Holiday Minyanim – Serving the Community

Pesach is almost here! Beginning Saturday night, April 12, we’ll embark on a weeklong celebration of our freedom from slavery and the birth of the Jewish people as a nation.

Many of us are familiar with the Seder meals on the first and second nights of Passover. In fact, surveys have consistently shown that more Jews participate in a Seder than in any other Jewish ritual—including lighting Chanukah candles!

But there’s another, quieter part of the Passover experience that often goes unnoticed: the daily prayer services that take place throughout the holiday. This year, the first two days of Pesach—Sunday and Monday, April 13 and 14—are full Yom Tov days, just like Shabbat. We’ll gather for services at 9:00 AM on both mornings.

The next four days, Tuesday through Friday, are known as Chol HaMoed. These are semi-festive days—not quite Shabbat, but not regular weekdays either. Morning services on these days will be at 7:30 AM. We then conclude the holiday with two more Yom Tov days on Saturday, April 19, and Sunday, April 20. Please note that we will recite Yizkor during the April 20 service.

Here’s where you come in: gathering a minyan on weekdays and during holidays can be a challenge, especially during Chol HaMoed. If you can join us for any of these services—especially on Monday, April 14 at 9:00 AM, or any morning from Tuesday to Friday at 7:30 AM—you would be doing a real mitzvah and strengthening our community.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful and healthy Pesach!

Rabbi Bradley Tecktiel