18 — THE JEWISH CHRONICLE APRIL 28, 2016

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Engagement

Daniels/Tauberg: Shelley Daniels, Howie Daniels and Cindy and Dr. James Taubergare excited to announce the engagement of their children, Lauren Haley Daniels andDr. Brandon Michael Tauberg.

Lauren’s grandparents are Elaine Sokol (and the late Joseph Sokol) of Squirrel Hilland Libby Daniels (and the late Mervin Daniels) of Mt. Lebanon. Brandon’s grand-parents are Irene Stoehr (and the late Harry Stoehr) of Chicago (formerly ofPittsburgh) and Madelain Tauberg (and the late Dr. Herbert Tauberg) of Oakland.

Lauren received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University ofPittsburgh and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania.She is a board certified clinical nurse specialist and is employed by the NYPColumbia University Medical Center in New York. 

Brandon received his Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University andhis medical doctorate degree from the Drexel University College of Medicine. He isan orthopedic surgical resident at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

A May 2017 wedding is planned.

Before we eat that first bite of pizzaSaturday night, I am going to rememberhow fortunate we are to have had theseeight days of matzah!

Do we have a lot of holidays! A weekor so before Purim, my 10-year-olddaughter and I were talking aboutmaking hamantaschen and how quicklyPassover arrives on the heels of Purim. Itoccurred to me, as it often does, just howfortunate we are to have an abundanceof holidays. These holidays, for whichwe plan, we go to the grocery store, weclean, we cook, we go to the store again,are opportunities to create the memorylines on the growth charts of our per-sonal histories.

This Saturday morning’s Torahportion describes the three pilgrimagefestivals that we are to observe for alltime: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot. Godtells us that “we shall hold a festival …and we should have nothing but joy”(Deut. 16:15).

I know that a good percentage of usare eagerly anticipating our first bites ofpizza Saturday night and that we may bepretty tired of eating matzah. However,can you imagine what life would be likeif we never had holidays?

Yom tov. That is the term used todescribe a holiday. It literally means“good day,” a day that is elevated, madeholy, separated from the regular days ofour lives. It stands out. These days help

us mark time in a sacred way. I invite you to think about your

favorite family memories. For many ofus they center on holidays. I will neverforget going to hide the afikomen in thechina cabinet and coming back to thetable full of family and friends with thelast year’s afikomen. (I guess my grand-father never did find that one!) My momwas slightly embarrassed at the time, butnow it is a prized memory. I wouldimagine each of us has memories of dif-ferent holidays, whether it is Passover,Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah or Shabbat.We mark our personal timelines throughthese memories.

This timeline of memories is a part ofwhat makes us value our tradition andour families. These holiday recollections,for many of us, are a main source of ourconnection to our faith. They serve as animpetus for our desire to pass these tra-ditions onto our children and our chil-dren’s children.

During Passover and other holidayswe sing special prayers. They are referredto as Hallel, which literally means“praise.” This service is one of myfavorites to lead because it containsprayers filled with praise and joy. When Ireach the line, “This is the day that Godhas made for us, let us embrace it andrejoice in it,” I sing just a little bit louder.For this is the day, these are the days,which God has made for us. Let usembrace and delight in them.

I hope all of your pizza is yeasty,bready and delicious, but let us remem-ber to give thanks and rejoice that Godgave us all of the holidays to celebrateand to create memories.

Rabbi Amy Greenbaum is spiritualleader at the Beth Israel Center. Thiscolumn is a service of the GreaterPittsburgh Rabbinic Association.

TORAHCELEBRATIONS

BY RABBI

AMY GREENBAUM

Exodus13:17-15:26

Numbers28:19-28:25

Holidays: God’s gift to us to create lasting memories

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