Cantors Judy and Herschel Fox are gearing up for their visit to Winnipeg  for the  Mamaloshen  Festival.  This is just one of several  episodes that will follow as they make their way around the world  hoping to land safely in Winnipeg. 

Yesterday Cantor Judy and  I were shopping for snow shoes.  If anyone in Winnipeg  finds two extra pairs, while clearing out the chomets in your homes, just in case Winnipeg is still frozen in June, please let me know asap.  Judy, being so tiny is insisting on platform snow shoes.  I need all the help I can get. 

Herschel recalls growing up in Winnipeg  below, trying  to calm  down friends, family and  Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue members in between over more than two of what  Cal Tech seismologists call “moderate” earthquakes.  If you’re reading this while stuck on the top of the Matterhorn at Disneyland after the rides shut down last night during one of our “moderate” quakes just relax.  The Fox family and I promise to get you plenty of Matza balls to play with.  If you were at Dodger Stadium when the quakes hit last night you probably already have enough balls.  If you changed your spring break plans after hearing about the  Shamrock Shake on March 17^th, 2014 when the Foxes and I were in the epicenter, wherever you are, we wish you a warm, safe, relatively sane and happy holiday while we continue to clean up broken plates trying to decide which ones need to be rescued in time for a Kosher Pesach.

 "This week’s Torah portion, “Tazria,” speaks about laws of purification. Once I made a foolish comment, saying that “Tazria”was not my favorite Torah portion. A friend corrected me that every Torah portion is important and we learn a great deal from  every Torah portion. As we approach Pesach, memories flood into my mind and heart, remembering Pesach in Winnipeg, Canada as a child.

 My family had arrived from Poland. Thank God in Winnipeg the weeks before Pesach warm up and Pesach—the  holiday that takes place at springtime warms our hearts as well as our bodies.

During Pesach, we strive for a cleaning out of the chomets in a physical way, but we also try to spiritually purify ourselves. We try to clear the chomets out of our lives and experience the great Exodus from Egypt that our ancestors experienced.

I remember the preparations in Winnipeg for Pesach—we cleaned out, not just the kitchen, but beds and carpets and garages and cars. It brought the family together! The night before Pesach, we kids couldn’t sleep, because we got to try out our new shoes and new clothes the next morning—the first day of Pesach.

With all my heart, I wish our entire congregation, as well as the Jewish people—klal yisrael, a freilechn koshern Pesach—a happy and kosher Pesach—Chag Someiach! "