Right now is the season of preparations. At the time of writing this article, we are in the midst of preparing Hamantashen for the Purim Spiels, Purim Services and, of course, the Shalach Manos. This takes bakers as well as donors of fillings and dough (all done following our Food and Potluck Guidelines). For all of you who are helping this year with the making and baking of hamantashen, thank you.
Of course, with all this flour being used and with all of the baking being done, we are starting to think about the vast Passover Preparations that need to be done. Below is what we know so far:
Here are some important dates for Beth Ami’s Preparations for Passover:
Sunday, March 29th—Volunteers will be needed to help clear out all of the food and relocate everything else in the kitchen that is movable.
If your group uses the Beth Ami kitchen refrigerator or freezer for storage, this is the time to have all your food removed from the kitchen. Any extra food left by then will be either donated, or composted, or tossed.
The apartment kitchen, refrigerator and freezer will be used for storing food and preparing for the April 4th Shabbat Potluck.
Also during that day the Passover items will be moved out to a special storage area until after the kitchen is koshered for Passover.
From March 30th through Havdalah on April 16th—The Congregation Beth Ami kitchen will not be available except for Passover cleaning and cooking. It will be returned to regular use sometime after Havdalah on April 16th.
On April 4th there will be a simple, regular Shabbat Potluck—but, all of the preparations and cleaning up will be done in the Beth Ami Apartment. Until the morning of April 8th the apartment will remain available for use.
From Wednesday, April 8th through Havdalah on April 16th—After the Morning Davening and the Fast of the First Born is over, all of the chametz and items for preparing chametz will be sold by contract.
This means there will be no access to the Beth Ami apartment, social hall cabinets, or kitchen pantry. [Remember that if you choose to use Congregation Beth Ami to sell your chametz, your form needs to be turned into the CBA office before 10 a.m. on April 8th. This form will be available at the CBA office and on the website.]
Saturday, April 11th—A simple Passover lunch after Shabbat Services will be available.
When we celebrate Passover, there is no potluck onegs or potluck lunches. Volunteers will be preparing and serving the food from the Beth Ami kitchen. All food will be kosher pareve or dairy for Passover.
Friday morning, April 17th—Volunteers will be re-packing the Passover supplies, shifting them back to the designated storage areas , and moving the regular items back to the Beth Ami Kitchen.
After this is done, the kitchen will be available for preparations for the Shabbot Potluck on Saturday, the 18th.
