- Home
- About Us
- Services
- Jewish Life
- Community
- Learning at Westminster
- Membership
- Czech Scrolls
- Venue Hire
The Power of Questioning: An Intensive to Prepare for Pesach
Saturday, 5 April, 2025 • 7 Nisan 5785
3:00 PM - 9:00 PMRL, First floor library,FRJoin us for an afternoon of learning in preparation for Pesach, as we explore the theme of questioning. Pesach is filled with themes of questioning, from the four questions to the strange practices of the seder which are "so that the children may ask". Sessions throughout the afternoon will help us prepare to be challenged, and find new ways of asking and reflecting in preparation for Pesach. As Pesach approaches, it is traditional to delve into the haggadah and prepare for our Pesach seders. Our afternoon will culminate in a mincha (afternoon) service, followed by seudah shlishit (the third meal of shabbat) and a short havdalah service to close our time together.
The schedule below is a draft and is subject to change:
2.30pm-3.00pm: Registration and Arrivals
3.00pm-4.15pm:
-
Questioned or questioner; finding our place at the Seder table with Naomi Soetendorp: This Seder will you be asking the questions or being expected to give answers? Perhaps both. In this session we’ll explore how the Seder ritual can support us as we develop identities as sources and seekers of wisdom.
-
“Have you seen the one I love?” – Unpacking the poetic drama of the Song of Songs with Rabbi Markus A. Lange: The megillah for Pesach is Shir ha-Shirim, the Song of Songs. What appears to be a collection of love poems has prompted many questions since ancient times: Who is speaking to whom? Why has this openly erotic poetry made it in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible? How has this book comforted and inspired both individuals and Jewish communities throughout the centuries?
This session will help you hear the poetry of the Song of Songs in many different ways, from the spiritual and personal to the communal and political. We will also see how this old text in turn prompts questions addressing us and our reality today.
4.30pm-5:45pm:
-
Questioning as Spiritual Practice with Yael Roberts: The Four Children in the Haggadah ask questions of their parents. At the time of the seder, we are meant to understand them each as facets of ourselves. How might we use this energy of questioning to enhance our seder experience? And how does questioning as a practice enhance our Jewish lives, as we uncover and turn over that which we held as truth or certainty? We will explore all of these questions through a close reading of the Kedushat Levi, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, the 18th century Hasidic master.
- Songs of Moses and Miriam with Danny Perez: At one of the most critical moments in the Exodus story – the parting of the Sea of Reeds – the Torah tells us how the Israelites celebrated in a spontaneous outburst of music, song and dance. In this session, we’ll look at the Song(s) of the Sea and ask - among other questions - what they mean, why we sing them at Passover (and in many communities, every day), and how their words have echoed down through history from the Torah to The Prince of Egypt.
6pm-7pm:
From Slavery to Kitchen: A Journey Through Hilchot Pesach with Rabbi Kamila: Join me for a session where we explore the intricacies of Hilchot Pesach—the laws of Pesach. We will look at the “do’s and don’ts” and explore them as an opportunity to reflect on how these laws shape our experience of freedom, tradition, and community. This will be a chance for everyone to reflect on the day and ask all your Pesach-related questions, big and small.
7pm-7:30pm: Mincha
7.30pm-8.30pm: Seudah Shlishit (dinner)
8.30pm: Havdalah service to close
Sorry, Registration has ended.
Share Print Save To My Calendar |
Mon, 21 April 2025
23 Nisan 5785
-
Wednesday ,
AprApril 23 , 2025Or Chadash (The Tanakh - Yael)
Wednesday, Apr 23rd 6:30pm to 7:45pm
-
Wednesday ,
AprApril 23 , 2025Erev Yom HaShoah 2025
Wednesday, Apr 23rd 7:00pm to 9:00pm
-
Thursday ,
AprApril 24 , 2025Yom HaShoah
Thursday, Apr 24th (All day)
-
Thursday ,
AprApril 24 , 2025Westminster Bridge Group
Thursday, Apr 24th 3:00pm to 5:00pm
-
Friday ,
AprApril 25 , 2025B'nei Mitzvah Class (BM2)
Friday, Apr 25th 5:00pm to 7:15pm
-
Friday ,
AprApril 25 , 2025Post-BM
Friday, Apr 25th 5:30pm to 7:30pm
-
Friday ,
AprApril 25 , 2025Yom Ha'Atzmaut Dinner
Friday, Apr 25th 6:30pm to 10:00pm
-
Friday ,
AprApril 25 , 2025Shabbat Evening Service
Friday, Apr 25th 6:30pm to 7:00pm
-
Saturday ,
AprApril 26 , 2025Pre-Service Parsha
Shabbat, Apr 26th 9:45am to 10:25am
-
Saturday ,
AprApril 26 , 2025B'nei Mitzvah Class (BM1)
Shabbat, Apr 26th 10:00am to 12:15pm
Today's Calendar
Easter Monday |
Friday Night
: 5:00pm |
: 5:30pm |
: 6:30pm |
Candle Lighting : 7:55pm |
Shabbat Day
: 9:45am |
: 10:00am |
: 10:00am |
Havdalah : 9:05pm |
Upcoming Programs & Events
Apr 23 |
Apr 23 |
Apr 24 |
Apr 24 |
Apr 25 |
This week's Torah portion is Parashat Sh'mini
Shabbat, Apr 26 |
Candle Lighting
Friday, Apr 25, 7:55pm |
Havdalah
Motzei Shabbat, Apr 26, 9:05pm |
Yom HaShoah
Thursday, Apr 24 |
Join Our Mailing List
Charity Number 1133190 | WS Privacy Notice | Safeguarding Statement | Contact Us |
Privacy Settings | Privacy Policy | Member Terms
©2025 All rights reserved. Find out more about ShulCloud