Talk about a generation gap! I’m old enough to be their zaidy, yet we learn side by side. Let me explain how, at 61, I cast my lot with 16 year olds. No, the age inversion is not a dyslexic reading of the application. Rather, at my age, I am beyond taking myself too seriously – but I do take learning Torah seriously. I had heard about a retired physician who attended a yeshiva high school in town, and decided that I, too, could swallow my pride to study with those a quarter my age. It’s like owning up to being dumb, but, as the Chinese say, “One can ask a dumb question and be embarrassed for five minutes, or not ask the question and live in ignorance for the rest of one’s life.” Or, more aptly, “Lo habayshan lomed – The one who is bashful doesn’t learn.” (Pirkei Avos 2:6)

Ah, Pesach around the corner. For a recovering clutteraholic, it is actually a wonderful spur for making headway into a never-ending pursuit of a clutter-free life. I’m not talking here about things that matter, that we use, or we truly enjoy and derive pleasure from. I’m referring to “stuff,” those things that sit around in every nook and cranny, that have lost their reason for being, that we have become mind-blind to even seeing anymore! Things that lurk and encroach on our physical spaces and intrude on our domestic peace and sense of well being.

Last month, as I began engaging

(Mr. Phillips is president of the Religious Zionists of America, Philadelphia Chapter; Mr. Korn, the former executive editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, is chairman of the RZA-Philadelphia / http://www.phillyreligiouszionists.org/)

One of the most important, but most-overlooked aspects of the meeting between Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli students last month was an exchange about whether Jews could reside in a future Palestinian state, just as Arabs are citizens of Israel.  Abbas replied: "You cannot compare the Arabs who live in Israel now, who have been living here for thousands of years, with the settlers, who came yesterday or today."

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(Mr. Phillips is president of the Religious Zionists of America, Philadelphia Chapter; Mr. Korn, the former executive editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, is chairman of the RZA - Philadelphia / http://www.phillyreligiouszionists.org/)

Welcoming Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas to the White House on March 17, President Obama declared that "He has been somebody who has consistently renounced violence."  Anyone who follows the news from the Middle East knows that Abbas regularly glorifies and encourages violence. Yet here was the president of the United States telling the public the opposite. How does Abbas get away with it?

See Beyond the Mask is an annual Purim event, which this year was held in the Atrium at Greenspring Shopping Center. Organized by Elaine Gerstenfeld under the umbrella of the Zooz organization, the event is intended to bring together Jews from all different walks of life for a few hours of fun and chesed.

An enormous banner hanging over the entrance to the shopping center invited any passing Jews come inside and join in seeing beyond the masks that divide us the rest of the year into different categories and celebrate the unity of the Jewish people. Inside, the Atrium had been taken over by a crowd of unmasked partygoers, wearing colorful costumes of all shapes and sizes.

We’ve all heard of people who start Pesach after Chanukah – and others who don’t get going until Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Which is the better way to do things?

Since I am a professional organizer, I naturally find myself thinking about Purim immediately after Chanukah. My mind then takes no longer than a second to automatically shift from Purim to Pesach!

In reality, there are four weeks after Purim to prepare for Pesach. So, does it pay to start thinking about Pesach so early? Why not focus on Chanukah when it is Chanukah, Purim when it is Purim, and Pesach when it is Pesach? The advantage of thinking ahead is to avoid that panicked feeling of realizing, about a week before, “Oh no, I’ve got to get Purim together!” or “How can I possibly finish everything before Pesach?” So, overall, I do think the benefits of being organized outweigh the pleasures of being nonchalant.

Pesach is upon us, and we are all busy cleaning and preparing for the holiday. Why not take a moment or two to look over these recipes with the hope that they will assist you in your menu planning. (For those of us who plan menus at the last minute, I say, what does it matter when you plan, as long as there is a menu in time to sit down to the Seder. G-d willing, we will all enjoy a wonderful Seder. Chag kasher vesameach.

Chicken Coating

1 1/2 c. ground matza or matza meal

1/4 c. potato starch

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. lemon zest, finely minced

2 T. parsley, finely minced

Your favorite vinaigrette (I like Italian. Or make your own!)