last night i went to the juilliard jewish student union seder.
it was my first seder without family.
meaning....
it was the first time there weren't screaming children running and giggling everywhere,
it was the first time where the whole thing lasted more than fifteen minutes,
and,
oh yeah,
it was the first time i actually heard the entire story of passover
because, usually, it's just like,
"ok passover story. didn't we hear this last year?
i'm hungry
time for dayenu."
but
this seder was led by orthodox rabbis,
and,
son,
you're at a music school,
your dayenu better be in tune.
{oy}
and did you know that in the orthodox practice,
matzoh balls aren't allowed at seders?!
why did i even go?!
kidding.
ok but seriously,
it was all very interesting to share my holiday with people of all backgrounds and sects and even some first time sederers.
as we went around each reading part of the story,
some of the people read in hebrew,
some in english...
and everyone brought some of their own traditions to the table...
the isreali dancers had some songs they sang for us,
the rabbis told their favorite stories about giving seders in siberia,
and i guess my tradition was
eating as much matzoh as humanly possible so that i wouldn't gnaw off my hand before the three and a half hour seder was over.
geez,
is it so bad that the only thing i craved was a big honking hunk of soft doughy challah bread?!
it was super good matzoh though,
hand made in isreal,
and had a little bit of a chewy texture...
oh look at me, going about analyzing the school seder's matzoh.
sorry.
anyways,
despite the starvingness through the whole story,
it was super great fun.
enjoy your chocolate covered matzoh this week, lovelies!!
and matzoh brei
and matzoh ball soup
and matzoh meal brownies
xoxo
yeh