Hey,
So tonight was my first Passover Seder (pronounced Sader) at Elizabeth's house in Brooklyn -- Elizabeth is a friend of Eleanor's, whom we have also befriended. I knew nothing of this Jewish celebration until 5:15 pm tonight when Tomoko very intelligently suggested that I might like to research a little about this event before I launched into matza and bitter herbs. Tomoko has been to several Seders and has a solid feel for the rituals which go hand-in-hand with this cultural event. Unfortunately, she was not able to give the precise description to me, explaining, "It's the Jewish Thanksgiving - lots of food, lots of relatives." A quick ten minute chow down on the Wikipedia database revealed a crash course into understanding Passover Seder... Did you read it? The link stuff is good - no? If you didn't read the link - and you don't know anything about Seder and you get invited to go - not to worry, the best thing about the ceremony is that it is very considerately explained to you as you go through it -- drinking strategic glasses of wine along the way -- it actually is written, "drink now" in the Haggadah. If you are considerate enough to read the link (that I painstakingly put into the blog) you will know that even the poorest man is OBLIGED to drink at least four glasses of wine (or pure grape juice) at Seder. Tomoko's first comment I remember at the table tonight was, "It's like a drinking game!" -- right then it all fell in to place - this is why she likes Seder so much.
Elizabeth's Seder was as tasteful as it was engaging. Elizabeth, who is a vegetarian, created a wonderful and innovative vegetarian meal that ended in the most beautiful flourless chocolate cake I have had at anyone's house - ever.
The guests are what made the evening the most enjoyable. We met a bonafide Frisbee World Champion and now avid kite surfer and his two groovy kids. We met a Tai chi master who is exhibiting his photographs in Essen, Germany, and his beautiful Columbian wife, a sculptress. All the while Finnea, Elizabeth's adoptive African American daughter, now two, wowed the crowd with sentences in English and French (she can also say "kiss" in Arabic). She is well on her way to being tri-lingual at age two - bugger I'm jealous.
All-in-all a great evening. Certainly one to inspire anticipations for next year. I am NO LONGER a Seder virgin.
Cheerio,
David
P.S. Tomoko doesn't really regard Seder as a "drinking game." There are aspects of reading the Haggadah that she loves and by which she is moved (e.g. opening the door to let the Elijah in to the home... she also likes the part when the matza's hidden for the kids to find, which we didn't do today). But mostly, she likes the cultural and communal aspect of Seder, which is why she relates it to Thanksgiving. But be warned. There are rumours circulating that sometimes the ceremony - wine or no - can go on for FAR too long. I've heard as long as two hours before you can eat anything more substantial than matza and bitter (salty bathed) herbs.
