PASSOVER

46 | APRIL 14 • 2022 

V

icki Back, raised on a Missouri 
farm, did not get to know 
Jewish community members 
until moving to Bloomfield Hills.
One friendly neighbor continues to 
be Elaine Sturman, whose 
commitments have includ-
ed membership in Temple 
Israel and Temple Beth El 
while serving in leader-
ship roles for Hadassah of 
Greater Detroit and the 
Jewish Ensemble Theatre 
(JET).
Raising children in the 
same age ranges, the women 
became close; and Sturman 
invited the Back family to 
a seder filled with some 40 
relatives and friends. That 
welcoming gesture placed the Sturmans 
among a number of Metro Detroit 
Jewish families who have asked guests of 

other faiths to join Passover celebrations.
“I had never been to a seder or even 
heard of it, but we just went,” recalled 
Back, who appreciated the content of the 
Haggadah. “We were totally open-mind-
ed and found it super interesting — the 
different foods, traditions and reading of 
prayers. 
“We enjoyed seeing what was going 
on, and everybody was very nice. They 
knew we weren’t Jewish and tried to 
include us and explain things. We 
observed and enjoyed it.
“I think it’s wonderful for people of 
different faiths to share customs. It’s a 
learning experience that broadens every-
body’s life.”
Besides enjoying the Back family as 
guests, Sturman enjoyed taking her 
young children to Christmas displays at 
the church where the Back family wor-
ships and, much later, being a guest at a 
christening of a Back grandchild.

“I have a lot of non-Jewish friends, 
and I like them to see our traditions,” 
Sturman said. “I like to see their tradi-
tions. I used to do seders at a Catholic 
church in Grosse Pointe, and we used a 
very well-written Haggadah as an expla-
nation of what a seder is.
“Knowledge makes us closer.”

SHARING TRADITIONS
Sharing knowledge also is important 
to Diane Alvin of Huntington Woods 
and Nancy Adair of Royal Oak, who 
met through participation 
in tennis activities. Alvin 
includes Adair in seders, 
and Adair includes Alvin for 
Christmas meals.
Alvin grew up in an 
extended Toledo family 
having large seders similar 
to ones hosted by her late 
husband’s family in Michigan, but as 

Local families open their doors to non-Jewish friends for Pesach.
A Seat at the Seder Table

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Vicki Back

Elaine 
Sturman

Nancy 
Adair