IT'S NOT EASY BEING A MENSCH PASSOVER SEDER FOR MEN EXPLORES ROLES.

Byline: Holly J. Andres Staff Writer

Breaking a matzo in half, a ritual at the start of a Passover Seder, will serve as a symbol to participants in the Los Angeles Community Men's Seder - the idea of which is to break down barriers and share feelings on what it is to be a Jewish man.

The April 10 seder is thought by organizers to be the first of its kind in the Los Angeles area. Rabbi Dan Moskovitz, from Temple Judea, came up with the idea while leading the men's group at the Reform congregation in Tarzana.

Mentioning it to San Fernando Valley based musician-producer Craig Taubman, the Men's Seder became part of Taubman's brainchild, ``Let My People Sing,'' an April series of prayer services and musical events focusing on the message of Passover: freedom.

Passover begins at sundown April 12.

``I had been doing a lot of thinking about what it means to be a Jewish man, at home and in the workplace. It's not easy being a man today. With men, there's so much we're obligated to do - earning a good living for our family, being a good husband, father, son, coach,'' said Moskovitz, who started the Men's Group in 2003.

``I wanted to explore these issues with other men and grapple with what it means to be a man today.''

The Men's Seder, with a Kosher festive dinner, will be held at the University of Judaism in Bel Air. It will include core elements of a traditional family Passover seder but with some unique twists.

``Passover is the eternal Jewish celebration of freedom, the story of the exodus from slavery. I felt that men are slaves in some ways: enslaved to their jobs, their finances, their relationship,'' Moskovitz said. ``A men's seder seemed the perfect model for men to share feelings and free our souls.''

Obligations, fears, illness and other issues men deal with will be highlighted in a newly created Haggadah, the ``guidebook'' to participating in a Passover seder.

An example of the different take in the Men's Seder Haggadah is the Ten Plagues, which is transformed into ``The Ten Plagues of Being a Man'' and includes hair loss, prostate cancer, heart disease and answering e-mail.

``I think we have an epidemic of fatherlessness and we suffer from a lack of intimacy. We're told not to cry, not to need. We don't know how to feel,'' said Jon Epstein, a member of the Men's Group and of Temple Judea.

``This is all about getting into the business of feelings. It's a great opportunity to meet other men on the same journey.''

Organizers of the Men's Seder are hoping men from all of Judaism's movements - Reform to Orthodox - will come together for the pre-Passover evening. They also are urging fathers to bring their sons, or vice versa.

``The most important part of a Passover seder is the ability to internalize the words on the page. They're not just words. They are a conversation,'' said Rabbi Perry Netter, from Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles.

``Where do men go to talk about these issues? Creating a forum to speak openly and honestly as men is a goal (of the Men's Seder).

``I hope that men will walk away knowing they're not alone, that their experience is shared by so many other people.''

The Men's Seder, with Rabbis Dan Moskovitz and Perry Netter and Hazan Mike Stein, from Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, will be held 6 p.m. April 10 at University of Judaism, 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel Air. Tickets, $29. Reservations and payment required by April 4. Temple Judea at [phone] or see www.templejudea.com.

Holly Andres, [phone]

holly.andres(at)dailynews.com

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(color) Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of the Temple Judea in Tarzana came up with the idea of a pre-Passover men-only seder to help ``grapple with what it means to be a man today.''

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer