Since seders are often held at home, each family develops their own traditions and customs for celebrating Passover. This list can be used as a reference during a time that requires much detailed preparation.

Seder Check List

Candlesticks and candles

A pillow for the leader of the seder to recline on

A Haggadah for everyone

A wine glass for everyone

Elijah’s cup

Enough wine to fill each cup four times and Elijah’s cup once

A seder plate with the symbolic Passover foods: maror/bitter herbs, charoset, roasted shankbone (Zeroah), roasted egg (Baytzah), karpas/vegetable

Matzah

Three unbroken matzot covered

A cloth, napkin or bag for the afikoman

A cup and bowl for hand washing

Containers of salt water reachable for dipping

A dish of parsley or potatoes for karpas

A dish of horseradish or lettuce for maror

A dish of charoset

Shelled hard-boiled eggs

Dear Members,

The counting of the Omer starts on the beginning of the second day of Passover, the evening of April 20, (second seder), and ends 49 days later on the first day of Shavuot, sundown of June 8. In observance, we are collecting food items (kosher only) to be distributed to the needy in our local community. Kindly drop off any items at the synagogue. Thank you for your cooperation.

Rabbi Michael Klein

WE NEED YOUR INPUT:

The Futures Committee is hard at work planning events the congregation will enjoy. We are currently looking into the possibility of a congregational bus trip or two.

As this is a big undertaking, we would like to know of your interest. Please send your response to the synagogue office or by e-mail to editor@cong-ahavatachim.org.

Please number in order of preference (#1 = First choice) and/or write in your

suggestions. We would love to hear from you.

__ Jewish Theological Seminary, NYC

__ The Jewish Museum, NYC

__ Museum of Jewish Heritage, NYC

__ National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia

__ Holocaust Museum, Washington DC

__ Other ________________________

Name __________________________

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Seeking people interested in helping with the preparation of the Oneg Shabbat both Friday night and Saturday. Only one day per month required. Please call Ellen Weiss at 732-303-0198.

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Please join us for this most important evening.

Congregations Ahavat Achim, Ahavat Shalom and Beth Am Shalom are joining together to conduct a community-wide observance of Yom Hashoah – Holocaust and GhettoUprising Remembrance Day – on Wednesday, April 30. Key-note speaker will be poet, author and survivor, Judith Sherman.

Part of this year’s observance will include a statewide traveling Holocaust exhibit entitled, “Survival of the Human Spirit: Triumph Over Adversity.” Created by the Center for Holocaust Studies at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, the exhibit will be on display at Beth Am Shalom, Lakewood on April 29-30.

Drawn from the Center’s 2004 publication, “To Tomorrow’s Children,” the exhibit consists of 29 panels featuring a group of Holocaust survivors who have been teaching about the Holocaust and working to eliminate hatred in all its forms. The panels depict their personal histories, and their pertinent messages of hope to future generations.

All are invited to attend our Joint Yom HaShoah Service

and Remembrance Day Program

Wednesday, April 30th

The program begins Promptly at 7:30 PM

Please Come early to view the Holocaust exhibit

At Temple Beth Am Shalom

400 Carey Street, Lakewood

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) is observed on the 27th of Nisan, Friday, May 2. In 1959, Yom HaShoah was signed into Israeli law by David Ben-Gurion and Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, then Prime Minister of Israel and President of Israel, respectively.

On the eve of Yom HaShoah in Israel, there is a state ceremony at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes Authority. At 10:00 AM on Yom HaShoah, throughout Israel, air-raid sirens are sounded for two minutes. Public transport (including virtually all highway vehicles) comes to a standstill for this period, and people stop and stand silent. During Yom HaShoah, public entertainment and many public establishments in Israel are closed by law. Israeli television and radio channels broadcast mourning songs and documentaries about the Holocaust, without commercials. All flags on public buildings are flown at half mast.

Also, during this day, tens of thousands of Israeli high-school students, and thousands of Jews from around the world, hold a memorial service in Auschwitz, in what has become known as "The March of the Living", in defiance of the Holocaust Death Marches.

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Part Time Youth Work Available

Creative, dynamic, resourceful and organized advisors needed for the new Howell-Lakewood Conservative Jewish youth groups Kadima (6^th- 8^th grade) and USY (9^th – 12^th grade). Sensitivity and understanding of pre-teen and teenagers is an important requirement. Experience with youth activities, education, or related fields preferred. For additional information and application, please call Ellen Weiss at 732-303-0198 or Beth Panitch at 732-928-6815.

Remember, you can help raise funds for Ahavat Achim

by searching the web using www.goodsearch.com.

Just select Congregation Ahavat Achim as your charity

and money from Yahoo advertisers will go directly

to Ahavat Achim without you spending a dime!

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A number of years ago a fund was established in the name of the Dubrovsky Family to encourage our young people to go to Israel.

A donation was made with the interest accrued to be available for disbursement to the recipients. For a trip of ten days or less, $250.00 will be given. Trips over ten days, $500.00 will be given. These monies will be given if eligibility as outlined

below is followed, and funds are available.

To be considered for monies from this fund, applicants should write to the synagogue office.

ELIGIBILITY FOR DUBROVSKY FUND MONEY FOR A TRIP TO ISRAEL:

1. Member family in good standing of Congregation Ahavat Achim for a

minimum of three years.

2. Applicant is a dependent as per IRS rules.

3. Not a family trip.

4. Participation with an organized Jewish group or school.

5. Each applicant eligible only once.

6. Upon return, provide an article for the Shalom, and speak to one or both of our youth groups about the experience in Israel.

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NEWS SHORTS FROM UNITED SYNAGOGUE:

Help Save Darfur - The desperate situation in Darfur slips in and out of the news; the people stuck there do not have that luxury. For updates about the situation and to learn what we can do to help, we suggest you go to section on Darfur on the American Jewish World Service’s website.

Haseko in Israel - United Synagogue and Hazak, for people 55 and over, join to offer a trip to Israel next winter. Spend February 12 to 24 in Jerusalem; celebrate Shabbat at the Fuchsberg Jerusalem Center, and take day trips around the country.

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THE DEBIT CARD HAS ARRIVED!

It has now become easier to help with the grocery gelt synagogue fundraiser:

ShopRite has a Debit Card!!!!

What does this mean?

Well, it is easier to use than the grocery certificates so hopefully more of you will take advantage of the opportunity when you go shopping. The debit card can be purchased in $50 amounts and you can use it every time you go to the store. The groceries you buy are deducted from your card just as if you were using an ATM card! How much easier can it be?!

Easy to use AND it makes money for our synagogue! So stop by the office

today and purchase your grocery gelt debit card.

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Grocery Gelt

¨ Please help our synagogue raise funds by supporting our supermarket gift certificate program.

¨ Buy Gift Certificates. (or see below about the debit card)

¨ No purchase is too large or too small.

¨ Gift Certificates are available for ShopRite. You get dollar for dollar value while our JCC gets a 5% rebate on each purchase.

¨ Gift Certificates may be purchased at the synagogue office.

¨ If you choose, you may contact:

Anita Belkin-Evans at (732) 370-1095

or call our Office, (732) 367-1677.

¨ Thank you for your support!

The United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism.

Last Updated: April 1, 2008

106 Windeler Road • P.O. Box 344 • Howell, New Jersey 07731 • (732) 367-1677 • Fax: (732) 367-1307