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JN
hat a winter it has been!
about change.
Our tundra-like weather
As we know, change happens. In many
has obscured thoughts of a
cases, it is joyous; and in many cases, it is
longed-for spring. So, imagine my surprise sad. An empty seat at the seder table when
at rounding the grocery store aisle and
a beloved family member passes away
seeing the Passover food display. Passover
brings forth our feelings of loss, and pain,
foods, already? Oh yes, it is March, after
and yearning. "On all other days:' we can,
all!
perhaps, distract ourselves from
I had a rush of thoughts
these difficult feelings. Our seder
and feelings, including
tables change when our children
worrying about last year's
leave home or leave town. They
whitefish scarcity and
change following divorce or remar-
feeling grateful for a new
riage. They also change when
daughter-in-law and new
there's a new fiance or new baby
grandson at the seder
or a new family in town. But what
table this year. Passover is
stays constant is the celebration
a momentous time in the
itself and that we come together
Jewish calendar. It is the
to tell the story of freedom from
harbinger of spring, the
oppression and to participate in the
Elle n
season of renewal and tradi-
season of renewal.
Yashin sky
tional celebrations.
As I was reflecting on all of these
Chu to
Passover has different
themes — ritual, family, freedom
meanings for each of us. I
and change — I contacted Rabbi
surveyed colleagues at RS and friends in
Rachel Shere from Adat Shalom Synagogue
the community, and asked for a sentence
and asked for her thoughts on the meaning
or two about what Passover means to
of Passover. Her answer added new depth
them. Their answers were similar in many
and dimension to my other conversations.
ways and different in many ways, but there
"We may be out of Egypt, but Egypt
were four specific themes that emerged
isn't out of us. The word Egypt, in Hebrew
from my question that symbolize this holi-
(Mitzrayim) contains the word 'tzar' in it,
day: ritual, family, freedom and change.
which means 'narrowness' or 'constric-
For many, the primary ritual of Passover tion:" Rabbi Shere said.
is the Passover seder. Whether it be pre-
"Passover is about looking inward and
paring the house, cooking special foods,
discovering those narrow, constricted plac-
determining who will be at the table or
es within — where we are being limited or
thinking about who will not be at the table, constricted — and opening ourselves up
preparations for the seder are foremost at
to greater possibility. It is a chance to start
this season.
again — to let go of the habitual ways of
As I read the survey responses, I imag-
thinking and acting that prevent us from
ined so many seder tables as Jews around
reaching our potential — from becoming
the world gather to retell the story of the
the most free and actualized versions of
liberation of our ancestors from slavery
ourselves — the people God created us to
in Egypt. Each seder table holds the tradi-
be:'
tions of the past and the hopes and dreams
So many Passover rituals are embed-
of the future, and reflects the diversity of
ded in our Jewish identity. Ma nishtanah
our Jewish community in the 21st century.
halailah hazeh (Why is this night different
The concept of family is at the center of
than all other nights?), the Four Questions,
the Passover holiday. We create families
the four sons, the 10 plagues and, espe-
with parents and children and aunts and
cially, the festive meal! And for each one of
uncles and cousins. We create family with
these, Dayenu (it would have been enough).
friends, with friends of friends, with com-
Our heritage has given us so many
munities. We look to see who might be
beautiful, meaningful rituals and customs
alone or who might need a new "home"
that seal us in Judaism, each in our own
for the holiday. Passover is about inclusion.
way, and as families and communities.
Whom can we invite in?
Whether your seder begins in the early
Then there are the logistical questions:
evening or after sundown, whether there
Who will host the seder? Can Mom still
are 40 people or four, whether the full
do it after her knee replacement? Maybe
Haggadah is read or sits untouched on
the question is, how can Mom not do it?
the table, it is Passover. We join together
When does the next generation take over?
to celebrate!
How do these transitions occur? How do
Ellen Yashinsky Chute is the chief community
we adjust to new faces at the table or faces
that are missing from the table? It isn't pos- outreach officer at Jewish Family Service of
sible to talk about Passover without talking Metropolitan Detroit.
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March 19 • 2015
46
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What Passover Means
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