Congregation Beth Judea sends Passover packages to those overseas
By Jean Murphy | Daily Herald Correspondent
Published: 4/4/2008 12:06 AM

The eight-day celebration of Passover which begins April 19 is quickly approaching for the world's Jews, and the soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan are no exception.

So Sunday afternoon, about 35 members of the Social Action Committee of Congregation Beth Judea in Long Grove gathered to pack Passover boxes to send to Jewish service members serving in those conflicts.

The names of the soldiers and Marines were provided by United Synagogues. They are not members of the local congregation, according to Ronna Leibach, chairwoman of the committee.

"This is the third time that we have packed boxes to help Jewish service people celebrate religious holidays while they are serving," Leibach said. "We also sent them out for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and for Hanukah."

"And we have had a really nice response from the service people who have received the packages," she added. "They are so pleased to be remembered."

Children in the congregation spent Sunday afternoon decorating plastic Seder plates to be included in the boxes and other members of the congregation sewed small pillows that can be used to recline while eating the Seder meal, as tradition dictates, Leibach said.

Then they packed the 30 boxes with traditional Passover food like matzo, gefilte fish, tuna, raisins, Passover candies and other items like applesauce to get close to the traditional perishable foods that cannot be shipped.

The boxes also included Passover greeting cards with personal notes, candles, yarmulkes which are the traditional skullcaps Jewish men wear, and Haggadahs which are books that give Jews the order of the traditional Seder service which is done at home, not in a synagogue, Leibach said.

"The congregation has been very generous about donating items and mailing the boxes individually, keeping the cost to the congregation as low as possible," she added.

Congregation Beth Judea is a conservative Jewish synagogue with a membership of more than 500 families.

Ellie