Coming Up:
School is closed on Friday, April 19 for a Professional Development day
Our next Playground Shabbat is on Saturday, April 20 from 10am-12pm
School is closed for Passover from Monday, April 22 through Tuesday, April 30. School resumes on Wednesday, May 1.
Reminders:
Don't forget to check your prior orders and order hot lunch for this week at www.gansinai.org/hotlunch
Spring Camp registration is available at www.gansinai.org/springcamp
Camp Sinai registration is available for everyone at www.campsinai.org
Calling all PK4 and Kindergarteners: Registration for Sun Sinai and Club Sinai is now open. Learn more about each at www.sunsinai.org and www.clubsinai.org
Get all the latest info and links at www.gansinai.org/greatthings.
Find quick links and easy-to-access information at www.gansinai.org/families.
From Rabbi David
I struggle with the Passover plagues. Specifically how we've turned them into something fun to sing about (One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed...).
I get it. We are teaching our children about something very uncomfortable and we certainly don't want to scare them. But for us adults, by minimizing them, I think we're missing out on a really important aspect of the Passover story.
God brought the plagues which caused tremendous suffering to many Egyptians. God did this to bring about our redemption from slavery. Similarly, there are times when we, today, have to take decisive action for our own safety and security. These actions, though necessary, may cause tremendous suffering. We cannot take this lightly or minimize another's pain.
There is a beautiful teaching that suggests that what made us worthy of redemption from Egypt was our capacity, even in the midst of our own suffering, to show compassion to others who were in their own pain. We must be able to both defend ourselves and mourn for any pain we cause while doing so.
And with all of our compassion for others, let us also stand firm in our understanding that our actions are not to cause anyone else's destruction - but to prevent our own.