The Passover Table

Passover is a time that we open our door to friends, family and even those we do not know.  I was so used to opening the door for Elijah or, symbolically at the beginning of the Seder, when we recite, “Let all who are hungry come and eat” that I never really thought about it.  My childhood seders, after all, were filled with family and not strangers.

For many of the years I lived in Muncie, Indiana, as Faculty Advisor to a small Hillel group I founded, 25-30 young people came to our home for the first Seder. It was wonderful to invite these young people, whether it was their first or 18^th seder.

“John” was enrolled in the Holocaust Literature class that I taught for more than a decade. He knew that I worked with Hillel and asked me one day after class if he could come to the Seder.  I knew he wasn’t Jewish and tried to dissuade him.  He was very intense in an unusual way, and after a few moments, I reluctantly agreed.  I forgot about this in the wave of work preceding Passover and only remembered when he offered to stay after the Seder to help clean up.

“You may wonder why I wanted so much to come to a Seder.  I have never been to one before.” I waited knowing that a story was about to emerge. “My grandmother died this summer, and before she died, while my mother and I were at her bedside, she told us that she was Jewish. We were shocked, even though we knew she had gone through hard times during WWII in Poland. When she came to the US, she had told no one she was Jewish and she started a new life. Even my late grandfather never knew.  No one was left in her family to dispute who she was.  My grandmother asked how I felt about her now that I knew she was Jewish.  I held her hand and told her how I loved her. She died shortly after.”

John continued, “I have this hunger to know everything about the Holocaust and about Judaism, which is why I signed up for your class. And when I heard you had a Seder, I wanted to come.”

Around the Seder table sit the great diversity of the Jewish community: Passover is the most celebrated of all Jewish holidays. But still, there are many are not at the table–  those apart from the Jewish community, those who have pushed away that part of themselves, or those estranged from family.

Each of us has an opportunity to open the door these people.  I am blessed to be at Addlestone where I can say each day, “Let all who are hungry come and eat. “We fill our table with so much to learn and even more importantly, with love and welcome for all who wish to join us. 

Neil and I wish you and your family, those at your table, and those for whom the door is always open, a most happy, healthy and meaningful Pesach.

Pesach marathon

I told some colleagues last Friday that I was beginning the marathon this weekend. One said, “Oh, I didn’t know you were doing the Ravenel Bridge run.”  I laughed. “Not THAT marathon–the Pesach cleaning marathon!”  The Pesach marathon is only for the strong of body and spirit–and I am in the midst of it, as well as working.  We who get ready for a kosher Pesach have to be very strong ofspirit!

Actually, I work so hard because I love Passover and all the days leading up to it. At school I love the children singing the songs of the seder, looking at all the projects, participating in the Early Childhood sedarim. Today, I visited the EC2 Seder with Rabbi Alexander and the EC3 Seder with Moreh Shlomi and Rabbi Admon.  The children were so excited and had learned so much. The looks on the faces of the children reminded us of the true meaning of the holiday–that the next generation are the guarantors of the future of the Jewish people. That is why we are at Addlestone–because what we receive here is a true blessing, whether we are children, parents, teachers or staff.

Debut on Stage with OZ!

Today was a turning point in my life–I made my stage debut as Aunti Em in OZ!  The reviews were raves!  (Ok, from my mom and husband–but they said I was great!)  I am starting small–6 or 7 lines, but life many never return to normal again.

Big thanks to my make up artists Lara LeRoy and Lori Gleaton, my coaches Joan Hutchins and Jessica Belger and the dozens of great actors and actresses that I share the stage with–the great kids of Addlestone Hebrew Academy.

Two more performances (Wednesday and Thursday night) to share the yellow brick road!  What a great day for all of us at school.

Accreditation visit to Epstein School in Atlanta

I am in Atlanta as part of the SAIS Visiting Team to accredit the Epstein School.  So interesting to meet the Accreditation Team of fellow educators. This is one of the great parts of being on a team–meeting and sharing with fellow administrators and teachers.

Visiting the school itself is energizing!  Seeing all their good ideas, how they experience the same wonderful environment of a Jewish school community and how they confront so many of the same challenges that we do. Their innovations and solutions are so beneficial for us to see and for us to offer commendations to the staff and families of the Epstein School.  (May take a few back to Charleston!)  It was great t0 speak Hebrew with the Judaic Staff, do the usual Jewish geography and see the strong and healthy level of Jewish education in the USA.

So reminiscent of our own (very successful) Accreditation Team visit this past November. A very positive process which gave Addlestone an affirming look at how we are meeting our own mission and vision, how we have implemented a continuous process of improvement and and how we were given the stamp of approval from the Southern Association of Independent Schools, with its high standards.  I know it will give the Epstein School the same affirmation.

This is truly a learning experience that is engaging and inspiring.

Pesach in view!

As soon as I begin collected the goodies from the Mishloach Manot from Purim I begin to think of Passover.  ”No!”  I cry when my husband goes shopping (he is amazing to do this all the time!) and he buys something with chametz.  No bread, no pasta, no beans- I feel the clock ticking quickly. This is especially felt as I work until one day before the Seder.  Can days be expanded to 60 hours in stead of 24?

A few days ago, I met with our wonderful kindergarten and EC4 teacher, Alli Debrow to plan our school sedarim.  Is this really possible?

More Jews celebrate Pesach than any other holiday.  What is special about Pesach for you?  What are your favorite Passover foods? songs?  memories? smells?

Get ready for the Four Questions!

Ides of March

I suppose all of us think of Julius Caesar when we think of today’s date.  A little foreboding and a sense of relief when the day is past.

But this day was an ordinary one on the Roman calendar, merely meaning the 13th or the 15th day of the month–usually on the full moon.  The dates as we use them today were not in existence at the time for the Romans.  The first of the month was called Kalends, where we get our name for calendar. Nones was the 5th or 7th day of the month.  Days were counted backwards from each of these days, somewhat confusing.

The Jewish calendar, in existence before this, was basically the same as we use today, with some slight adjustments  made to  make it a solar-lunar calendar and keep the holidays in the same seasons. The Moslem calendar, a pure lunar calendar, has holidays that float through the seasons over the year.

So happy Ides of March!

Porch Sitting

 

Here’s what I love about Charleston. On a February Shabbat afternoon,  I could sit on the porch and bask in the sun.  Nursing a bad cold, I closed my eyes, saw the colors turn orange and felt the warm rays.  Comfy and wrapped in a large silk shawl, I read and waved to neighbors walking by.  I still have my cold, but couldn’t have it in a better place.