april 2016

​Rabbi’s Message
Dear friends, Preparing for Passover is not easy. I have heard it said that for women who take care of their homes and families Passover is the festival of slavery, rather than that of liberation. There is Passover shopping, cooking, and making sure that our homes are kosher for Passover. For many of us, there is the changing of dishes and kashering some of our utensils. Passover is a lot of work, yet there is something glorious when we sit down at our Seder tables, whether we are a host or a guest. Somehow all of the work and the preparation adds to the meaning of the holiday, our appreciation of it and the joy we feel. I am reminded of the Hebrew proverb "l'fum tzarah agra" “according to the difficulty of the task so is the reward." In the digital age, our attention spans have shortened. We are quick to look up a subject on Wikipedia and slow to read a lengthy book or article which will give us in depth understanding. We have lost patience for long term processes that take years or even generations to reach their fruition. We feel frustrated when we can't find instant solutions to even the most complex of issues; Passover tells us that something worthwhile demands work, preparation and planning over time. Jewish life can be viewed through the same prism. It's not easy and doesn't yield instant rewards. Rather the values instilled through our faith and our way of life can be deeply satisfying and give us the strength and prospective which helps us find our way in the world. Being part of the Jewish people is often difficult. In the short term we sometimes wonder why the effort. Yet, by being part of the Jewish people we become part of the process of an unfolding destiny which began in the most ancient times, continues to make an impact on the world and will help shape humanity in the distant future. Thus our Jewishness and our Jewish observance helps take us away from realm of instant gratification and brings us the realm of deep and lasting satisfaction. Once again. I want to wish all of you a wonderful Passover. I hope to see you at services and I'd also like to mention that if you would like to go to Seder but don't have one to go to, please get in touch with me.
Gut Yontif, Chag Sameach,
Rabbi Sussman