The festival of Freedom
Comes happily in spring—
Freedom for a people,
And every growing thing.
Freedom from a bitter
Bondage long long ago.
Freedom from the bondage
Of winter’s cold and snow.
--PASSOVER, by A. Fisher
Friday, April 18, 6 pm, Phoenix Hall, UCM
Passover Seder
The Seder is a family-friendly
observance of the first night of Passover, the eight day Jewish celebration of
the early Jews’ Exodus from Egypt. It begins with a ritual
feast as we read the Haggadah, a
special ceremonial script, together,
and
ends with more good food and singing!
The Haggadah includes prayers,
songs and a section where the oldest
child present reads four important questions which the group responds to, and a
game involving the special matzoh (or piece of unleavened flat “bread” like a
large unsalted soda cracker), which is hidden and then searched for, with
rewards for the finders. The whole event
is a very visceral, five-senses way to take a look at an important ancient
story in Judeo-Christian culture and at issues of oppression. Many variations of Haggadot exist –ours will be a very UU-flavoured one, but there is
much to enjoy and learn from in the evening, and I hope many families who
attend UCM will attend. Shalom!
