April 2020

Rabbi's message
Who would have thunk it? Who would have ever thought that a trip to the supermarket would be a death-defying mission or that our children and grandchildren would actually miss going to school? Who would have ever thought that the simple pleasures of life like going to the movies or a ball game or having a cup of coffee with friends would be something dangerous or even illegal? Could we ever have imagined that our synagogues would be closed and that all of us would agree that it was the right thing to do? How we miss the everyday enjoyments of life and yearn for the lives we lead a mere two or three weeks ago. When the crisis is over, we will look at ourselves so differently and learn to appreciate all the simple goodness and beauty of our lives rather than fret over what we lack or find troubling. May that day come very soon and find all of us together and in good health. Passover’s story reminds us that Judaism is about overcoming obstacles and never giving up hope. The Jewish message is about being able to find joy, even in the most difficult times. We as Jews realize that none of us are perfect. We are taught that G-d wants us to do the best we can in the circumstances we find ourselves. This Passover, we may not be able to observe the holiday the way we have been used to. Loved ones and friends may be missing, and we may not be able to obtain everything we would like to have for the holiday. Pesach, however, is about not about all these things, no matter how much we enjoy them. The story of Passover is of how G-d rescued us from slavery to begin our journey through history, a journey that every one of us continues through the stories of our own lives to this very day. Chag Sameach, A wonderful Passover to all.
​Rabbi Gerald Sussman