THE PASSOVER PUZZLE:

FIFTEEN SEQUENTIAL EXPERIENCES

Reprinted with permission from The Passover Survival Kit, Published by Leviathan Press, Baltimore, MD 1995

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And what a spectacular creation this freedom can be. That sense of profound inner confidence and strength of character born of a conviction to pursue a meaningful, spiritual, and moral existence. The freedom of a Jewish soul. A soul guided by wisdom and inspired by everything we have ever stood for. This vibrant totality becomes visible through the piece by piece assembly of the Seder experience, and in turn works its way into the very fabric of our being.

The ideas which follow are merely a glimpse into the world of insight contained in each one of the fifteen pieces of the Passover puzzle. Thousands of volumes have been written, each one exploring another facet of Passover, the Haggadah, and the pieces of the Seder. It is my hope that the ideas related here will serve as a relevant starting point as you approach your experience at the Seder, your assembly of these marvelous pieces of wisdom and your Passover odyssey in freedom.

From beginning to end, the Seder is comprised of fifteen specific experiences. These fifteen segments of the Seder follow a precise order and each comes with its own set of instructions.

It is a good idea for the leader of the Seder to take a few minutes and give a brief overview of these fifteen segments. This will provide people with a general framework for the Seder and give them a sense that the evening is following a purposeful pattern and not just wandering from ritual to ritual. It is also interesting to point out that the Hebrew word seder actually means order; and relates to the fact that the Seder follows a precise order, or pattern, which is embodied in these fifteen experiences. In fact, over the centuries many great scholars have revealed a wealth of ideas which illuminate a deeper meaning to these fifteen sequential experiences and how they are interrelated. Some of these ideas will be touched upon in the coming pages.

Before proceeding to kiddush, the blessing over the first cup of wine, it is customary for everyone at the Seder to sing or read the list of the fifteen observances.

1. KADESH: A special blessing is recited over a glass of wine or grape juice. This blessing speaks of the treasured role which all holidays play in Jewish life and makes particular reference to the unique opportunity embodied in Passover.

2. URECHATZ: Prior to eating the karpas (vegetable), everyone at the Seder washes their hands in the prescribed manner. Unlike the washing which will precede the eating of the matzah, no blessing is made at this point.

3. KARPAS: A small piece of vegetable is dipped in salt water and then eaten.

4. YACHATZ: The person leading the Seder takes the middle matzah and breaks it in half. The larger half becomes the afikomen and the smaller half is returned to its place.

5. MAGGID: This is the reading and discussion of the Haggadah text. At least half of the Seder is devoted to the telling of the exodus from Egypt. The emphasis here is on educating Jewish children as to the meaning of their history and identity as well as probing the text for ideas that relate to the theme of freedom.

6. RACHTZAH: After completing the Haggadah, everyone washes their hands before eating the matzah and beginning the meal. A blessing is recited by each individual after washing his or her hands.

7. MOTZI: This is the blessing said anytime one eats bread or matzah.

8. MATZAH: A piece of matzah is eaten in accordance with the commandment to eat matzah on the night of Passover. A blessing is recited before eating.

9. MAROR: A blessing is said, and the bitter herbs are eaten.

10. KORECH: Having just eaten matzah and bitter herbs separately, we now eat them together as a sandwich.

11. SHULCHAN ORECH: Finally! The festive Passover meal is enjoyed by all.

12. TZAFON: The afikomen, which had been hidden earlier, is now brought back and everyone eats a piece of matzah as their own personal afikomen.

13. BARECH: This blessing is said at the conclusion of every meal. Tonight it contains special references to Passover.

14. HALLEL: Reciting the songs of praise authored by King David. We pray that we have successfully fulfilled all the observances of the Seder.

15. NIRTZAH: We seal our hopes for a brighter future with the words, “Next year in Jerusalem.”

The first piece in our puzzle–Kadesh–summons us to step into the distinctive world of Passover. A world filled with feelings, mitzvahs, (commandments), customs, and ideas, all of which point the way to freedom. This very act of separation begins to move us towards a deeper awareness of ourselves and what it will take to achieve the prized freedom of Passover.

Sometimes, “just getting away from things” is precisely what is needed to gain a fresh perspective on the situation of our lives. By separating ourselves from routine, we are able to reflect on where we are, how we got there, what’s driving us, and what our goals are. Then, with a bit more clarity, we can address the question, “Where do we go from here?”

On the Seder night we “get away” to a place filled with Jewish ideas about freedom and about life. From there we look back and imagine a life empowered by our noblest inclinations and vivified by a commitment to making the world the kind of place Judaism believes it can be.

2. URECHATZ: Washing the hands before eating the karpas. 

Ask someone which comes first, the house or the blueprints. The answer you are most likely to receive is “the blueprints, of course.” The truth, however, is quite the opposite. In a song which is sung at the Friday evening Shabbat service we find the words, soaf ma-aseh bemachshava techillah, which means, every goal must precede itself in thought. First comes a completed house in conceptual form–the goal–and only then are blueprints drawn up and a house finally built.
Today it is the practice to wash one’s hands only before eating bread or matzah, but when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, Jews also washed before eating other types of foods. The washing before the karpas is reminiscent of life at that time. After having entered the dimension of Passover by way of the kiddush, urechatz now tells us to stop and focus on another time and on other goals. Because freedom is not the license to gratify impulses on demand, but the state of mastering the range of one’s drives and powers. Only then is the full force of one’s being brought to bear on the realization of his or her ultimate goals.

This is Jerusalem. More than just the seat of Jewish national sovereignty, the restored Jerusalem we have always dreamt of is one from which all mankind are to draw inspiration and wisdom. It is the embodiment of our goals and our mission. Born in the darkness of Egypt, we have been called to be “a light unto the nations.” A spiritual conduit, with Jerusalem as the nexus, through which enlightenment will come to the world.

Jerusalem, with the Temple at its heart, is where we develop our most intimate relationship with a sublime Creator. From there we are stirred to translate the energy of that relationship into a passionate pursuit of our goals as a people. The dream of Jerusalem–the dream of humankind achieving a state where it is both human and kind–is the dream of every Jewish soul.

Right from the start urechatz tells us to lift our eyes and gaze at a vision of our ultimate goals. Because–every goal must precede itself in thought.

Another piece in the puzzle, and another move towards freedom.

I. Close your eyes and picture someone who you consider to be a beautiful human being. Someone who embodies the finest qualities a person can possess.

II. Having done so, now ask yourself if it isn’t that person’s capacity to be a giver which allows you to identify him or her as beautiful. Their penchant for being outwardly focused and other-centered. To be benevolent and compassionate. To be sincerely concerned with the well-being of others.

We are transfixed by the artist’s talent, carried away by the virtuoso’s melody and envious of the Fortune 500 C.E.O. Yet the quality of beauty is not one we necessarily attach to any of these men or women of achievement. But we do intuitively associate giving with beauty, and thus, almost instinctively, we try to raise children who are “givers” and not “takers.” After all, is there anyone who could proudly state, “my son the taker”? A doctor, a professor, an athlete, or even an author–but none at the expense of being a self-centered taker.

When we analyze the word karpas and break it down to its four component parts–its four letters–what we discover is an encoded message which teaches a basic lesson about how to develop our capacity for giving.

The Hebrew word karpas is constructed of four letters; kaf, reish, peh, and samech. These four letters are also four words, and when taken together they steer our mind’s eye towards an essential aspect of giving.

The word kaf, the first letter in karpas, means the palm of the hand. This part of our anatomy is exposed when the hand is open –in a giving mode. The word reish means a poor person. When taken together these first two letter/words speak of a benevolent hand opened for the needy. Thus we have the classic image of giving; one who has more, lending assistance to one who has less. But what if you are a person of limited means? What if you simply have precious little to give? The second half of the word karpas reminds us that there are many roads to becoming a giver. The letter peh means mouth, while the final letter samech means to support. True, you may not be capable of giving in the material sense, but you can always give with your words. Words of kindness and concern. Words of empathy and understanding. Words that can lift an impoverished soul and provide a means of support where nothing else will do.

* Hebrew is a consonantal alphabet. Vowel sounds are represented as diacritics and not as individual letters.

If a friend of mine needed to borrow one of our cars for a couple of days, I’m sure my wife and I would try to be accommodating. On the other hand, if they needed it for a month or two, we would have to apologize and explain that we really can’t manage with just one car.

Recently something happened which forced us to rethink this position. One of our cars broke down. And it took a month to get the right parts! So how did we deal with this suburban catastrophe” Did we rent, did we borrow, did we steal? No. We simply managed. With an adjustment here, some juggling over there, and an added bit of patience all around, we were able to adjust our schedules, give one another rides, make alternative arrangements, and barely miss a beat in our busy schedules. We also had the pleasure of some extra time together.

Funny isn’t it? There are so many things which we simply “can’t live without,” until, of course we have to. But mind you, our new bread maker is a different story all together. We really can’t live without that!

So you want to be a giver, only you think you have nothing to give. Not in the material sense and not even in the emotional or spiritual sense. Well, think again. Quite often our inability to give and to share is the product of a skewed picture of reality. Many of our limitations are only perceived limitations. Fictitious barriers which many before us have overcome and others just like us will continue to surmount.

This is yachatz. The middle matzah is broken in two, the larger piece is hidden away, and the smaller piece returns to its place where it continues to fulfill its function despite the loss. No, this is not a suggestion that you go out and intentionally smash your second (or third) car, trade in your microwave for a Bunsen burner, or cut your sleeping hours in half, but it is a suggestion to pause.

If your brother or sister needed some of your time, money, or a piece of your heart, would you not find a way to give it to them? Humankind is a family and Jews are all brothers and sisters. Just as there are plenty of needs, there are also plenty of resources. If only we realized how much we had to give, and how much we truly want to give.

Imagine this: One day you get a phone call. Your relatives from Russia have just arrived with their three children. No money, no possessions, they don’t speak the language, the local federation has exhausted its funds, and they are counting on you. What would you do?

All ingrates end up in prison. Their ego-obsessed lack of gratitude erects impenetrable walls which lock the world out and shut the ingrate in.

The Talmud teaches that the thematic flow of the Haggadah narrative is meant to sensitize us to one of life’s most basic traits of self-liberation. Gratitude. The textual flow of the Haggadah follows a pattern known as “opening with the ignominious and concluding with the praiseworthy.” It is for this reason that the Haggadah begins by highlighting the less-than-flattering origins of the Jewish people–“we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt… Our forefathers were idol worshippers…”–and concludes with our triumphant liberation and the formation of a relationship with G-d. This recurrent theme of contrasting lowly origins with ennobled achievements is meant to sensitize us to that trait which stands as the ingrate’s staunchest rival–gratitude.

Those successful men and women who forget their humble origins and eschew the commoners who helped them achieve their success are doomed to occupy a cell, plush though it may be, inhabited only by themselves and a gaggle of smiling opportunists cum friends. As ingratitude builds walls, thank you, two truly magical words, are able to build bridges. From man to man and from man to G-d.

Rachtzah is exactly what it appears to be. It is a washing away of those rusty attitudinal routines which threaten to lock our lives into a holding pattern for mediocrity. There may be nothing more liberating than recognizing the possibility of liberation. The realization that one is capable of change and growth qualitatively alters the rules of the game. Where once the deck seemed to be stacked against us, the odds are now clearly in our favor.

This blessing doesn’t seem to be giving credit where credit is due. Granted, G-d may bring forth wheat from the ground, but when was the last time you saw a farmer harvesting loaves of bread? Bread comes from the ovens of bakers and bubbies, not “from the ground”! And, if you want to be a stickler about this, G-d doesn’t even deserve all the credit for the wheat. Isn’t the farmer the one who prepares the soil for planting, properly sows the seeds, and then harvests at just the right time? If anything, the production of bread and matzah is a partnership, with G-d acting as the junior partner.

There is an idea in Jewish law which seems to reinforce the problem with the way the blessing of hamotzi is worded. Jewish law states that upon saying hamotzi one should be careful to hold the loaf with all ten fingers. This is to remind us that the production of bread is a ten step process. From the preparation of the soil, to the planting, harvesting, grinding, and right through the kneading and baking of the dough, is a full ten, steps. Aren’t all of these steps in the hands of man, as the Jewish law implies, and not in the hands of G-d, as the blessing implies?

Judaism says take pleasure–not pride–in the constructive choices you make in life. The Jewish view of the man – G-d partnership boils down to this. You make the sensible choice to floss your teeth: the rest is a gift. The cognitive aptitude necessary to grasp the hygienist’s instructions on how to floss. The ability to consistently judge whether or not you’ve pulled out the right amount of floss. The dexterity required to gently maneuver the floss between tooth and gum. Each of these disparate abilities along with countless others are gifts from G-d.

A fresh loaf of bread, like a well-flossed tooth, is a marvelous accomplishment. We take pleasure in our accomplishments, and are thankful that we chose to use our many gifts in a constructive and meaningful manner.

11. SHULCHAN ORECH. Eating the festive meal.

12. TZAFON . Eating the afikomen, the hidden piece of matzah.

These five pieces of the Passover puzzle are each centered on eating and together form one suprapiece. When taken together, these pieces provide a sweeping view of the basic spiritual makeup of every human being. In doing so they simultaneously reveal a path for successfully engaging the ever-present physicality of our existence.

The Jewish concept is that human beings, unique creatures that we are, are a blend of both ends of the spectrum. That is, each and every one of us is part angel and part Holstein. Part spiritual and part physical.*

Take a look for yourself. Isn’t there something within you– an angelic core–which is inclined towards the spiritual? Towards that which transcends the mundanity of the corporeal? A portion of your being which yearns to dispense with its preoccupation with food, sleep, and comfort. To free itself to pursue the eternal and not the transitory, to experience that which is intensely meaningful and not fleeting or petty.

Now look again. Is there not a part of you that longs to spend endless sun-massaged days on a quiet beach? Chilled beverages at your side, CDs playing your favorite music, the Sunday paper… and drift away… from all your cares, worries and responsibilities.

This is us. A not always so harmonious blend of spiritual and physical. One moment selflessly seeking to better the lot of all mankind, the next in a huff over the delivery of a pizza without the extra cheese. One day inspired to find private time to meditate or nurture our spousal intimacy, only to wake up at week’s end buried by a heap of files labeled wealth, success, and acclaim. This is all of us. It is the conundrum of our existence and the dynamic to which the “matzah” and “maror” allude.

Matzah… is the soul. When pared of his or her external trappings and physical interests you will find that something yet remains of the human being. The longing of the soul. The basic nucleus of self. Likewise a loaf of bread. When denied all its additives; of sugar and salt, of poppy seeds or raisins, and even of time to rise, an essence still remains. Stripped-down bread is matzah and a stripped-down human being is a soul.

For an entire week we eat only matzah and consider only our deepest aspirations and loftiest dreams. Like an unwieldy corporate monster which has become diversified beyond recognition, we now attempt to get back to the basics. To focus not only on priorities but on the basic values and goals which define our priorities. Ultimately, to reconnect with that inner force which once promised to animate our every move.

Maror… is our physicality run amok. To demean the body and shun the world of physical pleasures is never the way of Judaism. Rather, Judaism asserts what all of us know. If you eat too much ice cream, you get sick; if you eat ice cream too fast, you won’t taste it, and, if you eat too much ice cream, eventually you will lose your taste for ice cream.

The alternative, the Jewish path to both ice cream and spirituality, is to master our desires for the delicious. The bitter herbs are not a call to ascetic denial, but rather a reminder of one of life’s earliest learned truths. That for a cow a life guided by moment-to-moment physical needs and urges is fine, perhaps even sweet, but for us–angels that we are–it can get a little bitter. Remember this lesson and you are halfway home to becoming an authentic connoisseur–of life.

Korech… is the most precise picture of who we are. We are neither the unencumbered soul of the Brahman nor the untamed body of a gluttonous boor. Rather, as two hydrogen atoms adhere to one of oxygen and form a new entity called water, so a soul when fused with a body becomes the crowning element of creation. A striving, struggling, growing, free-willed, creative human being. He who masters the tensions of this duality. He who can achieve a spiritually driven balance, who is able to live like a soul while dressing like a body is ready to move on….

… to Shulchan Orech. To a grand view of life which sees the world as an exquisitely set table of delicious opportunities for growth. A banquet without end. Know your essence, beware the bitter herbs, harmonize the totality of your being in the service of your greatest goals, then–and only then–will the delicacies of living truly be open to you.

Tzafon… means concealment, and depicts ultimate potential. We bring the afikomen out of its place of hiding and with it we bring a message of the hidden potential in every aspect of creation.

The afikomen represents the Passover lamb which was eaten by every Jew when the Temple stood in Jerusalem. The halacha (Jewish law) regarding the Passover lamb states (1) that it must be eaten only after the Passover meal has been concluded, and (2) that nothing may be eaten after the lamb. In effect, it is lamb chops and not macaroons which are the Passover dessert of tradition. Today the same rules apply to the afikomen. We eat it only after concluding our entire meal, and it is to be the last food we taste at the Seder. The afikomen is not consumed because we are hungry, but only because it is a mitzvah, a spiritual directive.

Generally when we eat, it is to satisfy our appetite–but not tonight. Tonight the afikomen points to eating not as an ends but as an enabler; to physical pleasures as an aid and not as an aim. Ultimately the intended state of the physical world is that of a vast tool shed overflowing with devices designed to access a higher reality. When properly understood, the hidden potential of our physicality is to connect us to a spiritual dimension stored in every corner of creation.

This is the secret of eating the hidden piece of matzah. Every aspect of life, every person and every fruit, every moment and every blade of grass, possesses ultimate potential. Like the latent forces of energy stored up in every atom, there is the potential of spirituality waiting inside every morsel of life. And once you experience this, once you taste the subtle flavors of afikomen, you won’t want to taste anything else.

*This illustration is a simplification of an esoteric area of Jewish thought. It is beyond the scope of this work to deal with these ideas in an exhaustive manner.

That is the feeling of blessing. A canvass full of life and hope and promise just waiting to be painted. A sense of overwhelming potential and vibrant optimism, firmly rooted in reality while freely reaching for the stars.

Tonight we feel the freedom of our history. Free of the historical strings which seem to bind all people to the predictable routes of nations and civilizations. Free of every societal force which attempts to restrict us to its path, its ideals.

Tonight we are free to be Jews. To be the Jewish people, and to make a difference. And free to sing the praises of One who broke the chains of bondage to set us free.

15. NIRTZAH:
Next year in Jerusalem -
L’shana Haba B’Yerushalayim.

Every synagogue in the world faces Jerusalem. In prayer– whether in a synagogue, at home, or in an open meadow–every Jewish heart is directed towards Jerusalem. As the ne’ilah service draws to a close at the conclusion of Yom Kippur, congregations the world over proclaim, “Next year in Jerusalem.” Every groom breaks a glass under the chuppah, and for a moment, all thoughts are on Jerusalem. And again tonight. In the waning moments of the Seder, every Jewish family prays–Next year in Jerusalem.

The name Jerusalem means “city of peace”. Peace, shalom, is not merely the absence of conflict. Neither is it a utilitarian notion of cooperation and coexistence. Peace is the seamless harmony of individuals genuinely embracing a common vision. Not that each becomes lost in some faceless wave of the masses, but that each aspires to lend the beauty of his or her potential to the realization of a transcendent mission.

With nirtzah, with our eyes on the city of peace, we have come full circle. The pieces of our Passover puzzle are now in place. Where each had been part light, part penumbra, this vagueness has now given way to a brilliant singularity of vision. That our freedom be directed towards the imminence of Jerusalem–the imminence of peace.

Way back at urechatz we were transported to Jerusalem of old. It was then that we heard the words “every goal must precede itself in thought.” Jerusalem is our goal. That the wisdom and way of Jewish life should work to liberate the potential of every Jew, of the Jewish nation, and thus to transform the landscape of history. That somehow the intimate relationship of one lonely people to G-d should bear the fruits of spiritual symphony.

The fruit of freedom is peace. Peace of mind. Peace of body and soul. Peace within us, and so too, between us.

Next year in Jerusalem!

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The AIPAC 2012 Policy Conference

I just spent a few days in DC with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Obama, President Peres, and, oh, yes, over 13,000 other pro-Israel advocates (including 1000+ students). These advocates gathered March 4th-6th for the most recent AIPAC Policy Conference: three full days of rousing, informative, and often extraordinarily moving speeches; provocative, in-depth seminars; and Capitol Hill visits with over 500 Members of Congress.
We were all there with one mission: to demonstrate our support for, and to work with Congress to support, a strong US-Israel relationship and a safe and secure Israel. This year’s theme was Shared Values; Shared Vision, the basis of that relationship.

Policy Conference takes place in the mammoth Washington DC Convention Center, which AIPAC furnished with acres of carpet, dozens of lounges, Kosher food kiosks, lighting and state-of-the art AV equipment to ensure that delegates were comfortable and easily able to follow the proceedings. It’s hard to convey the monumental scale and logistical complexity of the gathering. Senator Joe Lieberman told our Connecticut delegation on Tuesday afternoon that, when he’d addressed the gathering the previous day, he was overwhelmed; he’d felt that he was looking out at a football field, beyond which there were several more football fields. … all filled with 13,000+ delegates.
Even more remarkable is that each of these 13,000+ delegates followed a customized program, reflecting previously-selected break-out sessions and special gatherings tailored to that delegate’s interests and region and the nature of that delegate’s involvement with AIPAC. (Student government leaders and rabbis, for example, each had their own special programming.) Each morning began with a plenary session, at which speakers addressed the entire gathering, followed by scores of educational sessions and meetings, and a closing plenary session (and, in some cases, by late-night receptions in the “AIPAC Village” or off-site.)

Delegates were treated to an extraordinary array of first-rate talent in the break-out sessions as well as on the plenary sessions stages: leading experts from Israeli and US academia, journalists, authors, and governmental and NGO leaders shared their insights on the most pressing issues facing the Middle East, including China’s and Russia’s relationships with Israel, energy independence, the delegitimization of Israel in Europe and on campus, the state of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, the state of the Arab Spring, and, perhaps most importantly, the threat of a nuclear Iran.

The threat of a nuclear Iran also dominated the plenary sessions and much of the informal discussion among the delegates. Both President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered historic speeches (amply covered elsewhere) addressing this threat; the importance of preventing it; and stressing that all options (including a military option) must remain on the table if sanctions and diplomacy are to have any chance of working. The President’s and Prime Minister’s speeches were carefully parsed, not only by the press and pundits, but by many delegates. Heated discussions and analysis peppering the Convention Center hallways and lounges rivaled CNN’s and Fox News’s best offerings. Conference delegates are often sophisticated, informed, passionate, and opinionated and, as you might imagine, not shy about sharing their opinions.

With the President of the US and the Israeli Prime Minister and President addressing the gathering, security was tight, but few complained. AIPAC staggered delegates’ entry into the Monday evening gala, at which Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke, so that early entrants were treated to a special concert. (And some of the delegates also “staggered” a bit….. with sessions beginning at 7 a.m. and continuing until late-night, many of us ran on adrenaline to take advantage of the Conference’s plentiful, extraordinary programming.)

Tuesday, thousands of us excitedly visited Capitol Hill to meet with our legislators. In over 500 meetings, we stressed the importance of preventing a nuclear Iran; advocated for tighter and tougher sanctions as a means of getting Iran to give up its quest for nuclear weapons; asked our legislators to support the $3.1 billion of security assistance/foreign aid to Israel contained in the 2012 budget; and asked our legislators to support legislation that would recognize the importance of the US/Israel alliance. We were met with wide, bi-partisan support, based, in large part, on the relationships we’ve developed with these legislators and our many prior, detailed discussions with them about these critical issues.

Policy Conference was a remarkable experience. If you weren’t there, check out the following link to see some of the amazing speeches we heard and get a taste of the Policy Conference experience.

Unfortunately, the challenges discussed at Policy Conference aren’t going away; they are only getting more acute. Pro-Israel activists have a lot to do. If you are not yet involved in AIPAC, and care about a strong US-Israel relationship and a safe and secure Israel, please join us. If you are not involved in pro-Israel politics, please contact me. Please also join me at next year’s Policy Conference, March 3-5, 2013.

Amy N. Lipton
amylipton@yahoo.com

On nine occasions, the United States government has attempted to pressure Israel into decisions detrimental to her survival as a nation. Her leaders have been rudely treated by US Presidents during these times. On each occasion, disasters immediately fell upon the United States.

That history is as follows:
10/30/1991: VP George Bush opened the Madrid Conference aimed at forcing Israel to give up more land.
Near the same time, a storm formed in the Atlantic. It traveled in an unusual direction and sent 35 ft waves into Bush’s New England home.

8/23/1992: Madrid Conference moved to Washington, D.C. that same day, Hurricane Andrew, the worst natural disaster in US history at that time, caused over $30 billion in damage and left 180,000 homeless.

1/16/1994: President Clinton met with Syria’s President for talks on forcing Israel to give up the Golan Heights.
Less than 24 hours later, a 6.9 earthquake shook Southern California. It was the second most destructive natural disaster to hit the US.

3/1/1997: Yassar Arafat, head of the Palestine Liberation
Organization, toured America. He was in the US for one month,
leaving the first part of April.
On the day he landed in the US, powerful tornadoes devastated huge sections of Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and the Dakotas. These storms led to the worst flooding in the 20th Century. On the day he left, the storms ceased.

1/21/1998: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met with President
Clinton. The Prime Minister was coldly received by Mr. Clinton
because he flatly refused to give up more of Israel’s land. Clinton and Secretary of State Madeline Albright refused to have lunch with him.
A few hours later, the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke over
Clinton’s head.

9/28/1998: Yasser Arafat addressed the United Nations in New York and stated that he would declare a Palestinian state by May 1999.
As he said these words, Hurricane George pounded the Gulf Coast and caused $1 billion in damages. At the exact time Arafat left the US, the storm faded.

8/29/2005: President George W. Bush pressured Israel to evacuate from the Gaza Strip. 8,000 Israeli settlers were forced to leave their homes and villages.
Exactly one week later, Hurricane Katrina smashed Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. 80% of the city of New Orleans was under water. The percentage of the Israeli population that was made homeless by the forced evacuations was almost exactly equal to the same percentage of the American population left homeless by Katrina.

3/23/2010: Prime Minister Netanyahu arrived at the White House to meet with Obama. Instead of being taken through the front door, he was taken through a side door, an apparent act of humiliation. No press corps was invited and no friendly photos taken. Instead, he was harshly addressed by Obama and then was left to sit alone while Obama had lunch with his family. Obama’s parting remarks were, “If you come up with anything new, call me.”
The Prime Minister flew home. In 48 hours, huge storms caused massive flooding in the US, the worst in 200 years.

4/19/2010: Before the United Nations, Obama stated that the United States will no longer automatically side with Israel at the UN. This was the first time that any US President had made such a statement.
On April 19, Israel was celebrating her rebirth as a nation, since the Jewish Calendar is a lunar calendar, unlike our solar calendar, which would have had that birthday in May.
Within 24 hours of the Obama statement, the British Petroleum oil well exploded killing 11 in the Gulf of Mexico. This was the worst disaster in American history.

5/19/2011: Obama embraced the Palestinian demand for Israel to return to the 1967 borders, which Israel has declared would be asking her to commit national suicide. This was a radical departure for the government of the United States.
Three days later on Sunday, May 22, 2011, the deadliest single tornado since 1953 tore through Joplin, Missouri, destroying almost half the city and killing 117. A tornado hit Minneapolis also.

Coincidence or Divine Judgment or not ???

Genesis 12:31: “And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

A short story of a Stoner, Skeptic, a Goof and a Compulsive shopper with footage from behind the scenes never shown to the public of what really happens behind closed doors at RAJE.

RO is wishing you a happy purim.

RAJE FOURTH ANNUAL DINNER. THURSDAY 15 MARCH 2012. GUASTAVINOS 409 EAST 59TH STREET NEW YORK. COCKTAILS AT 5:45 PM • DINNER AT 7:00 PM

R.S.V.P. BY MARCH 5TH (800) 407-6020

Click to R.S.V.P.

SPEAKERS: KEYNOTE SPEAKER NATAN SHARANSKY, SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM SENATOR CHARLES E. SCHUMER

RAJE IS PROUD TO HONOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF RAJE ALUMNI LEADERS, WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO STRENGTHENING THE JEWISH PEOPLE, BY SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY IN AREAS RANGING FROM ISRAEL ADVOCACY, JEWISH EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES AND CARING FOR THE NEEDY

RAJE – FROM LET MY PEOPLE GO TO LET MY PEOPLE KNOW.

RAJE | 2915, Ocean Parkway | Brooklyn | NY | 11235