Celebrate Passover 2022/5782

There are many ways to come together with your Central family this Passover. In addition to our Virtual Community Seder, we are offering a number of additional exciting Passover events this year. We hope you will join us. 

First Night Community Seder

Friday, April 15
Shabbat Service: 6:00–6:45 pm (In-person or Virtual)
Seder: 7:00–8:15 pm (Via Zoom for Members)
Join Cantor Dan Mutlu, Rabbi Sarah Berman, and the Central community virtually for a meaningful Passover Seder after an abbreviated Shabbat service with Clergy. Watch on livestream on our website, Facebook, YouTube, and JBS.

Members, please check your inbox for the Zoom link.

Passover Boot Camp With Rabbi Dov Linzer and Abby Pogrebin

Wednesday, April 6
5:30 pm–6:30 pm
Rabbi Dov Linzer joins journalist Abby Pogrebin for a deep dive into the holiday, focusing on the question: How does the Passover story guide us in the journey towards justice—both in the ways we show up for others, and in the ways we hope others will show up for us?

Register

WORDS & MUSIC: A Musical Seder with Cesare Civetta

Tuesday, April 19
12:00–1:00 pm
Beloved guest presenter and conductor Cesare Civetta returns for a tuneful Passover exploration featuring music from an array of genres and traditions, along with performance clips of your holiday favorites such as Dayenu, Chad Gadya, and more.

Register

Counting the Omer with Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Mondays, April 25–June 2
3:00–4:15 pm
How do we find the Divine wisdom that is uniquely in every thing, every person, every day, every hour? This year during the Counting of the Omer, join us for a spiritual treasure hunt guided by the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

Register

Awareness in Action: Cultivating Character through Mindfulness and Middot

Begins Sunday April 10
During this course, you’ll learn how to access and practice eight core character traits (middot), ranging from loving connection to mindful speech. The program will run for nine weeks, covering the seven weeks of the period known as the Omer, plus two additional bonus weeks.

Register

Passover (Pesach in Hebrew), is a seven-day, springtime festival beginning on the 15th day of Cisan. It commemorates the Jews’ exodus from slavery in Egypt to redemption in the Holy Land of Israel. It begins with a special seder at home where we retell the story of our journey from bondage to liberation using the Haggadah (a book meaning “telling”) and sharing a festive meal featuring many symbolic foods that help tell the story. Throughout the seven days of Passover, we are prohibited from eating chametz (leavened products) as a reminder of our hurried escape from Egypt when there was not even enough time to wait for bread to rise. Instead, we traditionally eat matzah (unleavened bread). 

At this time when we celebrate the freedom of our people, we are provided with an opportunity to stand with those who still suffer under the bondage of modern-day slavery. Rabbi Angela Buchdahl speaks eloquently about this in the clip above. In the video below Rabbi Buchdahl and Cantor Julia Cadrain combine the Passover favorite “Dayenu” (“It Would Have Been Enough”) with the spiritual “O Freedom” as a way of connecting the Jewish community with all who have suffered from oppression and bondage. At Central, we celebrate Passover with a festival morning service on the first day and a community seder on the first night. On the seventh day of Passover, we come together again for a festival morning that also includes a yizkor (memorial) service—an opportunity to remember and reflect on the lives of those who have passed away.