Princeton Mercer Bucks online activities and resources for Passover
Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, most synagogues and organizations have cancelled all in-person activities for the rest of the month. Some are offering online learning opportunities or plan to reschedule. Please email calendar@njjewishnews.com with online events open to the community.
Adath Israel Congregation, Lawrence-ville, has moved its programs and events online through Zoom and Facebook Live, including Kabbalat Shabbat and Morning Minyan services. The synagogue is also a pick-up site for Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County’s Kosher Cafe, which is now a grab-and-go program.
Morning Minyan on Zoom is held Mondays and Thursdays at 7; go to zoom.us/j/813355349; Meeting ID: 813 355 349.
A Haggadah Hit Parade featuring old and new Passover songs with Hazzan Arthur and Evette Katlin will be held Tuesday, April 7, 7-8 p.m. Go to zoom.us/j/143847137; Meeting ID: 143 847 137.
A Virtual Seder from Rabbi Benjamin Adler’s home will be held Wednesday, April 8, at 6 p.m. Go to zoom.us/j/722401633; Meeting ID: 722 401 633.
For more information, call 609-896-4977 or go to adathisraelnj.org.
The Jewish Center, Princeton, is offering online activities via Zoom:
A Talmud Study Class meets weekly on Wednesdays (except Jewish holidays), 12:15-1:15 p.m. To receive a Zoom invitation, contact neillitt@outlook.com.
Bible Baboker is held at 8:45 on Saturday mornings. Go to zoom.us/j/165159911.
Beth El Synagogue, East Windsor, is also holding activities via Zoom:
“Torah and Tea,” a discussion on the upcoming Torah portion, will be held on Monday, April 13, at 2 p.m. Go to zoom.us/j/8970033588.
Coffee and Chat with Rabbi Matt will be held on April 13 at 6 p.m. Go to zoom.us/j/8970033588.
A Pesach service with Yizkor will be held on Tuesday, April 14, at 6 p.m. Go to zoom.us/j/8970033588.
“Conservative Judaism Today and Tomorrow” will be held on Sunday, April 19, at 9:45 a.m. Go to zoom.us/j/8970033588.
For information, go to bethel.net or call 609-443-4454.
Various national and international organizations are offering Passover resources and virtual seders:
American Jewish World Service offers a list of resources at ajws.org/who-we-are/resources/holiday-resources/passover.
The Blue Dove Foundation is offering mental health resources for handling the Covid-19 crisis, including Building Your Mental Health Passover Seder Plate, at thebluedovefoundation.org.
Havaya Summer Programs, the Reconstructionist movement’s summer camping program, will hold a second-night virtual family seder via Zoom on Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m. Go to tinyurl.com/uvz6tnl.
The HIAS Haggadah, which includes a discussion on today’s refugees in a virtual seder, can be downloaded at hias.org/Passover.
Kosher.com offers a variety of online resources to prepare for Passover, including “How to Make Passover during Quarantine” (kosher.com/lifestyle/pesach-cleaning-in-quarantine-1088); and “65 Non-Product Passover Recipes” (kosher.com/lifestyle/41-non-product-pesach-recipes-89).
Orthodox Union (OU) Kosher, the world’s largest kosher certification agency, has launched a free online Passover toolkit with videos, tips, and articles for people preparing for Passover that includes free digital access to the OU’s 2020 Passover Guide, a nationwide kosher-for-Passover product listing. Visit oukosher.org/passover-toolkit.
OneTable, a virtual community for young Jewish adults, will offer resources for those of all ages looking to organize their own digital seders, “Seder2020,” at Seder2020.org.
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ) offers a resource page at uscj.org/passover-resources.
18 Doors, a site for interfaith families, offers 8doors.org/additional_passover_resources.
Other tips on holding virtual seders can be found at:
“How to Hold a Passover Seder in the Year of Coronavirus”; reformjudaism.org/blog/2020/03/20/how-hold-passover-seder-year-coronavirus.
Alma’s “How to Host a Virtual Passover Seder”; heyalma.com/how-to-host-a-virtual-passover-seder.
The following national and international organizations are offering various
online resources:
Adopt-A-Safta, which pairs volunteers to make check-in calls on elderly Israelis, is seeking additional volunteers to make weekly calls to these seniors. Responsibilities include taking notes on each call, alerting the organization to the need for social services, and following up with related organizations. Conversational Hebrew skills are required.
Seder boxes may also be donated to lonely seniors at SederBox.eventbrite.com.
To donate or volunteer, go to AdoptASaftaPhoneCall.eventbrite.com.
Israeli-American Council (IAC) has launched IAC@Home, which offers free online educational experiences to children, teenagers, college students, young professionals, young families, schools, and adults that focus on connecting people to Israel, Jewish heritage, the Hebrew language, innovation and entrepreneurship, and activism. Visit IACHome.org.
Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) offers live online classes at jtsa.edu/online-classes.
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem offers Torah study and general resources at pardes.org.il/pardes-resources-for-those-impacted-by-covid-19.
Partners in Torah has matched over 76,000 people from 29 countries all over the world for one-on-one study partnerships to explore a variety of Jewish topics. The free program will match participants with teachers via FaceTime, Skype, phone, or other preferred platforms; no previous Jewish knowledge is required. Go to learn.partnersintorah.org.
PJ Library, a nationwide program that sends Jewish books to young families, is offering “Resources for Quarantined Families,” including live storytimes, virtual field trips, and other activities.
Go to pjlibrary.org/familyactivities or visit the PJ Library Facebook page for more information.
YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is now offering free online courses, including “Fantastic Journeys,” which will be taught via Zoom for eight weeks starting April 20 with executive director Jonathan Brent.
Conducted on Mondays/Wednesdays, 1:30-3 p.m., this course will investigate the great historical transitions and transformations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Eastern Europe and Russia through the avant-garde literature of those lands that may be called the literature of the “fantastic.” The role that Jewish thinkers and writers such as Kafka, Ansky, Capek, and Schulz played in its development will be included. To register, visit yivo.org/Fantastic-Journeys.
comments