As Passover comes to a close today, I wanted to share my thoughts about going to my first Passover Seders. The two were very different; the first was a small gathering at a friend’s home, and the second was a large, multi-table event at the Washington Hebrew Congregation. For those unfamiliar with Passover Seders, briefly, it is to remember the suffering of the Israelites under the Pharoah and to celebrate their exodus. Passover, for Jews, is almost treated like an 8-day sabbath.
OK, let’s just get into what is awesome about Seders.
1. The Haggadah
Having a traditional text to read (and act out) during dinner is probably my favorite component of the two nights. It is common for a standard Haggadah to be adapted by a Jewish family, molding it into a tradition of their own. In the more intimate Seder, our host’s dad wrote the Haggadah, filled with hilarious family references unfamiliar to me and quirky mentions of the new so-called plagues and Pharoahs of our time: the threats of terrorism.
Involving everyone at the table, the Haggadah is a great way to incorporate shy ones into dinner conversations and an exciting way to preserve a religious tradition over generations.
2. Open front doors
One traditional practice during dinner is for the host to leave the front door open to symbolize the enthusiastic invitation for all, both Jew and non-Jew, to enjoy the Seder. The two Seders were a great opportunity to meet new people, learn about funny and unusual family traditions, and show people in other communities that you are willing to step into a different environment and learn. At the Washington Hebrew Congregation, the Buxton fellows and I sat at a table hosted by JAM DC, a group of young Jews and Muslims whose goal is to bring together these two groups in a very organic and authentic manner. We hope to host an event with them in the near future!
3. Last, but not least… Maror (Bitter pink horseradish?)
Although eating this initially revolting dish is supposed to remind the eater of the bitterness of the Jews’ suffering in Egypt, its exhilarating rush of spiciness and quick clearing of my stuffed-up sinuses was incredible. Eating this with Matzoh and haroset was simply the (third) best. Plus, the New York Times says it fights cancer.
Go to a Seder next year!
