Dear Readers,
Passover begins this year on Friday evening, April 3. Nineteen years ago, the first seder also took place on April 3. Why do I remember? My daughter, who will be 19 on April 4, was letting me know in her own gentle way that she was ready to make her very first appearance. We did get through that seder, but the following evening, instead of a second seder, we were all at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Nineteen years later and after nearly a full academic year of advanced Hebrew, she’ll probably be leading our seder when we pick up our Haggadahs at sunset this April 3. Our challenge now, of course, is to make a palatable Pesadich birthday cake!
As with all holidays, we each have our own thoughts, memories of and perhaps challenges related to Passover.
For Streit’s Matzo, for example, the challenge is closing its 90-year-old Lower East Side factory. It’ll be a sad day for the neighborhood this Spring.
Rabbi Michael Panitz created his own challenge by offering to track down information on community seders in Tidewater. Ultimately, his advice is to go to websites and make some calls.
Another rabbi, Rabbi Sharon Forman (yes, Norfolk’s own), was challenged by her Little League-loving son to find a baseball- themed Haggadah, which she couldn’t. So, not to disappoint, she created one. I’m already a big fan.
We also feature a married rabbi couple that met the challenge of creating a totally vegetarian menu for Passover. If not for the seder, the dishes look inviting for anytime of year.
A writer for Kveller took on the challenge of finding 10 ways to include women in the seder.
And, please remember, if anyone has a suggestion for that birthday cake, let me know. It’s an ongoing challenge!
May the matzah eating begin!
Terri