First Seder

I conducted my first seder in my fourth apartment share in Washington Heights. Since all my Jewish friends were going to seders, I invited ten non-Jewish friends to attend mine.

 

I made matzohThe unleavened bread eaten on Passover that recalls the Israelite's hasty escape from Egypt when there was no time for the dough to rise. Matzah is also considered the "bread of our affliction," eaten while we were slaves. ball soup, tzimmes with stewed apricots, pears, apples, figs, oranges and a touch of cinnamon and lemon juice and SephardicJews of Spanish descent; sometimes used to describe Jews of North-African and Middle-Eastern descent. The term also describes the customs and practices of these Jews, often in comparison to those of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews. charosesThe fruit and nut paste included in the Passover seder to represent the mortar the Israelite slaves used in Egypt. In Ashkenazic tradition, nuts are ground with apples and wine to make haroset for the Passover seder plate. Sephardic and other Middle-Eastern haroset typically uses dates as the base, often seasoned with ground ginger or cinnamon. with chopped dates, apricots, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and red wine. I also provided the PassoverPassover is a major Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jewish people's liberation from slavery and Exodus from Egypt. Its Hebrew name is Pesakh. Its name derives from the tenth plague, in which God "passed over" the homes of the Jewish firstborn, slaying only the Egyptian firstborn. Passover is celebrated for a week, and many diaspora Jews celebrate for eight days. The holiday begins at home at a seder meal and ritual the first (and sometimes second) night. Jews tell the story of the Exodus using a text called the haggadah, and eat specific food (matzah, maror, haroset, etc). basics: matzoh (traditional and whole wheat), bitter herbs (red and white horse radish) Manischewitz wine, and a cup for the prophet ElijahElijah is a biblical prophet who is said never to have died. There are therefore many legends associated with Elijah. In the Talmud, unresolved arguments will be resolved when Elijah comes. He will herald the coming of the messiah. In Jewish ritual, Elijah is a liminal figure, arriving at moments of danger and transition – at a brit milah, a chair is put out for him, a cup is poured for Elijah at the Passover seder, and he is invoked at havdalah. His Hebrew name is Eliyahu. and the seder plate. Others brought entrees, side dishes and desserts. (honey cake, chocolate covered matzoh and coconut macaroons).

 

Later that evening, my friend Nancy, found the afikomenThe broken half of the middle matzah, hidden by the leader of the seder and ransomed back by the children. The seder meal cannot be completed without the return and eating of the afikomen as the desert., that I had hidden behind a small painting in the living room.

 

We sat around the table and read the HaggadahLit. "Telling.” The haggadah is the book used at the seder table on Passover to tell the story of the Exodus, the central commandment of the holiday. It is rich in song, prayer, and legend. There are many different version of the Haggadah produced throughout Jewish history. that tells the biblical story of the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt and their exodus into freedom. We drank the required four cups of wine, maybe more. My friends were eager to learn the stories and to participate in the Passover rituals.

 

We discussed the meaning of freedom and oppression in the world today. Everyone sang the traditional Passover songs like “Dayenu” and “Chad Gadya” and prayers using the English transliteration. I loved leading the seder which I never could have done before; it was always my grandfather, my father and then my brother.

 

Customarily, “The Four Questions” are read by the youngest person. I chanted the questions in Hebrew and the others read them in English.

שֶׁבְּכָל־הַלֵּילוֹת, אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין; הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה, כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבִּין.