Shul Spiel: What's Happening at Local West Orange Synagogues

The Lubavitch Center of Essex County invites everyone to join in a Community Passover Seder on Friday, April 6 at 7 p.m. 

The Seder will feature rich discussions about Passover, excellent food, and joyous singing. Chabad Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz, and his wife Altie, will facilitate
the inter-generational program.

The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated this year from sundown on Friday evening, April 6 until after nightfall on Saturday, April 14th.

Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and will be celebrated with festive Seder dinners.

Other holiday observances include restricting the consumption of leavened products such as bread and pasta, instead eating unleavened matzah. Additional information about the Passover holiday is available here.

Admission to the Seder will be is $54 per adult and $36 per child.

Please contact the Lubavitch Center offices at (973) 486-2362, email rabbimkas@gmail.com or visit our website.

The Seder will be held at Lubavitch Center Shul, located at 395 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange.

You may “sell your Chametz” online here.

New JLI Course Offering
A provocative new series of classes on the secrets of successful marriage will begin Monday, May 7th at 7:30 p.m. at the Lubavitch Center. Regardless of your marital status, everyone is invited to attend the six-session course, presented by the Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) and taught by Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz.

The Art of Marriage will go far beyond platitudes, to cover topics at the heart of modern marriage. Does marriage still serve any purpose at all? How far should one go to make a marriage work? When is divorce the best option?

Included as well are Jewish bedroom secrets, from ancient texts, on how to increase intimacy in marital relationships.

“Beautiful, inspiring, but most of all practical,” says Dr. Patricia Love, author of How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It, one of Amazon’s top two marriage books. “Whether your marriage is magical or miserable, this vital course is designed for you.”

Judaism views a loving marriage as a spiritual as well as a human ideal. The Art of Marriage shows students how to attain that for themselves and for their spouses, with timeless lessons from both modern and ancient Jewish texts such as the Talmud and Zohar.

"Judaism venerates marriage and therefore has a long history of looking to enhance the marriage experience. The course is not only about providing techniques for success in marriage, it's about changing your attitude toward your spouse and toward marriage in general,” said JLI Instructor Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz.

Interested students may call (973) 486-2362, or click here for registration and other course-related information.

Annual Dinner
The Lubavitch Center of Essex County cordially invites you to our annual dinner on Tuesday, May 29 (8 Sivan 5772) at the Atrium Country Club, 609 Eagle Rock Ave. in West Orange.

The evening begins with a 6:30 p.m. cocktail hour followed by a  dinner at 7:30 p.m.

The dinner costs $125 per person for members and $150 for non-members.

The dinner, honoring the memory of Dr. Richard B. Kaplan of Blessed Memory, helps support Chabad bring people together to celebrate the holidays, host social events and in people’s time of need. The dinner also supports children’s programs — keeping them connected to their heritage — as well as seniors programming such as Smile on Seniors and education programming.

The dinner will recognize guests of honor Dr. Robert and Rochelle Rush as well as awarding the Aishes Chayil Award to Chaia Sagorsky and the Founder’s award to Menucha Libson.

Music will be performed by B’nai Jazz. There will also be a special video presentation.

For reservations or ad journal opportunities, click here.

Passover Service Times
Friday, Apr. 6, 14 Nisan
Fast of the First Born
Shacharis 8 a.m.
Last time to eat chometz 10:48 a.m.
Last time to burn chometz 11:52 a.m.
Light candles 7:09 p.m.
Evening Services 7:15 p.m.
First Seder

Shabbos, Apr. 7, 15 Nisan
Morning Services 9:30 a.m.
Torah reading 10:45 a.m.
Evening Services 7 p.m.
Begin Counting the Omer
Light Candles after 8:11 p.m.
Second Seder

Sunday, Apr. 8, 16 Nisan
Morning Services 9:30 a.m.
Torah reading 10:45 a.m.
Evening Services 7 p.m.
Yom Tov ends 8:12 pm
Count Omer 2

Monday, Apr. 9 and Thursday Apr. 12
Shacharis 8 a.m. 
Thursday, Apr. 12, 20 Nisan
Light candles 7:15 p.m.
Evening Services 7:25 p.m.
Count Omer 6

Friday, Apr. 13, 21 Nisan
Morning Services 9:30 a.m.
Torah reading 10:45 a.m.
Candle lighting and Evening Services 7:15 p.m.
Count Omer 7

Shabbos, Apr 14, 22 Nisan
Morning Services 9:30 a.m.
Torah reading 10:45 a.m.
Yizkor Memorial Service 11:30 a.m.
Evening Services 6:15 p.m.
Meal of Moshiach 6:30 p.m.
Pesach Ends 8:19 p.m.Count Omer 8 

Wait until at least 9:30 pm before eating chometz