Passover

Monday afternoon, first night of Passover is tonight. I'm taking a break from preparations. Tonight we are hosting 10 for a Seder. Tomorrow night we are hosting a reunion Seder with the cousins from my Mom's side. All my Passover Seders growing up were with these cousins. Passover and Thanksgiving have always been neck and neck as my favorite holidays. Lately, Passover is starting to pull away. Here are the top 10 things I like about Passover:

10. Usually there are people there you haven't seen for awhile.
9. At least for the first two days, the Passover specific foods (matzo, horseradish, matzo ball soup, charoses, hard boiled eggs, macaroons, Maneschevitz wine) taste GREAT.
8. Whether you host the Seder, or visit someone elses, however they choose to conduct it is perfect.
7. You always remember Passover. When there are kids at the Seder, you know they will always remember it too.
6. Strangers and non-Jewish people are always welcome.
5. Hearing the songs the way you heard them as a child.
4. Everybody understands the holiday in their own way, and everybody is OK with that.
3. Matzo brei for breakfast.
2. Thinking about the value of freedom never gets old.
1. Continuity - At the beginning of Passover I always think that all over the world, Jewish people are doing the same thing we are. They have been since the days of Moses. People can be skeptical about a lot of things, but the telling and retelling of the Passover story is an unbroken and unbreakable chain. May it always be!

לשנה הבאה בירושלים

Next year in Jerusalem.