The Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit presents....

PaSSOvEr

1999 Spring lake a
break atite7

April 5th,6th and 9th • 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Extended Care Available

$4 from 7:00-9:00 a.m. and $6 from 3:30-6:00 p.m.

17. Dan er Bevy Kahn Odd*

Preschool Play Days' • Sports Variety Camp
Travel Camp • Spring Days

N

three would finance, plan and han-
dle all the arrangements for a
seder, held the first night of Pesach,
that would include anyone in the
family who wanted to come. For
many years Henry Auslander led
the seders himself, though recently
his son and nephew have taken
over. This year's gathering promises
to be, as always, a charming com-
bination of Judaism, family a:ection
and a great deal of fun.
"It all started with a family club,"

Dinners are held

Jimmy ?mils Morris building

Preschool Play Days •• Spring Theme Days
Blade All Day at the "J" • A Day Filled with Art
Sports Carnival Day
-

For more information or a brochure, please call the Kahn Building
at (248) 661-7687 or the JPM Building at (248) 967-4030.

LOREN B. FISCHER CULTURAL ARTS SERIES
FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

presents

PIPPIN'S PUPPETS

in

"WELCOME TO CAMP LIVING ROOM"

Billy's come home from camp,
and the camp's come with him!
There's a bear in the bath, a skunk in the sink,
a snake in the drapes, a moose watching TV.
A turnabout story with a thought about the environment.
LOTS of audience participation.

SUNDAY, MARCH 28
12:45 PM
TEMPLE BETH EL

7400 Telegraph at 14 Mile Road
(248)851-1100loct. 3149

FREE ADMISSION

From Scratch

Cooking Classes For Everyone!

A Cooking Studio: Classes for Kids and Adults

Birthday Parties to Bridal Showers:

A place to fulfill all your cooking interests!

(248) 350-3007
-•

3/26
1999

Northwestern Highway, Between 12 & 13 Mile Roads

74 Detroit Jewish News

at a local club

and catered.

explains Ira Auslander, who lives in
Farmington Hills. "Everyone lived
close, and they had monthly meet-
ings and their own loan associa-
tion."
Someone had the idea of putting
together a family seder, which sib-
lings Rose, Henry and Freida guid-
ed for years.
Henry Auslander, a member of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
established many of the customs
that continue to this day.
"He wrote his own opening and
closing prayers, which we always
use," says Sydney, of West Bloom-
field.
"And he would put in his own fla-
vor [as he read the Haggadah],"
Ira adds. "He would give little
teachings along the way, explain-
ing why we do things."
Rose and Freida would light can-
dles before the seder began, and
the children would receive a gold
coin and a bag of candy for find-
ing the afikomen.
When Sydney and Ira, both mem-
bers of Temple Israel, took over the
reins of the seder, they made a few
changes (such as a different Hag-
gadah), but kept most of the tradi-

tions intact. Today, it's Freida's
daughter who lights the candles.
A common goal of every organiz-
er: Keep the entire family participat-
ing by having everyone read. The
youngest seder participant, 6
months, may be a little young to
even pick up the Haggadah, but
just about everyone else — up to
the oldest guest, who is 92, will
have a part.
"Once it was Henry who
assigned the readings. Now it's
us," Sydney says.
We do it as we go along."
How do they determine who is
next in line?
"Whoever isn't paying attention," =;
Ira says, laughing.
The dinners are held at a local
private club — "we have an uncle
who was a member there; we're
not sure if he still is," Sydney says
— and the meal is catered. "The
wives make the charoset" and the
,
rest of the food consists of matzoh-
\
ball soup, chicken or perhaps roast
beef and potatoes. It pretty much
has been the same menu all these
years, and "it's as bad as ever, "
says Sydney
Along with that succulent fare,
each table will be adorned with a
seder plate.
When Sydney and Ira took over
planning the event, they began
months in advance. Now, they
meet several times before the seder,
and everyone has a job. The first
project is mailing reminders to all
family members, who come from
throughout the country.
The seder is "important because it
keeps the family unit together and
strong," Ira says. "The family comes
back together again."
"We really hope this tradition
will continue," Sydney says.
"Once our parents financed and
planned the seder, and now we
do it. I can see a tradition of first
cousins who will take the place of
their parents, and it will go on for
many, many years." n