Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Greengate Jewish Center Pesach 2017 / 5777 Message from Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro In Every Generation The exquisite sweetness of spring might be a bit tempered this year. The vividness might not be as vivid and the joy might not be as complete. This is not because we didn t have a real winter, which can always increase the longing for spring, but because we live in an increasingly complex world. It s harder and harder to see a clear light at the end of the tunnel - a landmark which would be the goal (or at least the next stop) of our nation s journey. The ship is sailing (perhaps a ship of fools) but it s unclear to which destination. That alone I could live with. Maybe it s always been this way. What seems new to me are the expressions of Antisemitism popping up more and more frequently around our country. Cemetery desecrations, bomb threats, and swastika s carved on shuls seem to be a weekly occurrence. What are we to think? How many people out there in America hate Jews? What percent of the people we pass by in the street? There is a meditation I say each morning - Hareini Mikabel Aly Mitzvat Assei shel v Ahavta l Raiacha Kamocha - I accept upon myself the mitzvah to love everyone I see. Suddenly, I feel naïve to have thought that all the people I see out in the world probably like me as much as I like them. The loss of this innocence is painful and sad. At the same time, I m filled with resolve. I will never back down and my kippah will not leave my head. Continued on Page 3 Message from Rabbi Joel Dinin The exodus from Egypt was the beginning of a journey. Now that our people, the Israelites, were free from one selfish egotistical ruler concerned only with making his name great, Pharaoh, the Israelites were now presented with a new King, the King of Kings, God. But things were very different with the God of the Israelites. The people had a choice to follow God, to make a two way mutual covenant. God had shown, through all of the plagues and miracles, that he valued his people and would do anything for them. The Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Loew, 16th c., shares a beautiful tradition that the world was created with 10 statements (Let there be light, etc.) just like the world was unmade with 10 plagues. The events of the exodus from Egypt led to a new kind of creation or recreation, a relationship built on love and trust for God s children of Israel. This was done with another set of 10, the 10 commandments. Simply put, God showed love, mercy, and trust in His people to make the right decision, to accept the Torah with its focus on justice, fairness, kindness, and holiness. That sounds like a great deal! After all of the challenges the Israelites faced as slaves, with this new loving God, life should have been easy, yes? Not at all! The people, so used to being slaves, told what to do, coddled, were finally free to think for themselves, and that was terrifying! The destiny of the Israelites was for the first time in history, in the hands of the Israelites! Continued on Page 3 7000 Rockland Hills Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21209 410-653-7485 www.mmae.org Fax 410-653-7187
April 2017 / Nisan 5777 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 9 / 13 Nisan 9:00 am Search for Chometz 7:45 pm 16 / 20 Nisan 9:00 am 10 / 14 Nisan Siyum/ 6:00 pm 7:21 pm 17 / 21 Nisan Pesach 7th Day 11 / 15 Nisan Pesach 1st Day 8:22 pm 18 / 22 Nisan Pesach 8th Day YIZKOR 10:30 am 7:30 pm 12 / 16 Nisan Pesach 2nd Day 7:30 pm Yom Tov ends 8:23 pm 19 / 23 Nisan 13 / 17 Nisan 20 / 24 Nisan 14 / 18 Nisan 7:25 pm 21 / 25 Nisan 15 / 19 Nisan Shabbat ends 8:26 pm 22 / 26 Nisan 7:27 pm 8:28 pm Yom Tov ends 8:29 pm 7:32 pm Shabbat ends 8:33 pm Schedule of Services Search for Chometz Sunday, April 9 7:45 pm Last time to eat Chometz Monday, April 10 10:45 am Last time to burn Chometz Monday, April 10 11:45 am Yizkor Tuesday, April 18 10:30 am Pesach ends Tuesday, April 18 8:29 pm * * You may eat personal Chometz after 9:00 pm (by which time Rabbi Shapiro will have re-purchased the Chometz). (Candlelighting times listed next to candle) Siyum for the Firstborn Services for the first-born males will take place on Monday, April 10 at to express thanks for the fact that the Hebrew first-born sons were spared from the 10th plague when the first-born Egyptian sons were slain. Those present participate in a study period which follows services. Breakfast (Seudat Mitzvah) will be served, thereby becoming exempt from the fast. Many children are often at the service before going to school. Services begin at and are completed by 8:15 am. There are free copies of the Orthodox Union Guide to Passover for 2017 available in the shul lobby. This guide provides all the information needed to prepare your home and lists the foods that are Kosher for Passover. 2
Messages from our Rabbis From Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro Continued from front cover In the Pesach Haggadah we read: This is what stands for our fathers and for us. Not just in one generation did they try to annihilate us. Rather, in every generation they rise up to annihilate us, and The Holy One Blessed Is He saves us from their hands. This small teaching, which I ve repeated and learned with my family twice each year around the Seder table, gives me strength. Nothing is new under the sun. There were and always will be people who hate us, but we can trust that just as God saved our people from Egypt and buried our pursuers, so too, will our enemies fail. A further reading of this passage has an even more profound message for me. This statement is the introductory paragraph to the telling of the Jewish story in the Haggadah. I think we could argue that it is by the telling of the Haggadah year after year - an amazing ritual representing the passing down of our traditions from generation to generation, that the Jewish people have survived. We are partners in saving ourselves. Though anti-semites might try to destroy us physically, God promises to save, but it is only by the passing of our tradition that we can save ourselves from spiritual destruction. In other words, keep passing down our traditions with pride. Celebrate Pesach with joy and zeal as it represents our spiritual survival as a nation. Only by our embrace and acceptance of Judaism will the anti-semites truly fail. Am Yisroel Chai - we are not going anywhere. Have a Happy Pesach! With tremendous love and respect, Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro Are you an MMAE MINYANAIRRE? There is always room for more members in this much valued and very important club. It s FREE and you perform a GREAT mitzvah each time you attend. Join us Monday-Friday at and/or Sunday-Friday at. From Rabbi Joel Dinin Continued from front cover But, they weren t alone! They had God s Torah and protection. Wherever they went, God s wisdom, God s support, was with them. God spent 40 years preparing the nation, not wandering for no reason, but rather becoming a people ready to conquer and cultivate a new land! The greatest act of love God did for his people was to give them the tools to thrive as a free nation bound only by mercy, reason, and acts of loving kindness. For my two years here at MMAE (Let me be clear - I was NOT a slave here), I have been protected, supported, and loved by this community. With mentorship from Rabbi Shapiro, President Jeff Forman, and Executive Director Brenda Burgan, as well as the many leaders and congregants in this shul, I have been given the tools and the confidence to go with my family into a new land, new communities, to cultivate and inspire others as I have been inspired here. Just as the Israelites in the Torah, I came here with a purpose, to become a stronger and more independent rabbi, but also to learn from the warmth, kindness, and love that define the Torah of this shul. For that, I and my family are grateful. MMAE was my Mt. Sinai, and wherever my journey takes me, wherever my Land of Israel is, I know that the wisdom I gained at MMAE will guide me throughout my life. The Dinin family wishes everyone a happy, kosher and meaningful Pesach! BYOK The end days of Pesach, Monday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 18 is BYOK (Bring Your Own Kiddush) Bring KOSHER FOR PASSOVER UNOPENED goodies to share on the Kiddush table. All treats should be brought to the shul NO LATER THAN Friday, April 14 by Noon. MATZAH NEEDED If you have extra matzah, and want to donate some to MMAE for our seder, we would be very grateful. Deadline to drop off matzah will be Friday, April 7th. 3
Messages from our Officers From Bob Meyerson, Chairman Celebrating and rejoicing in the age old tradition of Passover is our favorite time of the year. Even with all the preparation and work involved, it still makes it all worth it. Having to share it all with family and friends at the Seder and remembering our history, as well as our level of observance, bring it all into focus. Seeing all this continue from the past, now the present, and for future generations, including our twin grandchildren, and the new addition last summer, makes it all worth it. Making this the most meaningful holiday is always first and foremost for all of us. We all hope and pray that this will be a time for peace, here, and in Israel. So go and enjoy the matzah and more. I know Marilyn and our family will. A Zeisen Pesach to one and all. Chag Kasher v sameyach. THANK YOU - A special thank you to all the volunteers who help during the year with mailings, in the office, seat sales, attending minyans and services, food service, everyone invested in one or more of our affiliate groups, etc. Your help is greatly appreciated. If you would like to be on the volunteer list, please call the office. There is always something to do. Fragrances - In respect to our members who suffer from allergies, which can result in headaches, asthma, and other respiratory problems, please limit your use of perfume or cologne in shul. From Jeff Forman, President Pesach is the holiday with which we have a love/ hate relationship. We love to anticipate the coming of Pesach (and the springtime it portends) and we love to prepare our houses and kitchens for this holiday. We love to get together with our family and friends for the seder and for a hearty meal filled with stories and laughter, but by the middle of the week, we hate eating matzoh and we can t wait for Pesach to end already. When you think about it, Pesach is no different than many things in life. The chase is more exciting than the catch, but we can get so much more out of it if we focus on the real lesson of the holiday and what our ancestors - those who turned us into the Jewish people - were going through. Our mild discomfort with having to focus on what we can eat and what we can t eat really pales in comparison. At this time of year, with the joys of the holiday upon us, it is important to remember our shul community and how we, as a congregation, can help those who need us the most. I think of those we have lost along the way. I think of the congregants who come to minyans every day to remember and honor lost loved ones who will no longer be at their seders. I think of those who could use a kind word, a smile, or a hug. Let s do what we can to make this a meaningful holiday for one and all. Let s spread the excitement of this holiday for the whole week and bring that excitement to everyone we encounter. Joan and I wish you good health and a ziesen Pesach. SAFETY FIRST For your safety and the safety of everyone in our shul, please note the closest exits to be used in the event of an emergency. Emergency exits are indicated by lighted green EXIT signs throughout the building. 4
Help Support MMAE and the Rabbis - I Didn t Know That Rabbi Shapiro s and Rabbi Dinin s Discretionary Funds A contribution to the Discretionary Fund allows Rabbi Shapiro and Rabbi Dinin to help those in need or address difficult situations immediately. It also enables new programs and ideas to enhance what we offer to our congregation and community. Often, speakers and classes, books and materials, programs and commemorations are funded through the Discretionary Fund in order to avoid a financial burden on our operating budget. Your contributions in honor of or in memory of are always appropriately acknowledged. If you appreciate something that the synagogue and/or staff have done, a contribution to the Discretionary Fund enables more to be done for the benefit of all. Think of the Discretionary Fund when you think of saying, thanks for a job well done. Both Rabbi Shapiro and Rabbi Dinin have a Discretionary Fund for their use. Call the shul office if you would like to make a donation. Website Donations Did you know that you could go to www.mmae.org and make a donation to the shul for any reason? You can even make a payment on your account. Simply go to our website and click the DONATE button. Fill in the information and we will take it from there. Daily reports are emailed to our office. Donations to MMAE that Will Not Cost You a Cent Help our shul in a simple and FREE way. Just bring in your used ink cartridges. We get $2 in Staples rewards credit per cartridge and as a non-profit, we can turn in 20 per month. That s $40 worth of FREE office supplies each month! Drop them off in the office. Thanks! Consider Buying Your Cards from MMAE Remember MMAE when you need to send a card. Our cards are only $5, including postage, and are tax deductible!! We have cards for Mazel Tov, Speedy Recovery, Thinking of You, Birthday, Purim, Chanukah, Sympathy, New Year s, and Pesach. Simply call the shul office and tell us the name and address of where you would like the card sent, and we will take care of it. You don t have to run to the card store and you don t have to worry if you have a stamp. We do it all for only $5. Amazon Smile If you shop at Amazon, be sure to go to smile.amazon and select Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah as your charity of choice. We receive a percentage for all shopping done through the Smile program and it doesn t cost you any extra. So, remember us when you shop on Amazon. 5 Weddings, Parties, Hall and Room Rentals at MMAE Beautiful wood laminate floors and 5 beautiful chandeliers in the banquet hall; beautiful furniture and flooring in the main lobby; modern furniture and flooring in the Chapel; and a beautiful newly renovated Youth Room, an outside gazebo - see for yourself the beauty MMAE can add to your simcha. Call the office and ask about our prices for weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies and parties, Bris and Baby namings, special birthdays, family reunions; you name the simcha and we are here and ready to help whether you want a small event in the Kiddush Room or a big event in the Banquet Hall. We offer affordable, discounted rates for members. MMAE Kiddush Birthday Club Become a member of our new, MMAE Kiddush Birthday Club. Simply make a donation of $18, or $1 for every year of your life, before the first of the month of your birthday. Everyone who makes a donation will be listed on the first Shabbat of the month, and you will receive a special Shabbat birthday blessing from the Rabbi on that Shabbat morning. For info or questions, contact Iris Friedman at 410-484-2287.
Learning & More Rabbi s Chumash Class Wednesdays, 10:00 am-12:00 pm at MMAE - Join Rabbi Shapiro for a weekly Torah Study. This year we will cover the Parsha with the commentary of the Hertz Chumash, Pirkey Avos, Psalms, and the Talmud Tractate Megillah. Rabbi s Talmud Group Mondays at 8:30 pm at Rabbi Shapiro s home, 14 Ruby Field Court, 21209 - We will study tractate Taanis, which is filled with Jewish law, history, stories, and the ethics of Rabbinic Judaism s Founding Fathers. Everyone is welcome. Jewish Spirituality and Kabbalah Wednesdays at 12:00 pm at MMAE - Sonny Melrose will facilitate a discussion of Jewish spirituality and Kabbalah based on assorted topics from writings and teachings of Kabbalah masters; creation, formation, family, the desert, and Israel. Book Club The Book Club usually meets on the third Thursday at 11:00 am at MMAE, led by Devorah Brooks. Members of the Book Club decide on the monthly book, film, or activity. For more information, please call the shul office at 410-653-7485. Facebook If you are on Facebook, make sure to join MMAE at, Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah and friend Yerachmiel Shapiro. Haftorah Recitals Those gentlemen who wish to recite a Haftorah please contact Zalman in the shul office. Shabbat Youth Activities Babysitting (through age 4) With Gloria and Ariella from 10:30am - 12:30 pm in the Ginsberg Youth Room. Camp Shabbos (ages 4-7) With Rabbi Dinin from 10:30am - 11:45 am in the Chapel. Rabbi s Services Please call our office if a visit from a rabbi is requested. Simchas are more special when shared with your rabbi. A visit from the rabbi to someone in the hospital could really brighten their day or provide much needed comfort. Unfortunately, we also deal with sorrow and the loss of a loved one. Our rabbis can console and provide spiritual comfort at this sorrowful time. MMAE s Kiddush Patron of the Month This monthly Kiddush Patron allows our Kiddush committee to serve beautiful communal lunches every Shabbat. The joy and togetherness is so powerfully felt by all. If you or your business have the means to support this endeavor, please contact Rabbi Shapiro. The Patron will have the message of their choice prominently displayed in the weekly bulletin. 6 New Membership Info Join now and receive FREE membership through July 1st, and FREE High Holiday seats in the Banquet Hall for the first year.* New member rates beginning on July 1st are: Married Couples/Families: $275 Single person: $150 Single parent with children: $225 * If you have never been a MMAE member. IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION KIDDUSH Iris Friedman 410-484-2287 Saralee Jacobson 410-241-0467 BROTHERHOOD Jerry Trager, President 410-409-4410 jerrytrager123@gmail.com GOLDEN CIRCLE Mona Gudis, President 410-486-3531 monagudis@verizon.net SISTERHOOD Marlene Resnick, President 410-358-1314 SOCIAL CLUB Paulette Pollack, President 410-486-0698 jaypampol@verizon.net
BROTHERHOOD The annual Brotherhood Shabbat is planned for Shabbat, June 17th. If you would like to participate, contact Ron Mukamal at 410-602-2839. GOLDEN CIRCLE Join the Golden Circle on Wednesday, May 24th for their bi-annual trip to Maryland LIVE Casino. Details will be available soon. Save the date: Wednesday, April 26th the Golden Circle will be having a luncheon and a program at MMAE. More details soon. SISTERHOOD MMAE Sisterhood presents: A book and author evening with award winning authoress Ellen Brazer, "The Wandering Jew; My Journey into Judaism" on Tuesday evening, May 23, 2017, 7 PM., at MMAE. There will be a Champagne and Dessert Reception. All are welcome. Couvert is $15.00 per person. Invites will be forthcoming. Save the date: Tuesday, June 13th the Sisterhood is planning a trip to Lancaster for a musical show at the American Music Theater and shopping. More details soon. SOCIAL CLUB Join the Social Club for a trip to the new casino at MGM National Harbor on Sunday, May 7th. Cost per person is $35. Leaving MMAE at 9:00 am. Ride the circulator bus all day for only $5 throughout National Harbor and the outlets. For reservations and info, contact Betty Hyman at 410-484-8657. Save the date: Saturday night, November 11th for a Big Band Dance. UNITED HEBREW CEMETERY 3901 Washington Blvd. Halethorpe, MD 21227 Our Board of Directors wish everyone a happy Pesach. Allan Diener President Larry Dobres Cemetery Manager For information about purchasing lots, please call 410-242-1444. Discounts for MMAE members. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - In Eternal Memory Memorial takes on a new meaning when the names of your beloved departed are permanently displayed in our synagogue. Please consider dedicating a plaque to remember your beloved and to perpetuate the family name. Please call the office at 410-653-7485. Plaques are $400 each. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pet Memorial Board You can memorialize your beloved pets on this board for only $100. If you are interested in having your pet s name included on this unique board, please call the office. Important Jewish Dates to Remember Monday, April 24 Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day Monday, May 1 Yom HaZikaron Memorial Day for fallen Israeli soldiers Tuesday, May 2 Yom HaAtzmaut Israel s Independence Day Yom Hashoah at MMAE Shabbat, April 22 MMAE will be commemorating Yom HaShoah with a special presentation during Shabbos services. A member of the MMAE family will be sharing their experience from a recent visit to Auschwitz and other camps in Europe. PLEASE CONSIDER A BEQUEST TO MMAE IN YOUR WILL You can continue to show your support even after you have passed on by leaving a bequest in your Will to MMAE. Leaving a bequest from your estate is one way that you can ensure that the great work done by your shul can continue into the future. When we leave a legacy to our shul, we are expressing our hopes for the next generation as those who came before us did. We have several attorneys who have volunteered to help you write or change your Will so that you can add a gift to MMAE as a lasting show of your devotion to MMAE and its good work. Please contact Rabbi Shapiro to discuss this critical and worthy display of love and support. 7
TRANSFER (SALE) OF CHOMETZ In order to conform with the Laws of Passover, it is necessary to dispose of all chometz that one has on his premises. This is done by making arrangements with the Rabbi for the sale to a non-jew before 11:30 am, Monday, April 10, 2017. Rabbi Shapiro will act as the agent for all who authorize him to do so. Please call 410-653-7485 or visit the office, in order to complete this vital Mitzvah. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THIS BE DONE. (See Sale of Chometz Authorization below). Chometz should not be eaten until the chometz is re-purchased, Tuesday night, April 18, 2017, at 9:00 pm. Please be careful about buying from a store that has not Sold its Chometz. It is customary to contribute to the Rabbi s Discretionary Fund when submitting this form. Funds are used to help people with Passover purchases. SALE OF CHOMETZ AUTHORIZATION DELEGATION OF POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR SALE OF CHOMETZ Know ye, that I, the undersigned, empower and permit Rabbi Yerachmiel Shapiro of Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation, 7000 Rockland Hills Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21209, to act in my place and stead, and on my behalf to sell all Chometz (Leaven) and all products containing even the smallest percentage of Chometz possessed by me knowingly, as defined by the Torah and Rabbinic Law, and to lease all places wherein the above mentioned products owned by me may be found, especially in the premises located at Home Address Business Address (elsewhere) Rabbis Shapiro has the full right to sell and lease the above as such transactions as he deems fit and proper for such time as he chooses. The authority which is hereby given is meant to be in conformity with the Torah and Rabbinic Laws and Regulations, and also to be in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, and of the United States of America. To this I do hereby affix my signature on this day of, 2017. Signature (To sell your Chometz, mail this completed and signed contract to the shul office. This contract must be received no later than 11:30 am, Monday, April 10, 2017). You can also fax it to 410-653-7487, or drop it off in the shul office. IT IS APPROPRIATE TO ATTACH A CONTRIBUTION TO THE RABBI S DISCRETIONARY FUND FOR PASSOVER USE.
MOSES MONTEFIORE ANSHE EMUNAH Greengate Jewish Center 7000 Rockland Hills Drive Baltimore, Maryland 21209 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Baltimore, MD Permit No. 22 HAVE YOU... * contributed to the Matzah Fund, * arranged for the sale of Your chometz, * attended the Fast and Feast of the First Born males * searched for your chometz, * planned to attend services on both evenings of the seder and Passover mornings MAOT CHITTIM WHEAT MONEY (Matzah Fund) It is a mitzvah to collect funds before Passover to be given to needy families to help purchase Passover products. If you are able to give an extra few dollars to this worthwhile cause to help the needy among us, please send a check to the MMAE Matzah Fund. Your generous contribution will be very much appreciated.