Here are four calendar reminders for April.

On Wednesday, April 4th, Prayer Meeting will be cancelled and we will be having a Resurrection Service at 7 PM, in the chapel at St. Timothy’s.

On Saturday, April 7th, we will be celebrating the first Yizkor (Memorial) of the new festival cycle. Traditionally the cycle runs from Nissan (March/April) to Tishrei (September/October), with Chanukah in midwinter (December) and Purim at the last full moon of winter (February/March). Please bring pictures of the beloved departed as we thank G-d for there role in our lives– they can be family members, good friends or other people who have had a lasting impact in our lives.

On Thursday, April 12th, Bible Study is cancelled and we will have a Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial) service at 7 PM in our home. I am glad that there are now two Holocaust Memorial Days: The International Holocaust Memorial Day (mandated by the UN, on January 27 (when Auschwitz was liberated), and the 27 of Nissan, mandated by the International Jewish Community. we will observe both of these. Join us for this solemn remembrance of the innocents who were slaughtered by the Nazis. On Thursday April 12th, from 12 noon to 1 pm, there will be a Jewish Federation sponsored Holocaust Memorial Day service at the Federal Building (9820-107 Street) in the Capital View Room (2nd floor). Scent issues usually keep me from participating, but I may brave it this year.

On Saturday, April 14th, we will be observing the L-rd’s Table (the Sabbath closest to the new moon of Iyar) with a NOSH after the service.

Here are three more special events in April which do not affect our calendar, but which are important in the Jewish Community.

Wednesday, April 18th, is Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day for all the soldiers who have died fighting for Israel since 1948). I encourage you to attend a special service sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Edmonton on Tuesday, April 17th at 8 pm at Temple Beth Ora (12313 105 Avenue). Scent issues usually keep me from participating, although I am a member of the Federation.

Thursday, April 19th is Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day) where we will be celebrating Israel’s 70th birthday as a modern nation with another service sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Edmonton at 5:30 pm at Blatchford Field and Hangar in Fort Edmonton Park. Tickets are required for this event and may be purchased at: www.jewishedmonton.org ($26-$38 early bird special (ends March 30, 2018) $28-$40 General Admission. For more information, call: 780.487.058 No tickets at the door. Again scent issues may keep me from attending, but it is a good time to celebrate with our Jewish community the goodness of G-d towards the modern nation of Israel.

Sunday, April 29th is Pesach Sheni– second Passover for those who were not able to attend the regular Seder. We will hold in in our home at 7 pm as a pot luck meal. Contact us if you are interested in attending, so we can tell you what to bring. There will be no charge for this meal which repeats all the aspects of the regular Seder, without the need to use unleavened bread. we will still have matzah, with singing and observing the L-rd’s Table. If there is enough interest, we will move it into the Conference Room at Shul, but I need to give St. Timothy’s as much notice as possible, please let Patti or I know if you are interested. People who attended the regular Seder are also welcome as long as we hear from you by Saturday, April 21st. Join us.

It will be quite the busy month– how are your blue boxes doing?

The weekend of May 4-6, we are having a live streamed Yeshiva course, where we will be taught about the principles of biblical counselling. The brochures are available on the back table.

We have nearly completed our current JNF project. We are using the funds from our Blue Boxes to finance a playground for handicapped children in Israel. We opted for a $5,000 project and we only have $253.50 left until it is completely paid for. How are your Blue Boxes doing? Please bring in your full boxes and start in on a new one. This is our sixth project and it is almost time to think of a new one. It is a big part of our outreach into the Jewish community. We account for around 60% of the monies raised by the annual Blue Box campaign in Edmonton. Thank you for your support of this vital ministry.

Our annual Shavuot (Pentecost) Rally will be held on Sunday, May 20th in Lethbridge. There will be music, dancing, preaching, food and fellowship. Accommodation can be provided for those who want to come down Saturday and who want to drive back on Monday. It is a long weekend. Join us as the Messianic community from all over Alberta gathers to celebrate our beloved Messiah.

We are having our Annual Judaica Book Fair on Sunday, June 10th in the Conference Room. Cal and Jan Goldberg will be bringing up tallits, Mezzuzzahs, jewelry, CD’s, DVD’s, scarfs, books and much more. For more of an idea of what their store offers, please go to their website: Beth Shechinah – House of Glory.

Thank you for the effort which so many of you are making to keep our services scent free. Please do not feel shy about gently reminding newcomers or old timers when they forget and wear scent. I would but, I can’t get close enough to them.

There is a family in financial distress in our shul who could use food cards from Superstore or benevolent offerings of cash. Please either hand them to the rabbi or the rabbitzin, or put them in the offering box, labelled for the family in distress.

Siddur reader for April 7th: Donna, p.151, 152 and Psalm 148. Torah Carrier: Isaac

Thank you for all of you who are willing to help put things away. Greet one another. Shabbat shalom and Shavua Tov.