PESACH STARTS THIS EVENING Apr 1, 2026 – SHAZOOM ONLY 6:30 PM Apr 3, 2026
OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND ALL THE VICTIMS OF CONFLICT
From “Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur” CCAR, New York 2007, p.98
SIM SHALOM tovah uv’rachah, chën vachésed v’rachamim, alëinu v’al kōl Yisraël ‘amécha, [v’al kōl yoshvëi tëvël, v’imru: Amën.]
GRANT PEACE, goodness and blessing, grace, kindness, and mercy, to us and to all Your people Israel [and all who inhabit the earth, and let us say: Amen.]
TA’ANIT BECHOROT 2026 / תַּעֲנִית בְּכוֹרוֹת 5786
Fast of the First Born
Ta’anit Bechorot for Hebrew Year 5786 occurs at dawn on Wednesday, 1 April 2026.
Fast of the Firstborn (Hebrew: תענית בכורות, Ta’anit B’khorot or תענית בכורים, Ta’anit B’khorim); is a unique fast day in Judaism which usually falls on the day before Passover. Usually, the fast is broken at a siyum celebration (typically made at the conclusion of the morning services), which, according to prevailing custom, creates an atmosphere of rejoicing that overrides the requirement to continue the fast. Unlike most Jewish fast days, only firstborns are required to fast on the Fast of the Firstborn.
Read more from Judaism 101 or Wikipedia
PESACH 2026 / פֶּסַח 5786
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Pesach for Hebrew Year 5786 begins in Israel [and the Reform Movement] at sundown on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 and ends at nightfall on Wednesday, 8 April 2026.
Pesach for Hebrew Year 5786 begins in the Diaspora [as observed by other traditions] at sundown on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 9 April 2026.
Passover (Hebrew: פֶּסַח Pesach) commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar, which is in spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and is celebrated for seven or eight days. It is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays.
Read more from Judaism 101 or Wikipedia
PASSOVER SEDER
Temple Kol Hamidbar is having an in-person community Seder in Sierra Vista, this evening Wednesday, April 1, 2026, starting at 6:30 pm. Please refer to the emails from Dr. Sam Caron, Congregational President.
DAYS OF THE OMER / סְפִירַת הָעוֹמֶר
7 weeks from the second night of Pesach to the day before Shavuot
Days of the Omer for Hebrew Year 5786 begins at sundown on Thursday, 2 April 2026 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 21 May 2026.
Counting of the Omer (or Sefirat Ha’omer, Hebrew: ספירת העומר) is a verbal counting of each of the forty-nine days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot. This mitzvah derives from the Torah commandment to count forty-nine days beginning from the day on which the Omer, a sacrifice containing an omer-measure of barley, was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem, up until the day before an offering of wheat was brought to the Temple on Shavuot. The Counting of the Omer begins on the second day of Passover (the 16th of Nisan) for Rabbinic Jews, and after the weekly Shabbat during Passover for Karaite Jews, and ends the day before the holiday of Shavuot, the ‘fiftieth day.’.
Read more from Judaism 101 or Wikipedia
SHAZOOM ONLY
We will meet for Shazoom ONLY this coming Friday evening, April 3, 2026. Dr. Sam and Mary Caron will lead the service. Please see the Shazoom and Observances schedule through June 2026 below.
Read this week’s Torah Portion, passages from Ki Tisa (When you elevate), at https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.33.12-34.26, and Haftarah at https://www.sefaria.org/Ezekiel.37.1-14, Song of Songs https://www.sefaria.org/Song of Songs.
Zoom continues updating its security and performance features. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this coming Friday evening:
Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service
Time: Apr 3, 2026 06:30 PM Arizona
To join Shazoom please see the meeting link, ID and passcode provided by Dr. Sam Caron.
YAHRZEITS/ANYOS
This coming week, 17 Nisan through 23 Nisan, we lovingly remember:
Ignacio “Nash” Espinoza
Brother of Mary Caron
Efraim ben Efraim Gomez
Grandfather of Ruben Gomez
Ella Rosenblatt
Mother of Simon Rosenblatt, founding member
Harvey Ross
TKH founding member
Nancy Tafoya
Aunt of Mary Caron
Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.
“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.
From URJ https://urj.org/what-we-believe/resolutions/refugees-and-sanctuary
We are instructed in the Holiness Code (Lev. 19:33) to take to heart the lessons of our own history by treating aliens in our midst with justice and compassion. “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall do him no wrong. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Judaism affirms the supreme value of human life and the equal dignity of every human being. The prophets of Israel bade us to pursue justice, seek peace, and build a society of loving-kindness among all of God’s creatures.
Chag Pesach Sameach – Paskue Dulce – Zissen Pesach!
-Ruben
PS – Shazoom and Observances Schedule through June 2026 (Arizona Time Zone):
April 1 – Erev Pesach; Temple Kol Hamidbar Community Seder 6:30 pm, Sierra Vista]
[April 2-8 (9), Pesach, in Israel and in the Reform Movement]
[April 2 pm-May 21 pm, Days of the ‘Omer (7 weeks)]
April 3, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm TBD
[April 3-4, Pesach III; ‘Ómer 2]
April 10, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm TBD
[April 13-14, Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Memorial Day]
April 17, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[April 16-17, Rosh Chodesh Iyar]
[April 20-21, Yom HaZikaron – Israeli Memorial Day]
[April 21-22, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut – Israeli Independence Day]
April 24, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[April 30-May 1, Pesach Shëni (Second Passover)]
May 1, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[May 4-5, Lag Ba’Ómer – 33rd Day of Counting of the ‘Ómer]
[May 5-6, LaD B’Ómer – Sefardic 34th Day of the ‘Ómer]
May 8, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
May 15, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[May 14-15, Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day]
[May 16-17, Rosh Chodesh Sivan]
[May 21, Erev Shavuot]
May 22, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[May 22-23, Shavuot – Festival of Weeks]
May 29, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
June 5, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
June 12, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[June 14-16, Rosh Chodesh Tamuz]
June 19, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
June 26, 2026 – Shazoom ONLY at 6:30 pm
[July 2, Tzom Tamuz – Fast of Tamuz]
TBD – Sam and Mary Caron will lead services; meeting Link, ID and Passcode pending