Passover 2020: An old tradition with new importance
“A lemon, because even though they are sour they can be made into something sweet”
“Candy, because I am sweet and it makes me happy”
“Dark chocolate with seasalt, because it combines many different flavors, such as sweet, bitter, salty, so it combines many of the feelings the other seder food represents”
As we recall the exodus from Egypt, followed by the escape that occured thanks to 10 divinely sent plagues, it’s easy to see parallels this year. Our virtual classrooms opened up discussions of Passover with the three questions:
1. Why is this night different from all other?
2. There are a lot of symbols on our seder plate, to symbolize the lessons and meanings of the Passover story. If you could add one symbol that would add to the story of Passover (e.g. orange) or something that would tell the story of your own personal tradition, what would it be?
3. If you could leave a glass of wine out for anyone and they would visit your Passover seder, who would it be and why?
Passover is a celebratory affair, with friends and family gathering in homes, crowding around tables, feasting on food and good conversation. It’s by far the most-celebrated holiday of American Jewish life, with 70% saying they participate in seders each year.
The holiday, which begins Wednesday evening and lasts for 8 days, doesn’t have to look that different this year, we may remember it as the great WiFi Binge of 2020 but we can also reflect on how we always overcome — together.