DETROIT
JEWISH NEWS

March 18, 2010 / 3 Nissan 5770

ftbt — for teens by teens

•)
by Helene Glickman

make seders lively,

Eden Adler's family uses
these little contraptions to
illustrate the plagues."

-

interactive and meaningful.

I

was 8 years old, wearing my
pretty new dress, sitting at
my aunt and uncle's Passover
table. I had just sung "Mah Nishta-
nah" (the Four Questions) and was
restlessly anticipating the moment
when Aunt Sharon brought out
the "bag of plagues." I flicked the
jumping frogs all over the table
and laughed when they landed in
a cousin's water glass. I was deter-
mined to stay awake until we sang
"Chad Gadyah" so I could hear my
mother make all the animal noises.
Today, I look forward to other parts
of my family's seder. I am so proud
of my sister when she sings the Mah
Nishtanah. Our discussions and divrei
Torah (Torah lessons) connect me to my
ancestors who left Egypt so long ago.
I love cooking with my aunt, helping
to set the table and seeing all of my
relatives.
"Observe the month of Abib, and

keep the Passover unto the Lord thy
"I love our seders," says Eden Adler
God: for in the month of Abib the Lord of Farmington Hills, a junior at Frankel
thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield.
by night." This biblical quote exempli- "My dad sets up these little contrap-
fies Passover's fundamental command- tions to illustrate the plagues. Diseased
ment — observe. Yet that one simple cows fall from the ceiling; lights are
word has been interpreted in many covered with red to symbolize blood
ways. Year after year, Jewish families when we turn them on; ping-pong
observe Passover by creating their own balls fall from ceiling to symbolize
holiday traditions, recounting the time hail. Because my dad's contraptions
when God brought us out of Egypt.
make the seder really interactive, we
Ilana Goldmeier of Southfield, a feel really connected to the story."
sophomore at Akiva Hebrew Day
Family games are a highlight at
School in Southfield, loves her fam- many seders, bringing all ages togeth-
ily's tradition of singing traditional er. Zachary Blumstein's family mixes it
Passover songs in German. "It makes up — the kids hide the afikomen for the
the seder special," she says. "It brings adults to find. "It's a lot of fun," says
my family together and is a tradition I Zachary of West Bloomfield, a junior
hope to pass on to my own children."
at West Bloomfield High School.
Some seders, like the Goldmeiers',
"There's a spirit of friendly compe-
are unique because of the songs that tition during the seders with Abigail
are sung, others are memorable for Jankelovitz's family in West Bloom-
their theatrical treatment of the Ten field. "We compete against the adults,"
Plagues.
she explains. "We have a blast."

The WBHS sophomore says the
special games are the highlight of her
family's holidays.
Jason Tisdale of West Bloomfield,
a WBHS sophmore, loves his family's
tradition of acting out the events of the
Haggadah. "It is so much fun to see
everyone getting involved. I will never
forget all the funny moments we have
had over the years."
Whatever the tradition, teens
agree these Passover traditions bring
families closer and make the holi-
day memorable for all. By keeping
these traditions alive, one day our
children will be sitting at our seder
tables waiting in restless anticipation
just as we were a few years before. )

see related story, 774

Helene Glickman, 14,
Is a sophomore at
Frankel Jewish Academy
in West Bloomfield.

teen2teen March 18 .2010

TT1

TT p ho to by Jess ica Avery Pol k

family traditions