Our Passover Traditions

Passover. The Jewish Easter. Well, not really, but as kids, that's how we saw it - and I think the Last Supper was considered a Passover Seder anyway!

But, Passover is always around the same time as Easter, and the two holidays were always around Spring Break. We even colored eggs like the non-Jews, but they just stayed in a bowl on the porch table until they went bad and had to be thrown away. And really, the thought of eating them after sitting in dye and leaving them out on a luke-warm table for a couple of days just seemed gross, but I think those Catholics must have strong stomachs!

Passover, in a nutshell (a kosher one of course) is like many of the Jewish holidays or rituals: The Jews freedom from the Egyptians.

But, our Passover did not only consist of us being gentiles for an hour while dyeing those eggs. Passover was the first holiday in the Spring that the whole family came together: Aunts and Uncles, cousins, moms and dads and so on. We looked forward to a family get together, even though we dreaded, although slightly, the Passover Seder.

Our Passover Seder's, however, were not like some of the Seder's you hear about. We were brought up Reformed, meaning we were the least religious of all Jewish groups. We did not keep kosher, we ate bacon at restaurants and we did not rest on Saturdays. So our Seder's were not hours upon hours, and all in Hebrew. Our Seder's were fun-filled with good wine, thanks to my dad's fantastic collection (and the kids got to have a small bit), butchered Hebrew prayers and songs, making fun of the chair for Elijah to sit in (considered a hero in Jewish history for standing up to King Ahab who believed in worshiping idols) since the cat usually sat there, and finding that Afikomen (which is a piece of Matzoh - and that tradition was added years upon years agao so a Seder was a little more fun for kids).

We only celebrated one night of Passover, being Reformed and all, but that night was a big deal. We dressed up, black patent leather shoes and a pretty dress, unlike the Catholic white sun dress, the Passover dress was darker and maybe a little too classy for our ages, but still pretty cool. We did fast all day, (although when we were young kids we did not have to,) so by the time the sun went down, we were famished to say the least.

The appetizers, or hors du vours as my mom elegantly called them, were usually chopped liver, chopped egg or tuna salad that we could spread on broken up pieces of Matzoh. So, as a kid, most of this was a "gag me with a spoon" moment, so instead we just crunched on pieces of Matzoh, (which is a symbol for unleavened bread that raised anyway without flour,) and played with stuff in the living room that we weren't really supposed to touch.

Once it was time to sit at the table, it was pretty formal. If it was at my parents place, they hired a special housekeeper (they had a regular lady during the week) to serve and clean up. We would read through the Haggadah first, which was the book that told the story of Passover with prayers, sayings and songs. Usually, each year was the same, we read the same prayers (my dad actually kept notes in the Haggadah that are still there, and he is 80 now), the youngest person - which was me - would read the four questions (which is part of the tradition to teach as well as keep the young ones involved in the Seder), we tried to sing the same songs, we always said Amen at all of the same lines, verses and prayers, and we passed around the Seder plate.

The Passover Seder plate, which is part of this ritual contains salt water for tears, the lamb shank bone for sacrifice, the bitter herbs for the harshness of their treatment (Jews), the Charoset with is sweet (apples and nuts) representing mortar the Jewish slaves used to build Egyptian store-houses and a hard boiled egg also a symbol of sacrifice. This part of the tradition during the Seder was and is one of my favorites. I love(d) the history and the teaching of it, even though as a kid, I was pretty sleepy during a lot of it!

Once we had finished the part of the Haggadah that is read before the meal, then we would eat. My aunt made a mean Matzoh ball soup. Salty broth, tender, Matzoh balls and soft carrots floating gleefully to the top. Then there was Gefilte Fish which is basically chopped up fish squished together to form an off white, almost grayish looking larva bundle. I would take a bite as a kid, but it was not my favorite.

The main part of the meal consisted of Brisket which my mom was a pro at, and now my brother makes to perfection. There were usually some whole, roasted chickens, vegetables, sweet Noodle Kugel (see below for recipe) and more Charoset and Matzoh. A feast to be sure.

After dinner, because dessert usually consisted of Macaroons which have coconut in them, which most of us kids did not care for, we were ready to find the Afikomen. Whoever found it usually got an extra silver dollar (along with the one we'd already received for good behavior at the table.) This was a fun part of the night, the kids tearing through the house to find this broken piece of Matzoh wrapped in a cloth napkin.

After that we'd say some final prayers, sing a final song and take a final sip of wine. It was a full night. A long night. But a great night. Great because it was with family. And it was a tradition. A tradition we have continued as we have aged, even though the youngest child has changed, the venue has changed and so on, it is still a great night.

DEFINITIONS:

Passover
Passover Seder
Elijah
Afikomen
Fasting
Matzoh
Haggadah
The Four Questions
The Passover Seder Plate

Passover Noodle Kugel