PLAZA PRESS. Celebrating April. April Passover. Passover April 4-8. The Newsletter for Jewish Federation Plaza. Stress Awareness Month

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1 PLAZA PRESS The Newsletter for Jewish Federation Plaza April 2015 Celebrating April April 4-8 Stress Awareness Month Jazz Appreciation Month Golden Rule Week April 1 7 Easter April 5 Metric System Day April 7 International Moment of Laughter Day April 14 Earth Day April 22 Yom HaShoah April 16 Yom HaAtzma ut April 23 April is the month that is celebrated. is probably the best known of the Jewish holidays. begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance (the other two are Shavu ot and Sukkot). The primary observances of are related to the Exodus from Egypt after 400 years of slavery. This story is told in Exodus Chapters The name refers to the fact that G-d passed over the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt. In Hebrew, it is known as Pesach which is based on the Hebrew root meaning pass over. The holiday is also referred to as Chag he-aviv (the Spring Festival), Chag ha-matzoth (the Festival of Matzahs), and Zeman Herutenu (the Time of Our Freedom). The most significant observance related to involves the removal of chametz) from homes. This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing arrogance, and pride). Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Traditional Jews of Ashkenazic background also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes (beans) as if they were chametz. All of these items have been used to make bread, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion. Such additional items are referred to as kitniyos. We may not eat chametz During ; We may not even own it or derive benefit from it. All chametz, including utensils used to cook must either be disposed of or sold to a non-jew. Continued on page 2

2 Ccntinued from page 1 The process of cleaning the home of all chametz in preparation for is an enormous task. After the cleaning is completed, the morning before the seder, a formal search of the house for chametz is undertaken, and remaining chametz is burned. The grain product eaten during is matzah unleavened bread, made from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt. The day before is the fast of the firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males, commemorating the fact that the firstborn Jewish males in Egypt were not killed during the final plague. On the first night of (first two nights for traditional Jews outside Israel), we have a very special family meal filled with ritual to remind us of the significance of the holiday. This meal is called a seder, from a Hebrew root word meaning order. lasts for seven days (eight days outside of Israel). The first and last days of the holiday (first two and last two outside of Israel) are days on which no work is permitted. Work is permitted on the intermediate days. These intermediate days on which work is permitted are referred to as Chol Ha-Mo ed, as are the intermediate days of Sukkot.. New Men s Club at Plaza 1 st Meeting Thursday, April 23rd 3:00 p.m. Promeande Paul Rabinowitz will be presenting various topics for discussion that are of mutual interest to our male residents. Topics will include Current Events, Israel, the Economy, Technology, Medical Research, Business and much more. This month's presentation will be on the challenges facing the United States and Israel in a changing Middle East. Plaza Pizza Party The Activities Office is planning a Pizza Party for residents of Jewish Federation Plaza during the month of April featuring entertainment by Tuvia. The party is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 20 th at 12:00 p.m. in the Plaza Dining Room. Invitations will be issued within the next week. Please be sure to RSVP if you plan to attend.

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4 Manager s Corner A Few Holiday Reminders: begins April 3 rd and ends April 11 th 1 st Seder, Friday April 3 4:15 pm 2 nd Seder, Saturday April 4 4:30 pm Easter Sunday April 5 th Other Reminders: Everyone has an assigned parking space for which only you are allowed to park in; if there is a need for a closer parking space you must come to the office to put your name on the waitlist. (you cannot just switch spaces with anyone!) Smoking is NOT PERMITTED in the building and only in the designated areas outside the building. We ask that if anyone has any questions or concerns feel free to contact the 973*530*3973. As we have now entered into spring, we can all begin to get out and enjoy the weather and the blooming scenes, and be thankful for winters past!!!! Ann Marie Bass

5 Welcome to Jewish Federation Plaza We are pleased that you have chosen our community as your new home. We want you to be happy at Jewish Federation Plaza and welcome any suggestions. We appreciate having you as one of our tenants and hope that you will enjoy your new home. Zahira Aliabadi Roberta Atti Irene Bau Arthur Greenberg Jinny Jeon William & Ruth Kraut Sondra Lang Shirley Linker Vivian Mobley Joanne Pedicini Claudette Pfeffer Gary Prager Toby Rosenstein Seymour Spierer Gary Weisbrot

6 A Letter from Judy Solomon It's hard to believe that another month has passed and spring is actually here. It even feels like spring at times. March was a fairly busy time as we celebrated Purim, saw movies and streamed to the television sets of residents that have Senior TV. We also enjoyed meeting one adorable service dog. We even have the Promenade completed with new comfortable seating, card tables and cabinets. The updated new area looks as good as they feels The month of April starts with celebrations for almost everybody here. Both and Easter are celebrated at the same time-so Happy Holidays to everyone. During this time we will also have Tenants Association meetings to vote for the officers for We will also be planning the Mothers Day- Fathers Day luncheon for your enjoyment. Here's to a busy and beautiful April. Judy

7 Laughing Matters You may be laughing until it hurts, but that laughter is doing some powerful healing. Pull up a chair next to the class clown or pull out some jokes of your own, because April is Humor Month Humor may be one of the oldest and most effective methods of social bonding. No matter what your culture or background, all laughter sounds the same. Better yet, studies show that the more you laugh, the more attractive you become to the opposite sex or perhaps that is just a joke? Most laughter doesn t come from listening to jokes. Most laughter comes from spending time with friends and family. Furthermore, people tend to laugh more when they re in groups. Laughter truly is contagious. Doctors have become wise to the positive health effects of laughter. Laughter has been shown to decrease blood pressure, improve the function of blood vessels, increase blood flow, decrease hormones associated with stress, and strengthen immune systems by increasing infection-fighting antibodies. Laughter even reduces pain by stimulating the release of endorphins. One doctor believes laughing is such good exercise that he calls it internal jogging. One minute of laughing, he says, is equal to 10 minutes on a rowing machine. Laughter is not just good for the body; it s also good for the mind. Humor stimulates creativity, improves problem-solving abilities, enhances memory, and teaches resilience. All April long, make sure to take laugher breaks every day. Avoid the news and instead watch a sitcom or funny movie, read the daily comics, perform a sight gag, tell a joke, play games, spend time with children, and most importantly, do these things with friends. Hoot and holler with reckless abandon and your body will thank you. Plaza residents are invited to join us for a comedy program featuring award winning comic Marion Oxenhorn on April 9 th at 2:00 p.m. in the Recreation Room.

8 HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES Welcome Home Sandy Garrison Rhoda Morris Gert Freeman Norma Tooter Rhoda Morris Dottie Kleinert Gert Freeman Dolores Lederman Helen Mandel George Aptecker Rhoda Morris Joe Podnos Dottie Kleinert GET WELL WISHES Millie Podnos Sandye Garrison Barbara Palin Sandye Garrison Gert Freeman Clara Beckerman & Aggie Batia Horn Sandye Garrison May Berenson Thelma Gottlieb Renee Levy Marlene Mankoff Condolence The Orowsky Family Gert Freeman Norma Tooter Dulcie Johnson in memory of beloved mother & father Sandye Garrison

9 Donations for Birthday Cake HAPPY APRIL BIRTHDAY Sandye Garrison Eleanore Berkowitz Clara Beckerman & Aggie Thank You for Library Donations George Aptecker Alyce Atkins Pearl Berkowitz Irene Goldberg Marcia Goldberg Shirley Linker Sarah Moskowitz Barbara Palin Norma Tooter Florence Widelitz Rhoda Morris 4/08 Joann Guarino 4/10 Donald Rubenoff 4/11 Jeng Jeon 4/14 Carol Schneider 4/16 Wanda Robinson 4/20 Cywa Wajner 4/22 Rita Rosenfield 4/28 Robert Kraut 4/30

10 Yom HaShoah Laurie Loughney presented a highly enjoyable program about Dog Sledding during the month of March entitled Born to Pull. Many people in the United States observe Yom Hashoah, which is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. It commemorates the lives and heroism of Jewish people who died in the Holocaust. Yom Hashoah is not a federal public holiday in the US. The state of Israel moves the observance of Yom Hashoah when the actual date falls on a Friday or Sunday. It is then observed on the preceding Thursday or following Monday. Israel s Knesset (parliament) established Yom Hashoah, as a memorial to about six million Jewish people who were slaughtered by the Nazis between 1933 and It is observed on the 27th day of the month of Nisan. The full name of the day is Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah, which means the "Day of (remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism". Many residents enjoy weekly Choral Group rehearsals which are conducted by Ronnie Weinstein. Barry provides guitar accompaniment. The JCHC Choral Group sings beautifully.

11 Upcoming Events Religious Services Seders Plaza Pizza Party Featuring Tuvia New Plaza Men s Club Comedy with Marion Oxenhorn Senior TV Movies Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossoms Art Class Jewelry Making Workshop Barnabas Health Cancer Awareness Poetry Workshop Mediation & Relaxation Weekend Movies Book Club Life Long Learning Choral Group Bickford Theatre Tally s Follies NY Historical society: Abe Lincoln & the Jews Please calendar for all event dates and times. Me Gotta Go A Cure for the Common Man Looking for an excuse to treat yourself to a little TLC? Look no further than April 25, Mani-Pedi Day. Manicures and pedicures involve an entire host of hand and foot treatments, including filing and clipping nails, massages, and softening and moisturizing the hands and feet in hot paraffin wax, lotions, or oils. Some even choose to decorate their nails with tiny jewels, dried flowers, or glitter. The nail salon has long been considered the province of women, but more men now put the man back in manicure. Add a fingernail treatment to a well-tailored suit, barbershop shave, shoeshine, and a splash of cologne and you ve got a well-groomed man. Even NFL athletes have been known to enjoy a calf massage while their feet are sunk into a bowl of warm paraffin wax. Still self-conscious of visiting the salon? Some top-notch manicurists pair the manicure with beer or scotch while the game plays on a big-screen TV. Chicago s Deep Dish Debate Some call Louie Louie the most popular party song of all time. Others just call it the most incomprehensible. Try your best to decipher the lyrics on April 11, International Louie Louie Day, in honor of composer Richard Berry s birthdate in It was the music group the Kingsmen who made Louie Louie a hit in A year later, the FBI opened an investigation into the song s mysterious lyrics. One concerned listener believed they contained obscene language. After months of analysis, the FBI concluded the song was unintelligible. Today we know that it is a simple song about a seafaring man pining for his love It s a pizza that stands apart from all the rest, with three-inch-high walls of buttery crust holding in a simmering stew of sauce, cheese, sausage, pepperoni, peppers, onions, and whatever else your stomach desires. The Chicago-style deep-dish pizza has become such a culinary icon that it bears its own holiday, Deep Dish Pizza Day, on April 5. The deep-dish pizza debuted in 1943 at Chicago s Pizzeria Uno restaurant, but locals debate its true roots. Was it the Malnati family, working at the first Pizzeria Uno, who invented the deep dish? Did the Malnati family matriarch develop the dough recipe for another restaurant entirely? The best way to settle the debate is to take one of Chicago s Deep Dish Pizza Tours and eat until you re as stuffed as a Chicago-style pizza pie

12 APRIL 2015 PLAZA Calendar is subject to change Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 5 Day 2 9:00 PASSOVER SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 12 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE 19 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE 26 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE Gamefest after Movie 6 Day 3 10:15 TOWN BUS 10:45 Livingston Mall 11:30 TAI CHI 13 10:15 TOWN BUS 10:30 Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossoms State Street Grill 11:30 TAI CHI 1:00 Social Worker Program 7:00 Life-Long Learning 20 10:15 TOWN BUS 10:45 Essex Green 11:30 TAI CHI 12:00 Plaza Pizza Party with Tuvia 7:00 Life-Long Learning 27 10:15 TOWN BUS 10:15 Woodbridge Mall & Wegman s 11:30 TAI CHI 7:00 Life-Long Learning 7 Day 4 11:00 EXERCISE 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 8:00 Senior TV Movie: Power of Attorney 14 11:00 EXERCISE 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 6:45 Meditation & Relaxation 21 11:00 EXERCISE 1:15 Officer Squires WOPD 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 8:00 Senior TV Movie 28 11:00 EXERCISE 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 6:45 Meditation & 1 9:00 Art Class 10:15 Walmart Rt 22 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long Learning 1:00 JVS Blood Pressure Screening NO CHORAL GROUP TODAY 8 Day 5 10:45 Essex Green 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club NO CHORAL GROUP TODAY 15 8:45 Mt. Airy Casino 9:00 Art Class 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long Learning 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 22 Earth Day 10:45 Livingston Mall 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long Learning 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 3:00 Floral Design Workshop 29 10:45 Irvings & Farmers Market 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long Learning 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 6:45 Jewelry Making Workshop 2 9:00 SHOPRITE 10:00 SHOPRITE 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Hirschhorn David Aaron the Art of Klezmer 9 Day 6 9:00 SHOPRITE 10:00 SHOPRITE 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Comedy with Marion Oxenhorn 16 Yom HaShoah 10:15 Trader Joes Millburn 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Poetry Workshop 7:00 Book Club 23 Yom HaAtzma ut 12:00 Bickford Theatre Tally s Follies 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Cancer Awareness by Barnabas Healthcare 3:00 MEN S CLUB 1 ST MEETING 30 9:30 NY Historical Society Exhibit: Abe Lincoln & the Jews 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Traveling Stage: American Song Book 3 begins at sundown OFFICE CLOSES 1:00 PM 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 4:15-6:15 1 st Sedar 10 Day 7 OFFICE CLOSED DINING ROOM OPEN 9:00 RELIGIOUS SERVICE KIDDUSH TO FOLLOW 7:00 Religious Service 17 9:00 SHOPRITE 10:00 SHOPRITE 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 24 9:00 SHOPRITE 10:00 SHOPRITE 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 4 Day 1 9:00 RELIGIOUS SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 4:30-6:30 2 nd Sedar 11 Day 8 9:00 PASSOVER SERVICE 10:00 YIZKOR KIDDUSH TO FOLLOW 7:00 MOVIE 18 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE 25 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE