Passover is coming

 Passover is coming and I must prepare,

The first Passover Seder will take place Saturday April 12, the second on Sunday April 13, and I will be hosting both. Our home will be filled with laughter,  light and love for the holiday.

Passover is the quintessential Jewish holiday.  The Exodus from Egypt, the release of Israel from bondage and the giving of the  Law at Mt. Sinai forms the base of Jewish theology, from which all else flows. In ancient times Jews were commanded to bring a Passover sacrifice to the Temple in Jerusalem.  In modern times we celebrate the holiday in the synagogue, but the most important observance is the Seder, held at home.  We read the Haggadah, we say special prayers, drink wine and eat symbolic foods.

Passover has a special focus on children. It is incumbent upon each Jew to view him or herself as though he or she were personally freed from bondage in Egypt, and we are commanded to tell the story of our liberation to our children.  

Exodus 13:8 says:

And thou shalt tell thy son in that day, saying: This is what the Lord did to me when I came forth out of Egypt.

So of course many of the rituals and traditions are designed to engage the children. And so many of my memories revolve around our family’s celebration of the holiday.

But …

As I was thinking about all our wonderful celebrations, I started to read all my Passover entries.  And came across this post from 2020.  I cried when I read this.  Was the pandemic only 5 years ago?   My three sisters were living with our elderly mother and desperately trying to keep her safe from COVID.  Becca was living alone in Manhattan, Jen was living with her boyfriend Matt.  I was staying with Drew “temporarily”; he and one of his roommates were deathly ill, and I was praying that I would not fall sick …  (thankfully, I didn’t)

I wrote 

The worst of it isn't my own disappointment, the first time in my 60 years on this planet that I won't be at my mother's table for Passover.   No, the worst of it was listening to Jen cry ... and telling her how we will have a beautiful Seder next year.  We both know that sadness about the holiday is just the tip of the iceberg ...

Five years later …Drew and I are living together, Jen and Matt broke up, Becca met and married Brendon, and sadly, my mother left this earth and joined my father in heaven.

But I am keeping that promise I made 5 years ago — we will have a beautiful Seder.