From the Cantor - April 2000

Among our many preparations for Pesach, the Festival of Redemption, we clean out all of the hametz, or leavening, in our homes. Yes, even those delicious Girl Scout cookies we all brought home last month! This bulldozing of flour, crumbs and other things we don't use during Passover coincides in many ways with the worldly concept of "spring cleaning." Spring heralds rebirths, fresh starts, and second chances. While we're at it, we might take stock of what's essential to our lives, what we don't need. This applies to our souls as well. As Rabbi Black has sung, for instance, "Banish that negative thought from your heart!" This is a task that calls for some major housecleaning. Consider these words from Margot Stein's song, "Avadot Hayinu" (We Were Slaves):

Coming from the narrow places / Don't know how to start.
My ego's talking to me every day /

And there's a wall around my heart.

It says I can't, I won't, I didn't know, I shouldn't
I can't, I won't, I didn't know, I couldn't.
Avadot Hayinu, are we in bondage still today?

Cleaning out my kitchen, scrubbing every shelf,
I can work and work and it'll do no good
Unless I do some on myself

And say I can, I will, I didn't know, I should
I can, I will, I didn't know I could.
Avadot Hayinu, are we in bondage still today?

In the past three years, family and friends have become dearer to me than ever; I make few choices without these treasures in mind. Mark and I wish all of you a chag haMatzot sameach (Happy Feast of Matzah) and we look forward to seeing you at the congregational Seder on Wednesday, April 19!

B'shalom u-v'shir,
Cantor Jacqueline Shuchat-Marx

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