April has been a bittersweet month with each bitter taste accompanied by a sweet dessert. It began with erev Pesach’s Fast of the First-Born, followed by two family-filled sedarim, Chol Ha’Moed and another round of Yom Tov and Shabbat including one of the four poignant Yizkor days when we remember departed loved ones. A week ago we shared a somber community wide Yom Hashoah commemoration at Congregation Beth Sholom. On Wednesday we joined together again at Young Israel of Woodmere to mark Yom HaZikaron, Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day, then segued into the joy of Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Our emotions are played with, made to rise and fall from joy to grief and back to joy again as we mark each significant date in the Jewish calendar.

Two upcoming happenings mesh perfectly with these dates. I plan to participate in this Sunday’s 5K run/walk in North Woodmere Park to benefit FIDV, Friends of Israel Disabled Veterans, Beit Halochem Centers in Israel. I have attended twice before with my husband and daughter, and am revved up to speed walk again while shmoozing with friends, walking and talking - I won’t be surprised or disappointed when I cross the finish line leading the last 10% of the group! This is also a race for the hard-core with awards for frontrunners, but is mostly geared for slower paced walkers and runners of all ages. For a $25 donation, this is a fun, healthy, meaningful way to begin the week. The Kids Fun Run is at 9:30 am, the race at 10. Last year over 500 people participated and they actually ran out of numbers. They’re hoping for 1000 this time, so if you haven’t registered yet, race on to www.5towns5k.org.

Yom Yerushalayim, on Sunday, May 20, commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 during the Six Day War. Celebrated on the 28th of Iyar, six weeks after the Pesach seder and a week before Shavuot, it’s the latest edition to the Jewish calendar.