Wednesday, April 12, 2023 6pm @ the Jewish Community House
From generation to generation We carry on With the richness of tradition And the promise of tomorrow
Congregation Agudath Achim will be coming together with the Taunton Seventh-day Adventist Church for its Pot Luck Seder. Please join us in continuing the tradition of telling of the Jewish People’s exodus from Egypt.
Our seder is traditionally “Kosher Style” with both Sephardic/Ashkenazi NON-DAIRY meat/pareve main dishes & pareve desserts.
Ticket Prices: $20 single person / $35 for a family up to 4 / $40 for a family of 5+
Please contact Lori at 508-822-3230 or office@tauntonshul.com to let her know what you will be contributing to the pot luck and if you will be willing to volunteer to help with this event.
PLEASE RSVP BY APRIL 5, 2023
Name: ______________________________ Phone: ______________________________ Email: ______________________________ Number of Seats: ______________________________ Amount Enclosed: $____________Donation: $__________ Please mail your check payable to ‘Congregation Agudath Achim’ to: Congregation Agudath Achim, P.O. Box 826, Taunton, MA 02780
Buddy’s ‘Bark’ Mitvzahand Blessing of the AnimalsSunday, November 13th @ 11am(In front of the Jewish Community House)
Bring your pet and come celebrate with Buddy and Cantor Reaboi! Bring a pet toy to donate to the Taunton Animal Shelter. Treats for dogs and people provided.
Join the Virtual Selichot Service, Saturday evening September 17th at 8pm-10pm.
Schedule: 8:00 pm – Havdalah 8:10 pm – Virtual Reception 8:30 pm – Selichot Study Session 1: “What’s Love got to do with it? Reflections on the High Holy Days” 9:00 pm – Selichot Study Session 2: “The Deeper Meaning of Avinu Malkeinu” 9:30 pm – Selichot Service 10:00 pm – End of Service- Shana Tova!
2022 seems to be cruising by! It’s difficult to believe that the 1st Night of Passover will be upon us soon. For American Jews, Passover is the most celebrated Festival of the Jewish year. Each year, relatives and friends gather for the Passover Seder(s). As in years past, The story of the Exodus from Egypt will be told, we partake in the cups of wine and the ritual offerings of the Seder plate and share in fellowship with our friends and family. Like many Jewish observances, Passover, or Pesach follows the same formula: “They tried to exterminate us. We prevailed. Let’s eat!”
But Pesach is different from the other Festivals. First, after coming out of a Pandemic that has held us back from in-person Seders, finally getting together after two years will feel very special (A Shehechyanu would definitely be in order!).
Why else is Pesach different? Of course, that is the first question of the Four Questions we recite during the Seder. And indeed, Pesach is all about questions. But it is also how you give the answers. There are many different kinds of Seders. Depending on where you are in the world or where you came from, Jews celebrate in different ways. I attended a Buddhist Seder once. In Iran, Jews dress in Biblical clothing and whip each other with scallions when they sing, “Dayeinu”! Jews in Romania fill a pillowcase with heavy objects and carry it around the table, with each person at the seder taking a turn. (And you thought hiding the afikomen was hard work!)
No matter how Pesach is celebrated around the world, the Torah states that a Seder only requires these three things in order to fulfill the commandment of observing Pesach: Eating the matzah, eating the bitter herbs, and telling the story of the Exodus from Egypt. But the other rituals we do are not just fluff! They are there to help us understand the meaning of Pesach: God redeemed us from slavery and suffering ‘with an outstretched arm,’ performing miracles along the way and that God continues to redeem and protect us in our own times.
The Rabbis who codified the Haggadah knew that to tell the Story effectively, it had to be told in ways in which all types of people would understand it. The ‘Four Children’ in the Haggadah might be different in age. But they are certainly different in how they comprehend things. And so, it is for us- each of us are learners of different levels and speeds. It is a fact that when we get older, we see the world with different eyes. Age and experience help us to understand spirituality and connection on a deeper level.
For most of us, Jewish literacy is limited to what we learned in Religious School. (For some, that was many years ago!) Because of this, our knowledge of Jewish religion, culture, values and history are stunted. Is Judaism only for kids?
The question I pose to you on the eve of Pesach is this: Can you personally make a choice to revisit Jewish learning? Can your curiosity bring you out of the confines of childhood, bringing you to a place of deep understanding and spiritual connection? If we are to fully observe Pesach, then we have to find the right way for EACH of us to understand the meaning of going from slavery to redemption. Remember- in a way, we are all slaves to something.
That said, never lose your inner child! Have a fun, happy, interesting and meaningful Passover this year.
Purim’s here! Join us for the Megillah According to Dr. Seuss. Plus singing, best costume contest and… Hamantashen! Purim is this Thursday, March 17th at 4pm in the Synagogue.
The first Shabbat of every month is Shabbat Rishona, a fun, Family-friendly Shabbat Morning Service for all ages! Please join Cantor Colman Reaboi this Saturday, February 5th at 9:30am.
Not a member and want to attend Shabbat Rishona? Please contact the Synagogue office at (508) 822-3230.
Congregation Agudath Achim 
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