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, 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 onSaturday, 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