1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

March—April 2015
A Note from the Board
We will be phasing out the printing of the newsletter and many of
our other formerly printed materials, including the Hebrew School
donor booklet, during the coming year. If you would like to
continue receiving the newsletter and other important information
from us, please be sure to send your email address with a note to
“please add me to the email distribution list” to:
secretary@congregationahavathachim.org
— Ahavath Achim Board of Directors
Inside this issue
Regular Services and Classes
Ask the Rabbi ................. 2

Mincha/Maariv, Friday nights, 7:00 PM
Community Seder .......... 4

Shacharit, Saturdays, 9:00 AM
Annual Raffle.................. 5

Talmud Class, Tuesdays, 6:30 PM
Hebrew School ............... 6

Yoga, Tuesday and Thursdays, 9:00 AM, $10 per class

Crash Course in Hebrew Reading, Wednesdays, 6:15 PM
From the President ........ 3
A Youthful Holiday ......... 7
Upcoming Events ........... 8
Donors ........................... 9
Yahrzeit .......................... 10-15
Contact Us...................... 16
Ask the Rabbi
Can you tell me about the terms chametz and kitniyot?
In addition to avoiding leavened bread, Jews are also
supposed to avoid foods made with wheat, barley, rye,
spelt or oats - unless those foods are labeled "kosher for
Passover." The reason these grains can be eaten under
some circumstances is that the rabbis determined foods
containing these grains must be cooked in 18 minutes or
less in order to be considered kosher for Passover. They
felt that was just enough time to prevent any natural
leavening in the grains from making food rise. "Kosher
for Passover" foods are made with flour that is
specifically prepared for Passover consumption and are usually
made under the supervision of a rabbi. All five of these forbidden
grains are collectively called "chametz."
"Kosher for Passover" foods are made with flour that is specifically prepared for Passover
Passover Kitniot
In the Ashkenazi tradition there are additional
foods that are usually forbidden during Passover.
These foods are called "kitniot" (pronounced kitneeh-oat) and include: rice, millet, corn and
legumes like beans and lentils. These foods are off
limits because the rabbis determined they violated
the principle of ma'arit ayin. This principle means
that Jews should avoid even the appearance of
impropriety. In the case of Passover, kitniot can be
ground up and cooked with like flour, so they should be
avoided.
In Sephardic communities kitniot are eaten during
Passover. It is also not uncommon for vegetarians who
identify as Ashkenazi Jews to follow the Sephardic
tradition during Passover - it's tough to be a vegetarian
during Passover if chametz and kitniot are off the table!
2
A Message from the President - James
Seger
With warmer weather just around the
corner, I want to remind you of some
exciting events we have planned for
this Spring…..one in March, one in
April, and one in June. March 13th is
Friday night Shabbot Across America which will include a great
homemade pizza dinner for all. April 4th is a Saturday night...2nd
seder night…..reserved for our annual Community seder at the
synagogue. Like last year, this will include a fully catered traditional
Passover seder dinner and, of course, a terrific seder program for all
ages led by Rabbi Alter. And finally, June 7th has been set aside for
our gala celebration of Rabbi Alter’s 60th birthday and 20th year
with us in Colchester. How can anyone pass up any of these special
activities?? And later in the summer watch for the dates of our
annual chicken barbeque and golf tournament, both of which need
your support to help us manage our financial balance sheet.
We’re almost ready to roll out our new electronic phone tree
system that Laurie Robinson has worked so long and hard with to
procure and tailor to our specific needs. In addition to that
communication aid, remember that you can keep up with all the
latest news and happenings at our synagogue through checking our
website and following us on Facebook. Russ Melmed continues to
do a fantastic job with our electronic newsletter and I hope
everyone enjoys reading all the great news that’s happening in our
synagogue. Be sure to send Helen your email address if you haven’t
done so already.
Remember that we continually strive to increase our membership
to ensure our future. You can play an important role in helping us
grow by having an open eye and open ear for friends and relatives
looking to join an exciting and active synagogue organization.
Please support our Shabbot minyonim and our many and varied
social events throughout the year. Feel free to let us know what
you’d like to see at Ahavath Achim.
Be well,
Jimmy
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Please join us for the second
night
Catered Community Passover Seder
A night of tradition and
togetherness
Featuring Rabbi Ken Alter as our Seder
leader
Date: Saturday, April 4
Time: 6:00 PM
Where: Congregation Ahavath Achim
Enjoy a delicious catered dinner of:
Matzo Ball Soup, gefilte fish with
horseradish, roasted chicken with herb matzo
stuffing, vegetable, potato kugel, a
chocolate decadence dessert and other
traditional Passover Seder fare
COST:
Member: Adult…………$21
kids 6-13….$10
Non-Member: Adult….$25
kids 6-13….$13
All kids 5 and under FREE
FILL OUT THE BOTTOM PORTION AND RETURN WITH
YOUR PREPAID RESERVATION TO THE SYNAGOGUE
OFFICE BY Tuesday, March 24, 2015
ALL CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT
For more information, please contact the synagogue office
at (860) 537-2809
Name:
I/WE WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE PASSOVER SEDER
Date:
# of adults attending:
member _______ non-member_______
# of kids 6-13 attending:
member_______ non-member_______
# of kids 5 and under attending:_______
Phone number:
Amount Enclosed:
Are you able to help before or after the
Seder?
Yes _______ No_______
4
Annual Raffle!!
April 4th, 2015
Once again we will be holding our annual congregation raffle. All
proceeds go towards benefiting the congregation budget. The
drawing will be held on April 4th. Each ticket is $10.00
Prizes are as follows:
First Prize:
Apple iPad Air 2
Second Prize:
Microsoft Xbox 1
Third Prize:
$200 Gift Card to Citgo Food Bag
Fourth Prize:
$100 Gift Card to Toyo Asian Fusion
Fifth Prize:
$100 Gift Card to Nunu’s Bistro
5
The aleph and bet classes have had a busy winter and have been working hard to learn and
review their letters. Through aleph-bet bingo, scavenger hunts, and games that get our
students moving and actively learning, they are close to the end of the alphabet! Our classes
have also experienced a variety of holidays through special crafts, stories, games, and we even
tried new foods! When we aren't practicing our letters we are busy traveling to Israel where
we learn about life in Israel through videos, activities and our emissaries who are able to tell us
their own stories from when they were young. There's so much to do and I can't wait to see
what spring will bring us!
Hillary Goldstein and Chelsea Kranc
The third and fourth grade students are doing very well and are on target despite the harsh
winter and cancellations. The goal for both classes in Hebrew is to learn the prayers for the
Friday night service. With the assistance of their parents at home, they practice and read
beautifully. We have covered Jewish ethics, discussed the weekly Torah portion, and learned
about the holidays as well as celebrating them. They eagerly look forward to the arts and
crafts and foods associated with the holidays, and enjoy watching an occasional Judaic video.
We are fortunate to once again have two delightful and talented emissaries that continue to
enrich our students with a “taste” of Israel through their programing. I am grateful for my two
motivated and compassionate helpers this year, Madison and Shira. They have been excellent
with the students. Our goal is for your children to have a positive and fun experience as they
go through Hebrew school. With our devoted staff, Rabbi Alter and wonderful school board, I
believe we are on the right track.
Morah Fran
Our fifth and sixth graders are having an extraordinary year. We have enhanced our standard
curriculum with topics the students have asked for. The fifth graders have already progressed
through the Torah service and have moved on to the Mussaf prayers. They most enjoy our indepth Torah discussions, often stumping me with questions that show great insight. Because
of their excellent progress we have found time to discuss more biblical history and Judaic
culture. Our sixth graders have finished all of our required prayers and are now working on
the Haftorah blessings. This will give them a head start going into their B’nai mitzvah class next
year. At our student’s request, we have begun working on conversational Hebrew in the sixth
grade. If this works out, we may offer more of this in the future. Both classes are viewing and
discussing a PBS documentary entitled “The Jewish Americans”. This is an historical video that
displays the Jewish experience from New Amsterdam to the present day. We are not only
progressing well in both classes, but we are also having fun. I look forward to accomplishing
much more this year.
Mr. H
6
A Youthful Holiday
The highlight of Passover, the seder, revolves around the children.
The entire Haggadah is a response to the questions asked by the
children. And the Haggadah is quite specific about the message we
are to give our children, providing tailor-made responses for four
different types of children. In fact, despite the importance of
education, and though we certainly make a point of gathering the
children for the menorah lighting, and Purim just wouldn't be the same without the
masquerading children, only Passover requires the participation of the youth, and
actually makes them the featured center of attention.
Perhaps one of the reasons for this extra attention is because while we are intended to
teach our children a certain message on every holiday, on Passover we are supposed to
take a message from our children. And perhaps this is because we are trying to reenact
the Exodus, a time which symbolized our nation's youth.
Adults may have a monopoly on maturity, experience and wisdom, but in the realm of
truth they have much to learn from the young. Because adults lead such complex lives,
their decisions are inevitably colored by many factors: how will this affect my career, my
family, my vacation plans or social status? Youth on the other hand naturally seek truth,
and when they find it -- or when they think they found it-- they will leave all behind and
follow their inner compass. There's nothing binding them to any one particular course,
so they are ready at the drop of a hat to change course.
On Passover, the Jews exhibited a youthful disposition. They were willing to leave behind
their previous lifestyle, homeland and habits, to chase the truth in a barren desert.
In our personal lives we, too, seek liberation. We wish to experience true freedom, to
escape the many bonds of habit and nature which limit us. The lesson we learn from
Passover is that to experience liberation we must reconnect with our inner child. As long
as we refuse to make the big leap, to completely disengage from our past, we will never
be truly free.
This is especially true with regard to our pursuit of spirituality. Leading a truly spiritual
life demands the courage to make a complete reversal -- to follow God "into the desert,"
leaving behind a lifestyle that we may have been comfortable (but not happy) with, and
jumping into God's embrace through complete dedication to His Torah and Mitzvot.
It's great to be an adult with maturity, wisdom and experience. But it's only worth it if
these qualities assist us -- instead of impeding us -- in our quest for freedom. Chag
Pesach samech to you and your family. Have a great Passover celebration
7
The above was accessed from Chabad.org on 3/3/2015
Upcoming Events

Purim Party with DJ and food
Saturday, March 7th, 6 P.M.

Shabbat Across America
Friday, March 13th, Service 6 P.M. Dinner 7 P.M.

Purim Carnival with Magician
Sunday, March 8th 10 A.M.—12 P.M.

Book Club: “Gone Girl”
Sunday, March 15th, 10:30 A.M.

Hebrew School Model Seder
Sunday, March 29th, 10-11 A.M.

Fast of Firstborn Service, Siyum and Breakfast
Friday, April 3rd, 7 A.M.

No Friday evening Service on Friday, April 3-First Seder

Community Seder
Saturday, April 4th, 6 P.M., Raffle 8 P.M.

Yizkor Service
Saturday, April 11th
Your Simcha at Ahavth Achim
Please consider celebrating your next birthday,
anniversary, or other simcha at Ahavath Achim. For
information about using the social hall, please call
Buy Stop & Shop Gift Cards and
Support Your Congregation
$50 Stop & Shop gift cards are available
through the Ahavath Achim office. For
every $5000 of these cards we sell,
Ahavath Achim keeps 5%. Please call the
office at: 537-2809 to make a purchase.
8
Yahrzeit Donations
Donors
IN MEMORY OF
Joseph Broder……………………………….…….. Fannie Broder
Abe Carson…………………………………….……. Morris Levita
Thank You
Sheila & Sumner Einhorn & Family…..…. David Sherman and Ida Winiker
Roni & Jake Finkelstein……………………..… Rochelle Finkelstein
Joseph Fleischmann…………………………..… Marci Rosenfeld
Karen D. Gambolati…………………….………. Ernest M. Loew
Bruce Goldstein……………………………..……. Tobe Leia Goldstein
Renne Goldstein & Family…………..………. Sarah Brumel and Alfred Goldstein
Patti & Harvey Gould……………………..……. Eli Orbuch
Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Kaback…………….…….. Dr. Stuart Kaback
Dr. Arnold Levine…………………….………….. Stuart Levine
Florence Liebman……………………….………. Shirley Moskowitz and Harold Liebman
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Liverant………….………. Ruth Peck, Philip Liverant and Samuel Liverant
Goldie Liverant………………………………….… Murray Narotsky, Ruth Peck and Philip Liverant
Maxine C. Mindel…………………………….….. Louis & Sadie Schwartz
Susan, John, Byron & Andrew Murray…. Harold Liebman
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Schwartz……….…….. Robert & Shirley Meisel, Aaron Schwartz and Hyman Schwartz
Ethel Shapiro………………………………….…… Isadore Levine
Henny M. Simon……………………….…………. Abram Markiewicz
Betty Weisman……………………….…………… Yetta Scott
Basia Wittenberg………………………….…….. Esther Below
9
March-April Yahrzeits *
Name
Abraham Alpert
Rochelle Finkelstein
Family Leah/Shvrski
Dave Levine
Lena London
Family Wolf/Shvrski
Samuel Grant
David Woltag
Paula Greenbaum
Sadie Liebman
Jacob Bregman
Lena Fakterowitz
Jacob Cohen
Regina Block
Hyman Schwartz
Rose Jaffe
Rebecca Meisler
Mollie Schneider
Harriet Carson
Samuel Liverant
Dr. Irwin Israel
Max J. Seger
Jacob Berman
Fannie Epstein
Louis Heimowitz
Edward Agranovitch
Molly Cohen
Hebrew Hebrew Gregorian
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* Note: Members will be mailed an official reminder of their loved one’s upcoming yahrzeit
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March-April Yahrzeits *
Name
Thelma Cohn
Henrich Hirchmann
Bessie Etta Levin
Sam Turkewitz
Dr. Samuel Jaffe
Celia Scott
Minnie Elpus
William Podberesky
Ilsa Mayer Silver
Sophie Turetzky
Rebecca Burstein
Jacob Levine
Rose Perls
Arby Solomon
Arthur Falk
Joseph Felner
Samuel Rutchick
Isaac Solomon
Rose Steinberg
Leah Berman
Clara Mindel
Benjamin Neleber
Morris Shiff
Carol Chemerynski
Mary Hellar
Sara Brook Messinger
Ann Plitnick
Hebrew Hebrew Gregorian
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Gregorian
Date
10
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* Note: Members will be mailed an official reminder of their loved one’s upcoming yahrzeit
11
March-April Yahrzeits *
Name
Mary Jane Scott
Rose Shedroff
Lena Bokoff
Abraham Einhorn
Louis Garbich
Sol Gertner
Abraham Jaffe
Betty Minch
Jennie Singer
Fannie Goldstein
David Lejfer
David Levine
Esther Levine
Shirley Marks
George Cutler
Abraham Dember
Harry Morgenstein
Beatrice Rosenberg
Sophie Schwartz
Clara Sherman
Berel Zheutlin
Sara Schulman
Mitchell Simon
Morris Plitnick
Joseph London
Abraham Savin
Mary Wolpo
Hebrew Hebrew Gregorian
Month
Date
Month
Adar
March
27
Adar
March
27
Adar
March
28
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2
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4
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5
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6
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7
Nissan
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7
Gregorian
Date
18
18
19
19
19
19
19
19
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20
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21
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24
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27
27
* Note: Members will be mailed an official reminder of their loved one’s upcoming yahrzeit
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March-April Yahrzeits *
Name
Pincus Cutler
Daniel “Zadel” Goldberg
Joseph Weiner
Bethany Hillsberg
Risa Hillsberg
Nathan Liverant
Samuel Liverant
Lena Adle
David Gottlieb
Edith Kupper
Chane Schulman
Max Wolf
Edna Schwartz
Harry Feldman
Celia Dember
Hyman Minkin
Natalie Bender
Kalman Berman
Isaac Horowitz
Sara Feiden
Corinne Hurwitz
Berl Lejfer
Ronald Scott Rosenfeld
Samuel Solomon
Evelyn Stern
Bessie Gordon
Sadie Jackter
Hebrew Hebrew Gregorian
Month
Date
Month
Nissan
March
8
Nissan
March
8
Nissan
March
8
Nissan
March
9
Nissan
March
9
Nissan
March
9
Nissan
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9
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March
10
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11
Nissan
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11
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11
Nissan
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11
Nissan
April
13
Nissan
April
14
Nissan
April
15
Nissan
April
15
Nissan
April
16
Nissan
April
16
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April
16
Nissan
April
17
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April
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Nissan
April
18
Nissan
April
18
Nissan
April
18
Nissan
April
18
Nissan
April
19
19
Nissan
April
Gregorian
Date
28
28
28
29
29
29
29
30
31
31
31
31
2
3
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
7
7
7
7
8
8
* Note: Members will be mailed an official reminder of their loved one’s upcoming yahrzeit
13
March-April Yahrzeits *
Name
Ludwig Rosenbaum
Bessie Kantor
Nelson Stern
Bessie Horowitz
David Aaron Liebman
Isidore Mintz
Morris Schuster
Susan Gail Siegel
George Levy
Israel Lew
Philip Goroshnik
Samuel Stern
Frank Falk
Frances Miller
Ruth Ribicoff
John Goldschmidt
Jenny Rosenbaum
Eva Strick
Ida Levine
Mary Dinerstein
Rebecca Meisner
Zofia Micengendler
Barnet Rabinowitz
Morris Rosenthal
Joseph Samuel Balaban
Jack Lazinsk
Jack Solomon
Hebrew Hebrew Gregorian
Month
Date
Month
Nissan
April
19
Nissan
April
20
Nissan
April
20
Nissan
April
21
Nissan
April
21
Nissan
April
22
Nissan
April
22
Nissan
April
22
Nissan
April
24
Nissan
April
24
Nissan
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25
Nissan
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26
Nissan
April
27
Nissan
April
28
Nissan
April
28
Nissan
April
29
Nissan
April
29
Nissan
April
29
Iyar
April
1
Iyar
April
2
Iyar
April
2
Iyar
April
2
Iyar
April
2
Iyar
April
2
Iyar
April
3
Iyar
April
3
3
Iyar
April
Gregorian
Date
8
9
9
10
10
11
11
11
13
13
14
15
16
17
17
18
18
18
20
21
21
21
21
21
22
22
22
* Note: Members will be mailed an official reminder of their loved one’s upcoming yahrzeit
14
March-April Yahrzeits *
Name
Barnet Maiofes
Elaine Slopak
Rebecca Falk
Laura Hartley
William Messinger
Samuel Slavkin
Dora Cutler
Vivan (Cohen) Jung
Tillie Miller
Jennie Goldberg Selman
Joseph J. Udin
Hy Levine
Samuel Katz
David Schneider
Max Garbich
Hershel Gilbert
Hyman Brook
Bernard Goldberg
Hebrew Hebrew Gregorian
Month
Date
Month
Iyar
April
5
Iyar
April
5
Iyar
April
6
Iyar
April
6
Iyar
April
6
Iyar
April
6
Iyar
April
7
Iyar
April
7
Iyar
April
7
Iyar
April
7
Iyar
April
7
Iyar
April
8
Iyar
April
9
Iyar
April
9
Iyar
April
10
Iyar
April
10
Iyar
April
11
Iyar
April
11
Gregorian
Date
24
24
25
25
25
25
26
26
26
26
26
27
28
28
29
29
30
30
* Note: Members will be mailed an official reminder of their loved one’s upcoming yahrzeit
15
Please contact us, we would
love to hear from you!
84 Lebanon Avenue, Colchester, Connecticut
Phone: (860) 537-2809
Fax: (860) 537-2832
Rabbi Office Hours
Monday: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Secretary Office Hours
Tuesday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m
E-Mail Contacts
Rabbi Alter: rabbi@congregationahavathachim.org
President: president@congregationahavathachim.org
Information: info@congregationahavathachim.org
Secretary: secretary@congregationahavathachim.org
Webmaster: webmaster@congregationahavathachim.org
Newsletter: rmelmed@sbcglobal.net
16