This year, Jews will celebrate the first two nights of Passover on the 6th and 7th of April with a joyous family eventthe Seder. We relive the experience of our ancestors as they were exiled and enslaved in Egypt, then liberated by G-d over 3,300 years ago. We recount the miracles of the Exodus, and pray that the future redemption comes very soon.

Observances: The Seder
We read the story of the enslavement and Exodus from Egypt in our Haggadahs. We eat matza, drink four cups of wine (or grape juice) and we consume marorbitter herbs, to remind us of the bitterness of enslavement.

Legacy:  The Passover Seder is celebrated with family and friends.  It is imperative that our beautiful heritage be transmitted to our children.  How else can we ensure the survival of the Jewish people? That is why our Seder revolves around our children (and grandchildren) and their four questions.

Studies going back over 50 years have repeatedly arrived at the same conclusionracists have lower IQs than non-racists. The average intelligence quotient (IQ) of all members of the human race is 100 on the Stanford-Binet scale. The average IQ of racists is up to 4 IQ points less than this. The reasons this is true are not entirely clear. Does racism attract the unintelligent or do the unintelligent default into racist mentalities? An exploration of this phenomenon can be most informative.

Since the average IQ of a racist is less than average, racists have two-digit IQs, while non-racists have three-digit IQs. This applies to Nazi skinheads, anti-Semites, Aryan supremacists, non-denominational bigots, and other such racists.

On a recent Saturday night, Congregation Shaare Shalom, on Avenue S and East 21st Street in Brooklyn, welcomed over 125 children for a fun night of Bingo. Each child was treated to pizza, snacks, and of course bingo prizes. The bingo night is the first of many events that are being planned to bring the Shaare Shalom family together.

Parents often ask me why their children are so different from each other. They say that it almost seems like they were raised in different homes, with different parents, and unrelated DNA. One is so serious and the other is a joker. One is very reliable and conscientious, while the other is laid back.

I tell them to try this experiment. Take four seeds and place them in planters. Put them on your windowsill in direct sunlight. Water them daily, give each one the exact same amount of water, care and nutrients. Then, sit back and watch them grow. Each seed will turn into its own unique plant. One will have lots of branches, one may not thrive at all and others will have pretty flowers and leaves just like our children.

There has been much research done on birth order and behavior. Birth order is defined as a persons place, by age, in a family. The Austrian psychiatrist, Alfred Adler was one of he first to imply that birth order influences personality. Think of your own siblings and then observe your children. First born  children, middle children and youngest often share common traits.

Your senses are in for a treat when you enter Prime Bistro restaurant. The aromas that greet you are heavenly, instantly making you want to order everything on the menu. The dcor is sophisticated and beautiful. The elegantly set tables and striking mahogany bar make the restaurant feel like an upscale Manhattan eatery. Yet, you will never have to deal with city traffic to get there. Prime Bistro is conveniently located at 305 Central Avenue in Lawrence, right off the Belt Parkway.

The food and service at this restaurant are both outstanding. There is an amazing variety of glatt kosher foods to choose from, all under the strict certification of Vaad Harabanim of the Five Towns. The French cuisine, steaks, chops, lamb, seafood and chicken dishes are all so good; the only problem you may have is deciding what to order.

Providing our children with Jewish educations and maintaining our educational system is a communal responsibility, according to the findings of the Orthodox Union Summit on Tuition Affordability. Its as simple as that.

During the past few months, we have seen article after article in the press about the high cost of tuition at private schools. While mainstream newspapers have drawn attention to the high cost of private schools, the Jewish press has focused on the rising cost of tuition in Jewish day schools.

In the Orthodox arena, a yeshivah education is mandatory. With the average cost of tuition over $20,000 a year and rising fast, and multiple children in school, it is simply too expensive for average income families.

Orthodox families are in a conundrum. They cant afford the tuition and they have an obligation to provide their children with Jewish educations. They feel trapped and many are running for the public schools.

In the early days of yeshivot, in the Sephardic community, parents who couldnt afford tuition were given the option of working it off by racking up volunteer hours at the school on bus duty, the Bingo parlors, and lunchroom duty. When the old Bingo parlors in the community closed, a more sophisticated scholarship system emerged.

Fifteen teenagers who have recently completed their treatment for cancer, spent 10 action-packed days touring the length and breadth of Israel, as part of Chai Lifelines annual Wish at the Wall program.

Coming from states across America, the teens were joined by their parents, as well as Chai Lifeline volunteers and staff, as they experienced the trip of a lifetime. After spending days, months and often even years cooped up in a hospital, the goal of the trip is to enable these teens to slowly transition in to a post-cancer world, explained Rabbi Crandall, Director of the Program. Spending quality time with their parents in a refreshing setting and meeting other young people in similar situations is an ideal medium for this.

Judaic law requires that one, who happens upon a tree whose fruit he has never tasted, must savor its fruit in order to give praise to G-d. Within the borders of Brooklyn, the Sephardic community has given forth a marvelous new tree, better known as Magen Abraham (MA) located at 2066 East 9th Street, and spearhead by the renowned Rabbi Duvi BenSoussan.

If I was to identify a species of forest that MA may be categorized under, it would be the Tree of Life implanted at the center of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:9). King Solomon compares the Torah teachings to a tree of life as is stated within Proverbs, She (Torah) is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her (Proverbs 3:18).

With Purim only days away, we must remind ourselves that, though this is a Yom Tov of fun and goodwill to others, it is also a time when we must be extra diligent about our safety. Unfortunately, due to careless behavior and thoughtlessness, Purim often ends in tragedy. By being aware of circumstances and taking a few precautions, we can have a safe and happy Purim.

On this day there are many inexperienced drivers on the road.Teenagers and boys home from Yeshiva, who may have licenses but very little driving experience, are all too happy to do the family driving.

Be extra careful about obeying traffic regulations. In our rush to distribute the Mishloach Manos,we often make serious misjudgements.

Baby Bleu
It all started eight years ago with a pool party and love of gorgeous linens. Even as a newly married young woman, I delighted in a beautifully dressed Shabbat table and crisply tailored linens for my home.

One hot, slow summer day, I impulsively purchased a closeout of beautiful Austrian table linens and brought them to a pool party; the women there shared a love of fine, well-made table linens and were delighted by the quality and price of what I offered.

The next thing I knew, I was running with my husband and one week old baby to a meeting that eventually resulted in a business relationship with Sferra, the luxury Italian linen company. They took a chance on me, and the result was a career combining my passion and art. My shop, a linen closet in my mothers basement, was small, but my joy in pairing people with the perfect linens was huge; I loved seeing my clients excitement as they chose something beautiful, fresh and special.