What are you doing for Passover?

Posts: 658 Join date: 2011-09-05 Age: 30

Any big plans? Do you host a seder?

Posts: 95 Join date: 2011-09-06 Location: NC

We're going to the community seder at the synagogue (first night), and then to a small seder at a friend's home (second night).

Posts: 658 Join date: 2011-09-05 Age: 30

Our community seder is on the second night, which we'll probably do. I'm not sure where I am going the first night.

Posts: 95 Join date: 2011-09-06 Location: NC

Ours is normally on the second night as well, I don't know why they changed it this year.

Posts: 658 Join date: 2011-09-05 Age: 30

Does your wife go with you for both? My husband only goes to the community seder (so far anyway). Last year I knew the first night was going to be...intense. It's a casual seder but it was the hosts first Pesach in 30 years without his wife and it was her favorite holiday. It was kinda heartbreaking watching him have to do it without her. Crying or Very sad

I only met her once or twice but I've been told she was a wonderful woman who when she spoke to you, she made you feel like you were the center of her universe for that moment. I wish I had been able to know her better.

I'll probably go to the same place this year since I know the people. One of the ladies who does a lot of the cooking is a vegetarian too so she always makes vegetarian dishes. I'm just not sure yet since I haven't asked anyone.

Posts: 95 Join date: 2011-09-06 Location: NC

Yes, she'll go with me to both, as will all of the kids.

We just did the community seder last year. The Shabbat before Purim was my first visit to the synagogue last year, and we hadn't really met many people by Pesach.

My wife comes for all the holidays, as well as pot luck (the first Friday of the month) and just about every special occasion. And she has really become part of the community while working at the synagogue; my claim to fame is being her husband.

Auto-correct on this phone is really getting on my nerves right now; we need a Hebrew app for it I think.

Posts: 658 Join date: 2011-09-05 Age: 30

James wrote:

My wife comes for all the holidays, as well as pot luck (the first Friday of the month) and just about every special occasion.

That's great!!! I've been easing my husband into things very slowly. He's gone to a couple seders and the night of Rosh Hashanah. I don't expect him to take off work for the daytime stuff. I was going to ask him to come with me Kol Nidre service this year but it looks like we may be in California. I might have to drive really far, or stay home and fly out to meet him afterward. It's fantastic that your wife participates. Thumps Up

Posts: 95 Join date: 2011-09-06 Location: NC

We hadn't planned on her getting this involved, but after she took the job the community fell in love with her. I do enjoy having her with me for things though, and I think if we get the right rabbi she might be willing to get even more involved.

It great that your husband is going as well. Even if it is just occasionally, it shows an interest in what you hold to be important.

Subject: Re: What are you doing for Passover? Mon Mar 26, 2012 1:15 pm

Debating between hosting two seders or going to Chabad the first night (but they are $45 a person!!!).

Posts: 658 Join date: 2011-09-05 Age: 30

maculated wrote:

Debating between hosting two seders or going to Chabad the first night (but they are $45 a person!!!).

I am so not up for hosting yet. I was invited to the home of the only other Jewish person I know who lives on my side of town. My husband said he wants to go too, so guess he's going. Our community seder is $25 each so I think maybe I'll just go since he's going with me the first night. I imagine a seder at Chabad to be very very very long..am I correct?

Posts: 84 Join date: 2012-01-02

Count yourselves lucky - the community Seder tickets here in NYC are $100! :)

Subject: Re: What are you doing for Passover? Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:10 pm

Esf - but are your seders nice? Chabad seder is lukewarm brisket and chicken broth . . . if it was good, maybe.

Dena, actually, I always get the sense that the Chabad rabbi doesn't think the ritual stuff is very cool so he flies right through it. Our home seder is long, but that's because we spend time making it awesome.

I don't think seder hosting is really that scary. Even if you don't know the ritual stuff, there are good haggadot that explain everything. Cooking could be, but it depends on your audience. :)

Posts: 84 Join date: 2012-01-02

They are very nice yes.. I wouldn't ever spend that much on a meal normally, but it was definitely worth it last year :)

Subject: Springhill Avenue Temple Seder-First night Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:53 am

I really appreciate the haroset being a disabled VET/Construction Laborer. This year I looked forward to singing Had Gadyah. The Symbolism of the number glasses of wine was fresh in my mind; as well as for the Matzos. Pesach, Matzah and Maror.

Posts: 33 Join date: 2013-03-09

Chabad (coming from someone who has family who are Chabadniks) whiz through a lot of the Seder because their community Seders are for Kiruv and they don't think that most secular Jews will sit through an entire Seder, particularly in Hebrew. They generally have a second Seder after for their family and any observant Jews they might know there. If you watch carefully, you'll even see that they don't eat most of the food since it is gebrokts and made mainly for the sake of the secular Jews who would not want to eat a gebrokts-free Pesach meal.

Chabad home Seders are very long and filled with the "ritual stuff." Very Happy

What you're seeing is the Chabad Rabbi having to play to the lowest common denominator. To him, likely, getting people to attend something who likely otherwise wouldn't, is more important than getting them through an entire Seder.

I skipped the community Seder this year (long story), but dh and the kids went and had fun. We hosted our own Seder the second night and it was wonderful. :)