midrash 
  Larry's Beit Midrash will commence on Sunday April 5, from 8 PM to 8:40 PM
  Zoom link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/977161266
  Before the meeting, download Larry's source sheet on our learning page: https://www.altshul.org/learning
  Hope to see you there! 

• Mazel Tov!
  Community members Tamara and Ben Tweel welcomed a baby boy this week. We're delighted that mom and baby are healthy and that the Tweel family is safe at home. Mazel tov to Tamara, Ben, and big siblings Mia and Louis! The Tweel's private bris will be on Sunday. 

Community Announcements

• Shir Hamaalot's Seder Tuneshare: Thursday, April 2nd. 
  Join Shir HaMaalot for a pre-Passover hagaddah tune share this Thursday! Sign up in advance to sing something. Passover can still be a time to get together! Join SHM Thursday, April 2, from 7-9pm. The Facebook post is here. Sign up here to teach a melody. 

• Volunteer Opportunity - Letters to Seniors at Met Council 
  Repair the World is helping to set up pen pals for a local senior center with the Met Council on Jewish Poverty who have little to no contact with the outside world at this time. The commitment is sending one letter and hopefully responding as well. To sign up, please fill out this form. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jeremy Nicholson at Jeremy.Nicholson@werepair.org.