SPECIAL NOTE: Whenever davening is early remember to count Sefira and to recite the three chapters of Krias Shema at the proper time at night.

MAOS CHITIM FUND – We conducted our annual Maos Chitim appeal by email. The primary purpose of this appeal is to help people in our neighborhood who are in need of financial assistance as they prepare for Pesach. If anything remains in the fund after those needs are met they are used for helping those in need in our community. Therefore, the Maos Chitim Fund becomes a yearlong Tzedakah Fund. After Pesach it is called “The Rabbi’s Fund”.

If you haven’t already done so and would like to contribute, please send your check to Young Israel of Manhattan, c/o Erez, 413 Grand Street, Apt. F701, NY, NY 10002. You can also contribute via Zelle at yim225@aol.com. Please indicate that it is for Maos Chitim.

VERY IMPORTANT If you know of any person on the Lower East Side who needs help for Pesach, please inform the Rabbi, Rabbi Gary Ambrose, Rabbi Daniel Mezei, our Maos Chitim committee, or our office and we shall try to help.

BEDIKAS CHOMETZ: SPECIAL NOTE FOR THOSE GOING AWAY FOR PESACH If you leave before Bedikas Chometz night, search in the same manner as usual, but without reciting the brocho before the search. After you finish, recite the bitul (nullification) which always follows the search.

You can then throw away your chometz or put it aside to sell. On Monday morning, wherever you are, burn a piece of chometz (kezias) and recite the nullification again, as if you were home, bearing in mind that the bitul applies to your home and to all the chometz that you may still possess, wherever it may be.

MATZAH SCHMURA – Every individual must eat matzah schmura at the Seder to properly fulfill the mitzvah of “Achilas Matzah”. Hand-baked matzah schmura is greatly preferable to use, since it is made specifically for the purpose of fulfilling the mitzvah. However, if one cannot eat or digest the hand schmura, then machine schmura may be used. The issue is not kashrus, but kavonah, intent to make the matzah specifically for that purpose.

SIYUM BECHORIM – First born males in each family, as well as the fathers of minor first born sons, must fast on the day before Passover unless they partake of a “Mitzvah Meal”. Concluding a tractate of the Talmud, a “Siyum” is usually regarded as cause of such a meal. We will conduct the Siyum, given by Rabbi Gary Ambrose, following morning services, which will commence at 8:00 AM on Monday, April 22nd at our (52 Cannon) East Broadway location.

Chag Pesach Kosher V'Sameach