All Things Pesach at Beth El

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Cantor Vera to be honored at Labor Seder
Sunday, March 30 at 4:30pm
The New England Jewish Labor Committee (NEJLC) will honor Cantor Vera Broekhuysen with their Abraham Joshua Heschel Award for Leadership in the Jewish Community. The award is for a leader from organized labor and from the Jewish community who exemplify values of justice for all workers, and tikkun olam. 

The History of Enslavement in Sudbury and Wayland with Jane Sciacca
Sunday, April 6 at 6:00pm
Meet Jane Sciacca, whose new book, Enslavement in the Puritan Village, will change your understanding of local history.

A Special Passover Edition of Hasidic Tales
Thursday, April 10 at 11:00am
Join in an inspiring and evocative exploration of Passover from a Hasidic perspective. Inspired by texts from our spiritual (and mystical) tradition, we’ll infuse preparations for our Festival of Freedom with new meaning! Join in person or via Zoom. See the Schedule, Study Materials, Zoom Links page for details.

The Magic of Matzah: Torah Study with the Rabbi’s Cohort
Saturday, April 12 at 9:00am
Join with our rabbi as we explore the halacha (ritual law) and folklore around matzah, the bread of affliction. Beginning with sources from the Torah, we’ll delve into Rabbinic and mystical texts that will help us bring new meaning to our Festival of Freedom! Join in person or via Zoom. See the Schedule, Study Materials, Zoom Links page for details.

M’chirat Chametz — Selling of Chametz
There is a long-standing custom of “selling” one’s chametz (all food products not suitable for Pesach use) before the holiday begins. The seller makes a small donation to tzedakah, and the buyer owns the chametz until Pesach ends. If you would like to participate in this custom, please return a form (online or PDF printout) along with your donation to office no later than 4:00pm on Thursday, April 10.

The Shapiro-Murphy Virtual First Night Seder
Saturday, April 12 at 6:00pm
A seder combining traditional and progressive, reverent and irreverent, sourced and unsourced, but well worth your while. The Zoom link and a PDF of the Haggadah (for one-time use only) will be sent to those who RSVP to Gail Shapiro.

David Daniel Klipper’s Second Night Virtual Seder
Sunday, April 13 at 6:00pm | Register here
A casual, relaxed Seder that includes interesting historical passages, silly songs, humor, and reflection. Suitable for families, all ages are welcome, although may not be best for very small children. If you are interested, please sign up using this Google spreadsheet and you will be sent both the zoom log in information and a PDF of the family’s Haggadah.

Let Me Hear Your Sweet Voice: Celebrate Shabbat Rinah in Pesach
Friday, April 18 at 7:30pm
On Pesach, we sing the Song of Songs, Shir HaShirim, whose lyrical words praise the sweet voice of the Beloved. Join Rinah musicians as, together in Shabbat on Pesach, we dance the journey from narrowness to expanse, from sorrow to songs of praise. Together we will celebrate the sweetness of each person’s voice, the sweetness of communal voices raised together, and the sweetness of the freedom we pursue for ourselves and for our world.

Torah Study Groups: Shir HaShirim — The Song of Songs
Saturday, April 19 at 9:00am
The Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim) is one of the most beautiful and complex works in the Tanach. On this Shabbat, Rabbi Josh will lead his Torah study cohort and Cantor Vera will lead the Hasidic Torah study cohort, with each group exploring different aspects of this mystical and evocative text. Lend your voice to the conversation as we explore the timeless themes of the Song of Songs through the lens of our lived experiences. Join in person or via Zoom. See the Schedule, Study Materials, Zoom Links page for details.