Spirituality

HOLDAY 101

Why Is This Seder Different?

Because it's the first at the home of Dan and Nancy Cohen.

Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News

t's the second night of Pesach but a first for
Dan and Nancy Cohen and their children,
Allison, 6, and Matthew, 9, of West Bloomfield.
Tonight, the family will host their first seder
— ever — in their own home.
For the past 12 years, the Cohens have been
enjoying seders with his parents or her parents and
an extended family that includes his siblings and
her siblings and all their children.
Now, though, Pesach is coming to Dan Cohen's
house. And along with it: china from a bubbie, a
lot of shtick (Wn's parents always celebrate with
"Pesach-in-a-bag," including ping-pong balls for
hail and lots of creepy plastic vermin), kugel that
Nancy says is "so heavy, but so delicious:' brisket
and turkey, a "who-will-be-able-to-eat-the-most-
charein (horseradish)" contest, a Kiddush cup from
the Cohens' wedding and a lot of little children.
"We just decided it was time to host our own
seder," Nancy says. "It's something my husband has
always wanted."

JN Thread

Matthew, Nancy, Dan and Allison
Cohen prepare for seder.

The couple met thanks to a single's ad in the Jewish
News. Dan placed it. Nancy answered it.
She liked him right away because he has a great
sense of humor.
Today, Dan, 45, is a chiropractor with the Levine
Clinic and Nancy, 40, is a second-grade teacher at
Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit. The cou-
ple, who belong to Temple Israel in West Bloomfield,
are both Michigan natives who grew up loving large
seders with family.
For Nancy, Passover meant heading off to the
home of Papa Sam Toby, her grandfather. "It was
such a memorable time," she says. All the family
would be there, especially her fun cousins, and
Bubbie Ethel Toby would work hours to prepare her
exquisite gefilte fish, always "homemade, served to a
family of about 20," Nancy says.
"Actually, I'm not a big gefilte fish fan," she adds.
"But, of course, we'll be having it at our seder, too.
"But it will be from the store:"
Nancy has invited her parents, Rebecca and
Bernie Toby; her sister Cari and her husband,
Dan Cohen (yes, each sister really married a Dan
Cohen) and their children, Jared and Seth; and
her brother Jeff and his wife, Jessica, and their
children, Madalyn, Eli and Benjamin; plus her in-
laws, Robert and Elaine Cohen; and her husband's
brother Jim, and his sons, Joshua and Aaron.

Different Seder on page B4

April 9. 2009

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