Haverim (friends):
The signs of Spring are everywhere! Well, actually not. As I am writing this, there is still probably a foot of snow on the ground and a few more inches are on the way. Those of us like me, who like skiing and other winter sports, this has been a great winter. However, I am aware that not everyone is as excited as I am about the nice winter we have had. I do admit that it could have been a bit warmer. While there may not be many signs of Spring out of our windows yet, there are signs of Spring on the Jewish calendar: Purim and Passover.
Purim is the first sign. The last Jewish holiday we had was way back in November when we celebrated Hanukkah. Remember that? We had not even had any snow yet. After the short days of winter, we begin to turn around and feel the days getting longer. Just then Purim arrives with its festive atmosphere of costumes and tasty Hamentaschen. Just the thing to wake us up. Even though there is a carnival atmosphere, the underlying story is an inspirational one about how a Jewish young woman claims her identity and saves the Jewish community through an amazing act of bravery. The enemy Haman is defeated, the community is saved, and they celebrate! A wonderful happy ending. Almost too good to be true which perhaps why the Jewish tradition treated Purim with so much levity. Happy endings like this don’t really happen in real life do they?
After the first sign of Spring in Purim, exactly one month later on the Jewish calendar we have the holiday of Passover. There are some common themes here. Passover celebrates the miraculous rescue of the Jewish people from bondage to the Pharaoh of Egypt. There were acts of bravery that played a key role in the story, and the people rejoice when their victory is secure. One important difference is that victory in the Purim story come about because of the bravery of Ester and Mordecai. God is not even mentioned in the story. Victory in the Passover story is entirely the result of God acting to free the people and destroy the power of Egypt’s so-called gods.
Both holidays share another practice as well. Both holidays challenge us to look out for the needy and make sure they have enough to eat. I would like to encourage you to make helping the needy a part of your Purim and Passover preparations.
We start seeing Passover items at the grocery store, even some of the local stores in our area have a few items. Our own thoughts turn to what we will serve this year, and who we will invite to our seder. For many of us this means a few extra expenses at the grocery store when we buy the things we need for Passover.
These extra expenses may be a temporary inconvenience to some of us. However, there are many in the Jewish community around the world and closer to home, for whom these extra expenses are a very hard burden and even impossible. Also, the springtime is a special time for people of many faith communities throughout the Beloit/Janesville and Northern Illinois area to celebrate with family and gather for special holiday meals. This can be a difficult time for them as well to find the resources needed to have a festive and happy season.
What can we do? As we sit down to plan our menus for the seder and make trips to the grocery store, add a little to your food budget to make an extra donation to a food-related charity of your choice. Some suggestions for local, national, international, and Jewish giving are below.
Hag Pesach Sameach! Happy Passover, and may the words of the seder: “Let all who are hungry come and eat!” have a special significance for us as we reach out to help others who are in need.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Shlomo Wing
MAZON (www.mazon.org) – Jewish organization that makes grants to Food banks throughout the country
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
10495 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 1-800-813-0557
Fax: (310) 442-0030
Send some money to the Jewish Chaplains Council so that Jewish men and women serving our country in the military can have a wonderful and meaningful Passover wherever they are in the world. Tax deductible donations can be made online at www.jcca.org/chaplaincy or mailed to:
JWB Jewish Chaplains Council
520 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
(212) 786-5099
Local donations:
Caritas – Beloit
2840 Prairie Ave.
Beloit, WI 53511
ECHO- Everyone Cooperating to Help Others www.echojanesville.org
65 South High Street
Janesville, WI 53548
Israel:
Yad Eliezer – Israel Charity for Poor and Hungry
American Friends of Yad Eliezer
1102 E. 26th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11210
USA
Hag Sameach!