52 | APRIL 18 • 2024 

to theirs as they go. 
It’s a chance for everyone to get together, 
retell the story and remember where they 
came from, she says. This year that’s extra 
important as well, she says, given the 
current climate in Israel. “We fought and 
fought and fought, and we were free,
” she 
says. “The story of Passover is one of the 
significant stories we tell every single year, 
about getting out of Egypt.
”
 
TRADITIONS OLD AND NEW
Heading for Teri Falcon’s seder means 
taking part in a traditional seder for 20 
that might last up to five hours, but with 
some twists. “If you’ve never been to a seder 
before, you have to look for the afikomen, 
whether you’re a kid or you’re 70,
” says 

Falcon of Oak Park, adding that Passover 
is her favorite holiday. They use the classic 
Maxwell House Haggadahs that have been 
in her family since she was born, duct tape 
and all. 
At her seders, they aren’t afraid to be 
silly, she says, from watching Passover 
parodies before the seder starts to adding 
hand jives for the blessing after the meal. 
And on a serious note, she adds, after they 
lost somebody close to them a few years 
ago, Robert Krosnick, they added an empty 
chair. “It’s a very different group every year,
” 
she says. “Let all who are hungry come and 
eat — I can always add a few more chairs.
” 
Some guests also RSVP a year ahead, she 
says. “When people come to my seder, they 
say ‘OK, count me in for next year.
’”
Meanwhile, Marissa and Daniel 

Sternberg are getting ready to play a game 
at the seder that’s been in Marissa’s family 
for several generations. “For me, I just really 
like handing these things down because 
they’re fun and unique,
” says Marissa 
Sternberg.
After the blessings for the seder plate 
and before they eat the egg, everyone gets 
a hard-boiled egg and they knock the eggs 
against the other guests’ eggs, she says. 
The last person to break their egg wins a 
prize. “It’s something we look forward to 
every year,
” she says, adding that there’s one 
competition for kids — hers are ages 6, 4 
and 4 months — and one for adults. 
 One memorable year a mix-up over 
which eggs were raw and which were 
hard-boiled got egg everywhere. “I’ll never 
forget it,
” she says. “We started playing and 
everyone was just getting covered in eggs. It 
was probably at this point 15 years ago, but 
it feels like yesterday.
” 
Even during COVID, she says, when they 
had a small seder just with their son, they 
made sure to continue the custom. “Even 
though we had an infant and a 3-year-old, 
it was fun to do.
” 

continued from page 51

Teri Falcon’s seder guests Merrilee Spry and 
Kevin Berger.

The Falcons keep an empty seat at their seder table to remember their friend Robert Krosnick.

Wishing You a
Joyous Passover!

Maple Park Offi
 ce Complex
6020 West Maple, Suite 500 
West Bloomfi
 eld, MI 48322

248.851.6999 | www.dcptonline.com

A trusted name in the community for over 25 years.

Presents

SPRING REVIVAL AUCTION

Wednesday, April 24th 3pm

stefeksauctions.com

Herend

“Red Fishnet Rabbit”

Est. $800-$1,200

PASSOVER

Susie Pappas
Michael Horowitz

William Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees

Frank A. Wetsman Young 
Leadership Award
Sylvia Simon Greenberg 
Young Leadership Award

Andrew Sherman

Danielle DePriest
Jonathan Lowe

Julie Trepeck Harris

Mark-Lis Family Young 

Leadership Award

The Mandell L. and 
Madeleine H. Berman 
Award for Outstanding 

Jewish Communal Service

HOSTED BY

Gary Torgow
President
Jewish Federation of Detroit

Michael Berger
President
United Jewish Foundation
of Detroit 

Diane Goldstein
Chair
Leadership Development

Please join us in honoring 
our 2024 awardees at 
this community-wide 
celebration!

Tuesday, May 21, 7 PM - 8PM
The Berman Center for the 
Performing Arts

Register at 
JewishDetroit.org/Awards

24_EXE_AwardsNight_DJN_Ad.indd 1
24_EXE_AwardsNight_DJN_Ad.indd 1

