Lag B’Omer (falling this year on May 2) is the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer. The custom of counting the Days of the Omer comes from the Torah. In Leviticus (23:15-16), we are commanded to count seven weeks from the 2nd day of Passover until the festival of Shavuot. The 49 days of the Omer are a time to reflect on the physical emancipation from Egypt (celebrated at Passover) and the spiritual liberation of the giving of the Torah (celebrated at Shavuot). It also marks the time between the barley and the wheat harvest in ancient Israel.
There are various explanations for why Lag B’Omer is a special holiday. On this day, the prohibitions that characterize the Omer period cease for the day. It is a time of dancing and singing, weddings, parties and listening to music. Families often spend the day outdoors, having picnics and, sometimes, lighting bonfires in the evening. Please see the enclosed flyer for details on a special TAA Lag B’Omer nature walk and picnic!
Purim at TAA
by Josh Cutler
Despite a weeklong deluge of snow of epic proportions and less than ideal road conditions, over 85 Temple members, religious school students and guests gathered in costume for Shabbat services at our annual
Purim festival on Friday, February 26th. Rabbi Josh, our “man of many hats”, helped kick off our holiday in lively spirit with a family-friendly telling of the Megillah story. The service also featured participation in song by several of our religious school students.
Following services, Kiddush and Hamotzi, attendees were treated to a delicious pizza and hamentashen dinner generously subsidized by the Women of Reform Judaism. Our costume contest participants featured a variety of unusual holiday disguises, with Cynthia Kadel-Zorfas taking home the top prize for her “Queen Esther of Avatar” costume.
Our 4th annual Purimspiel was one for the ages: Dr. Alan Gold and the Broad Street Players’ tribute to Yiddish Vaudeville featured a who’s who of local Klezmer musicians providing a soundtrack to the festivities, including Alan on keyboards, an energetic Dave Fields on drums, Charlie Tokarz on horns and Sarah Hubbard on the violin. Some highlights of the elaborate production include Arthur Henle’s pressing question Where Is My Pants?, as well as Dick Bonito’s spirited tribute to the Catskills with Essen. The cast’s hard work in preparing the evening was rewarded with a standing ovation following the 45-minute performance. Thanks again to our participants: Arthur and Eileen Henle, Audrey Salzmann, June Waldman, Ellen Weiden, Ellie Ware, Marlene Chautin, Jackie Browner, Linda and Dick Bonito, and Stacie Bonito Vallone.
Our celebration of Purim continued on Saturday afternoon in the library with a reading of the Megillah, complete with dramatic chanting, singing, graggers, delicious homemade hamentashen baked by Stephanie Bennett, a Havdallah service and the warm company of community.
Thanks once again to everyone who made these events possible! See photos below.
Special Thanks from Rhoda Kaminstein
While by the time you read this, we will all be eating matzo instead of hamentashen, the memory of our Purimspiel will still be with us. From Rabbi Josh’s 7-minute telling of the Megillah to the standing ovation given to our Temple players, it was an evening to remember. Neither snow or the February night kept almost 100 people from attending, eating, laughing, etc. A lot of people deserve hearty thanks: Dr. Alan Gold and the cast and crew who worked so hard to entertain us; Linda Bonito and the workers who made the delicious hamentashen; Cynthia Kadel-Zorfas and Harvey Zorfas who donated the delicious appetizers; Yvonne Gavrielle, Marlene Chautin, Caleb Alemany, Paula Pomerantz and Jackie Browner who served the pizza; and everyone who helped.
Thanks also to the members of the Women of Reform Judaism whose dues supported the expenses. Thanks to Liberty Pizza who donated soda for the meal.
Photos from Recent Events
Chanukah Celebration 2009!
Lighting the Menorah outside the Temple. Lighting our special Menorah at the Service
Tu b'Shevat 2010
Stephanie Bennett preparing for the Tu b'Shevat Seder
