Emunah Magazine

“Is today my birthday” my kids are shouting with joy. “Why am I getting all these new toys” they would shout. No it’s not your birthday or a prize, it’s Pesach cleaning. Yes, that’s right. Pesach is on the way. My children especially love this time of year because their favorite long lost toys seem to be found everywhere. In between couch cushions, under the dresser and in the bottom corner of their closets. I used to get a headache when thinking of Pesach. The cleaning is overwhelming, the food shopping is tremendous and the overall preparation is a conquest. More recently I have a new view on this special Chag. Pesach to me is a time to not only explore my house for chometz (and of course all the lost items) but it’s a time to take a deeper look at ourselves. Hashem has given us this beautiful Chag to prepare and inspect our home and to make sure we are rid of chometz. But if we take it one step further, we should realize that we should be inspecting our souls and general personality as well. Just like we are certain we don’t have a crumb of bread in our pantry, we should cleanse ourselves from any misdeeds we may have done. The household chores are far less important than the hidden meaning behind this holiday. So in between scrubbing the ceiling tiles, vacuuming the curtains and retrieving lost items, take a moment to close your eyes and reflect on your inner self and what ‘cleaning’ needs to be done.

Guide To Perplexed is written Monthly and appears in the print edition of Emunah Magazine , written by Rachel at emunahmagazine.com

Lions, and Tigers and Bears OH MY! No, I am not talking about the Wizard Of Oz. I am looking through my big brown box of used costumes. PURIM IS HERE!!! I am more excited than a kid in a candy store. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved Purim. My father would map out all the driving locations that we had to visit. My mom would think of matching costumes or cute themes for me and my siblings that she would sew and then proceed to prepare matching shaloch manos baskets. The excitement filled my household all month long. Shopping, buying and preparing for Purim was an all family extravaganza. One year, my siblings and I dressed up as pilots and stewardess’ on the airplane. My mother even contacted American Airlines and ordered styrofoam food trays and American Airlines wings to put in our basket.

With the economy the way it is today, it’s hard to spend so much money on a costume that is worn only once a year. And of course nobody wants to wear the old hand-me-down costumes, even though I take out “the box” and try to do the convincing. I was so happy to be informed by my wonderful sister-in-law last year about all the neighborhood costume gemachs that are around. Last year, I got a Dumbo costume that was originally purchased in the Disney Store for $65.00. I gave a $5.00 tzedakka donation and borrowed the costume all month long. We gave baskets of peanuts, popcorn, and cotton candy and it made a great circus theme. “How cute” all my friends cheered! It’s great to be able to have the opportunity for my children to have such modern, stylish and up to date costumes while giving tzedakka at the same time.

This year I plan on donating my brown box to the gemach. My hand-me-down costumes can be a new adventure for a child who never wore it before. I am not sure what I will rent this year. Perhaps, a Curious George monkey with a banana-shaloch manos theme. Or maybe a Barney the Dinosaur costume with an all purple theme. Or maybe a ketchup and mustard costume with a hot dog picnic basket theme. The possibilities and choices are endless. But, at least I feel good in knowing that for a small fee and the mitzvah of tzedakka, my costumes and baskets will be the talk of the town!

A great Purim Gemachs that i went to last year is located on East 31st and Avenue P , Call for hours or private appointment 347 723 0616 or purimcostumegemach@gmail.com, all proceeds go to tzedakka. Suggested donation is $5 to Yad Eliezer . They had costumes for babies as young as 6 months!! I also checked out a 2ND gemach that also has costumes for adults , located on East 34Th/Ave K , call 718 951 2016 for an appointment and for hours, Suggested donation is $10 to Matonim L’evyonim , handed out on Purim day.