A Purim Letter from Rabbi Tal

Dear Etz Ahaim Members and Friends,

משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה

As we approach Purim, I would like to extend my heartfelt blessing that the joy and happiness of this holiday remain with us throughout the year, Amen. 

I’d like to share a few important points with the community:

Zecher L’Machatzit Hashekel

This year, the amount given in remembrance of the half-shekel is $11. As in previous years, a basket will be placed in the main sanctuary for contributions, which can be made before or after Mincha on Ta’anit Esther.

The Purim Meal – This Year on Friday

Since Purim falls on Friday this year, halachic authorities mention two different timings for performing the Purim meal:

Some begin the meal in the morning, after Shacharit, to ensure it does not interfere with the Shabbat meal on Friday night.

Others hold that the meal should be in the afternoon and continue until Shabbat begins. Those choosing this option should first pray Mincha and then start the meal approximately three seasonal hours before Shkia (sunset). Bediavad, one may begin anytime before Shkia.

When the time arrives to light Shabbat candles (6:45 PM), women should light them as usual. 

One should make sure to stop the meal before Shkiah without saying Birkat HaMazon Before. Then, one should recite the Mizmorim and Kabbalat Shabbat. Arvit may be prayed at this point or after the meal (If attending Arvit at the Beit Knesset, the women should remain at the Seudah so that Hamotzi does not need to be repeated). The bread should then be covered, and Kiddush is recited. If he drank wine at the Purim Seudah, he should not say HaGefen during Kiddush, and rather only say the Vayichulu and the Birkat HaShabbat blessing. Then he should cut from the two whole loaves of bread (Lechem Mishneh) without washing his hands and without blessing HaMotzi since he had already done so in the beginning of the Purim meal. At the end of the meal he should say Birkat HaMazon with Retzeh VeHachalitzenu and he should still say Al HaNissim. 

Purim Minyanim at Etz Ahaim

To accommodate these two opinions and to give the option to decide, we will hold two Mincha and Arvit minyanim on Purim:

  • 1:30pm

  • 6:50pm

Following the 6:50pm Mincha, there will be a general Arvit at the Beit Knesset. Additionally, I will host another Arvit at my home between the Purim meal and the Shabbat meal.

Please feel free to call me for any questions or clarifications in regards to Purim and especially the Purim meal.

Wishing you a joyous and meaningful Purim!

Best regards,

Rabbi Eliyahu TalDear Etz Ahaim Members and Friends,

Mehadrin Sephardi Matzot

Mehadrin Sephardi Matzot
$30.00 $40.00

We are excited to offer Mehadrin Sephardi Matzah under the strict supervision of Rabbi Eliyahu Tal of Congregation Etz Ahaim.

This matzah is now only $30 per pound this year. A savings of 25% off last year’s price. We are also including a pamphlet of the Halachot of Pesach from Yeshivat Mital HaShamayim in every box.

If you are not Sephardi, please consult with your Rabbi about eating soft matzah on Pesach.

Pre-Order Yeshivat Mital HaShamayim Purim Publication

Yeshivat Mital HaShamayim - ישיבת מטל השמים

בס״ד

We are excited to announce our a revived version of Yeshivat Mital HaShamayim’s Commentary on Megillat Esther, featuring commentary on Megillat Esther and Hilchot of Purim — including Teshuvot written from the מנחת אליהו on halachic questions regarding Purim. BeEzrat HaShem, the second version will include a cleaner layout and more commentary.

You may register to pre-order the hardcover edition below for $20. A PDF of the sefer will also be distributed for free once finished. The cost of the book after pre-order will be $25.99. All profits go towards funding Yeshivat Mital HaShamayim.

Support Israel Through Our Mishloach Manot

To our beloved Etz Ahaim community,

Purim is right around the corner, and we can hardly believe it. On Purim day, the Daughters of Etz Ahaim will be delivering a Mishloach Manot package to each family of Etz Ahaim as a collective gift from the kahal.

Last year, we gave the community a chance to do another mitzvah through these Mishloach Manot, an important and beautiful mitzvah on its own. We’re excited to announce that we’ll again be providing an opportunity to give tzedakah through Mishloach Manot donations!

Those who help sponsor Etz Ahaim's Mishloach Manot can look forward to their donations benefiting Israel. Twenty percent of all the proceeds will go to a fund supporting Israel. We appreciate any amount from $18 to $360, or more. With Israel on all of our minds and in our hearts, we feel it is crucial to take every opportunity possible to support Am Yisrael in our actions, whether big or small.

Please feel free to make your donation online at etzahaim.org. You can also mail your donation checks to 230 Denison St, Highland Park, NJ 08904. Please make them out to “Daughters of Etz Ahaim” and put "Mishloach Manot" in the memo.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Daughters of Etz Ahaim

Support the Highland Park/Edison/New Brunswick Eruv

Image what life would be without the Edison/Highland Park Eruv. Here’s an article from the December 17, 1978 New York Times describing what life was like:

When Mrs. Irwin Asher moved to nearby Edison a little more than a year ago, she found it difficult to make friends.

The primary time for socializing was Saturday, and for the last seven years Mrs. Asher had spent her Saturdays at home with her children. It wasn't just that Mrs. Asher was a doting mother; she simply was observing the restrictions of the Jewish Sabbath.

There could be no wheeling baby carriages, no carrying sefarim or talits, no visiting the sick in hospitals, no bringing food over for Shabbat. We are use to the eruv, and the fact that it has never been down in over seven years. This includes Friday, July 5, 2019 when we spotted a message on a Facebook group that somone noticed the eruv was down. The eruv was back up by noon that very day and once again up by the time Shabbat came.

However, maintaining the eruv does cost money, and every year, the Eruv Committee raises money from the members of the various Orthodox congregations who benefit from it. Now it’s Etz Ahaim’s turn to fund raise.

We are asking everyone who benefits from our eruv to contribute $36 to help maintain it. This works out to a mere 70¢ every Shabbat. These funds help with repairs, expansion, insurance, etc. This also includes are webpage, and a whole technology behind it to keep everyone informed about the eruv’s status. Not one penny goes to the various volunteers who check the ten miles of eruv every week, and whose vigilance helps keep it up.

Please click on the button below (or go to https://etzahaim.org/news/eruv-2024) and contribute $36 or.whatever you can afford to help keep the eruv up and running.

Support Our Eruv

P.S. For those who do not know, we have multiple ways of informing you of the status of the eruv. You can get our Mastodon updates pushed to your phone. You can get Facebook updates from our Facebook page, or you can subscribe to our email list and get emails every Friday once we’ve determined the Eruv’s status. Go to our webpage at https://hperuv.org for more information where we display the latest status. And if you’re old fashion, you can also call the Eruv Hotline at tel:732-487-ERUV for the latest updates.

Do you know that most people who are looking to move to Highland Park first search to see whether Highland Park has an eruv? Because of this, we keep a lot of information about the Raritan Valley community on our webpage. Come take a look!