We welcome Guest Baal Tefilah Ari Mandelbaum

leading all of our Shabbat Tefilot this weekend.

Please join us for a special Seudah Shelishit on Shabbat evening at 5:20pm as

Elissa Freidman will deliver a Dvar Torah, Ari Mandelbaum will lead our singing,

and then help us celebrate a musical Havdallah.

PURIM IS COMING!

Thursday, March 13, from sunrise to sundown is a fast day, the Fast of Esther. The fast begins at 5:55am, and ends at 7:30pm. Shacharit will convene as regularly at 7:00am. Minchah will convene at 6:25pm, followed by Maariv and multiple readings of Megillat Esther.

Megillah reading will be on Thursday night, March 13 at 7:25pm. If you own your own megillah, bring it to services and follow along from it.

There will be three separate readings of Megillat Esther on Thursday night, all starting at 7:25pm - a "non-gragger-but-not-necessarily-quiet" reading in the social hall, a "traditional" reading in the sanctuary, and a women's reading in the chapel.

Unlike most positive commandments bound by time, from which women are usually exempt, all of the mitzvot of Purim apply with equal incumbency upon men and women.

The mitzvah of hearing a reading of the megillah continues on Friday. There will be a reading at Beth David at 7:30am (Shacharit will begin at 7:00am), and a second reading at 9:00am.

Purim is celebrated through mitzvot that affirm our sense of community. No one should be left out.

·    Matanot L'evyonim are charitable contributions that bring the holiday spirit to those less fortunate. Funds collected at Beth David will be distributed in Israel via Leket Israel (food pantry). Donations may be made through Rabbi Adler's charity fund between now and Purim.

·    Shelach Manot are gift baskets of tasty and sweet food treats that we give to neighbors and friends. These are ideally distributed on Purim day. (As you create your list of recipients, please consider those people you know whose names might not appear on anyone else's list. A little thoughtfulness goes a long way.) Also, consider supporting the Shelach Manot fundraising projects of our local Jewish day schools.

·    Normally, a festive Purim meal takes place in the late afternoon; this year, however, with Purim coinciding with Erev Shabbat, Halachah encourages a Purim meal earlier in the day. Conventional halachic sources recommend enjoying a Purim-themed meal to be completed by mid-day Friday or early afternoon at the latest. It is important that Shabbat not be compromised and that Purim activities be completed in time for Shabbat to be properly celebrated.

·    The Shabbat immediately before Purim is called Shabbat Zachor because of a special Torah reading that recalls the infamous desert attack on our ancestors by the Amalekite army. It is a special mitzvah to attend this service.

Purim Schedule at a Glance

Thursday, March 13 (Purim Eve) -

5:50am - Fast of Esther begins

7:00am - Shacharit

6:25pm - Minchah/Maariv

7:25pm - Megillat Esther

8:00pm - Gala Purim Party "Renaissance Fair"

Friday, March 14 (Purim Day) -

7:00am - Shacharit

7:30am - Megillat Esther

9:00am - Megillat Esther

6:30pm - Minchah / Kabbalat Shabbat / Maariv

6:38pm - Candle lighting (latest)

Shabbat, March 15 (Shushan Purim??) -

9:30am - Chevra Mishnayot / Beit Medrash

10:00am - Shabbat Tefilot

6:35pm - Minchah / Seudah Shelishit / Maariv

7:39pm -Havdallah

Purim Tzedakah / Matanot l'Evyonim

There are many worth causes seeking Purim tzedakah. Money collected at Beth David will be distributed between FIDF (Friends of Israel Defense Forces) and Leket Israel (Israel's Food Share) equivalent. Direct donations can be made via these links -

Meet-and Greet our Executive Director Candidate

Rabbi and Mrs. Eric Garfinkel will be visiting Beth David over the coming Shabbat of March 21-22. Rabbi Garfinkel is a candidate for our position of Executive Director. As a graduate of Yeshiva Chovevei Torah, he would also be assuming the title of assistant rabbi with an emphasis on outreach. Rabbi Garfinkel is a graduate of Hofstra University. In 2018 he was hired by Hofstra Hillel as a director of projects and campus rabbi, and in 2023 he was named assistant director of Hofstra Hillel. Rabbi Garfinkel will be delivering the Shabbat morning Dvar Torah on March 22 and Kiddush will be an opportunity for the membership to meet and greet the rabbi and his wife. His interview process, which started last month, will continue with a meeting with the congregation's board of directors later in the weekend.

Even if you will not be staying for Shabbat dinner, please join us for Friday Kabbalat Shabbat. Our guest Chazan-in-Residence will be Ari Mandelbaum. Ari is the High Holiday Baal Tefilah, and he has appeared in concerts with Six13, Maccabeats and Y-Studs. He will be leading all of our Shabbat tefilot -

5:30 pm - Friday Kabbalat Shabbat

10:00am - Shabbat Tefilot & special pre-Purim reading of Parshat Zachor

5:20pm Shabbat afternoon - sing-as-long Seudah Shelishit and musical Havdallah

Did you know??

Coca-Cola has been around for what seems like forever. The famous soda pop brand was first introduced in the late 1800s and is still going strong today. It’s synonymous with crisp and refreshing, and the bright red logo is easily recognized the whole world over. So, when that classic look changes, you notice it right away. In fact, you’ve probably noticed yellow cap Coke bottles recently and wondered what the yellow cap means.

There’s actually a very special reason for it—to signify that the recipe is kosher for Passover.

The yellow cap Coke is kosher for Passover

During the holiday, we are prohibited from owning or consuming leavened foods (known as chametz), which include five main grains: wheat, spelt, oats, rye, and barley. However, it’s common for Ashkenazi communities to prohibit another category of forbidden foods (known as kitniyot) that includes corn, rice, and beans.

How does all of this affect Coke? While the regular Coke formula is kosher year-round, it contains corn syrup, so it isn’t considered kosher for Passover by Jews of Eastern European descent. Because of this, Coke temporarily replaces the corn syrup in its recipe with sugar. This kosher Coke is marked with a sunny yellow cap! By the way, this is the difference between Coke Zero and Diet Coke.

Why do people love kosher Coke?

While intended for Jewish people who celebrate Passover, these “Original Taste” Cokes are a favorite for many Coca-Cola fans. Plenty of people buy the yellow-capped Coke because they love the flavor or want to avoid high fructose corn syrup.

Beth David is pleased to offer these programs about Jewish life in various places around the world due to our membership in the Partnership in Jewish Programming. In appreciation of this programming, please consider making a contribution to Beth David's Adult Education Fund.