At its best, the Passover Seder can model the values it celebrates—freedom from slavery and oppression—by disrupting habitual hierarchies and bolstering inclusivity. Unfortunately, sometimes our attempts to honor this sacred mission fall short. At its worst, the festive meal celebrating freedom can deepen the very divisions it seeks to heal. For those who wish to…
During my eight years teaching at Georgetown University’s branch in Doha, Qatar, my wife Ann and I tried to hold a Seder in our home on Passover. While not banned, Passover was not exactly a cause for public celebration in the Wahhabi Arab Gulf state, with many, many Muslims and very, very few Jews. I…
Passover is one of my favorite times of the year, and not just because of the rich tradition that celebrates our ancestors’ freedom from Egyptian slavery. My family has always used this time to introduce our non-Jewish friends to the culture and heritage that fills us with pride. With over 20 years in the event…
This article originally appeared in the Yiddish Forverts. I’m sitting here listening to the recorded voice of my Uncle Yoyne z”l as he leads the Passover seder in 1962… and I’m kvelling. Yoyne Gottesman was a secular Jew, or as we used to say in those days, a veltlekher yid. He didn’t keep kosher or…
Of all of the Passover traditions, the obligation to have four cups of wine (or grape juice) at the Passover seder might be the most controversial. Yes, even more hotly debated than sinkers vs. floaters. More essential than whether or not matzo is to be suffered or savored. While there are many varieties of kosher…
Just back from a highly problematic Passover program in Cancun, a large group of weary travelers is creating cyber-support groups on Facebook, What’s App and Jewish community forums such as DansDeals.com. They are swapping war stories about what was supposed to be a luxurious Passover trip, run by a travel outfit called Passover Paradise. The…
Hundreds of Jewish and Muslim activists converged on the steps of New York’s City Hall on Wednesday for a Passover “seder in the streets,” pushing Mayor Bill de Blasio and other local authorities to make concrete steps to protect immigrant and people of color communities from President Trump’s policies. Organized by Jews for Racial and…
The Passover Seder includes a series of symbolic foods placed on a Seder plate, most of which are explained over the course of the meal: the matzo, the spring greens, the bitter herbs, the shankbone… But one element is left unexplained: the charoset, a paste-like mixture of fruit, nuts and spices, with recipes differing wildly…
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