Rabbi Jack's Musings

Week of April 6, 2026

As we enter the home stretch of Passover, I encourage you to attend two upcoming events. Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 8, Beverly and I will hold an open house between 4 PM and 8 PM. Those who are present at the tail end are welcome to participate in candle lighting and kiddush to usher in the last day of the holiday. We'll also light Yahrzeit memorial candles as is traditional on the last day of every major holiday (Passover, Shavuot, Sukkot, and the end of the Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur season). These candles are generally lit in memory of parents, spouses, siblings, or children who have died and are available locally in the supermarket. "Yahrzeit" literally means the annual anniversary of the death of a close relative, and these candles are lit on that date as well. On that last day of Passover, Thursday, April 9, at noon, we'll hold a Yizkor memorial service as we bring to mind those who are no longer walking this earth.

This Friday night, April 10, at 7:00 PM at the LAJC, we'll actually have a challah (yeah leavening!!) to celebrate the beginning of Shabbat, and we'll be counting the Omer at the end of the service as we keep track of the days until our next major holiday, Shavuot, which is the anniversary of the Revelation at Mount Sinai.

On Tuesday, April 14, at 4 PM at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, the entire Jewish community of Northern New Mexico will be observing Yom HaShoah, the Jewish Holocaust Remembrance event. And then on Saturday, April 18, at 10 AM, please help us celebrate Shabbat at the LAJC with our monthly morning service.

The monthly online Torah discussion will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, April 21, 12noon, and we'll be talking about Israel Memorial Day and Israel Independence Day in conjunction with our text study.

A new traditional, egalitarian, participatory Shabbat worship group is holding its first event on Saturday, April 25, at 9:30 AM at the Unitarian Universalist building in Santa Fe at the corner of Barcelona and Galisteo. Please let me know if you're interested in details about this service and if you'd like to consider carpooling.

Finally, on Sunday, April 26, from 11 AM until 1 PM, at Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Fe, the Los Alamos Jewish Center will be a participant in an Israel Independence Day party. For security reasons, you must register in advance to attend.

I hope you have a sweet conclusion to Passover.

Rabbi Jack

Rabbi Jack Shlachter

Judaism for Your Nuclear Family
rabbi@lajc.org

www.physicsrabbi.com

TORAH READING / LEADING A SERVICE

The LAJC is blessed with several individuals who can read or chant at least a few verses from the Torah scroll (called leyning) on Shabbat mornings and can lead all (or part) of our Shabbat services, including Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat. We’re now seeking to expand that pool. For those who desire to take on the challenge of an occasional Torah Reading or leading a part of the service, please know that perfection is not the goal - inclusivity is the goal! Rabbi Jack would be happy to make recordings for learning/practicing.
If this is something that is of interest to you, please reach out to Rabbi Jack at Rabbi@lajc.org.

TORAH READERS: SIGN UP HERE.