Learning About The Seder

By Kaaren Valenta

Gathered together in a spirit of fellowship and a desire to learn more about the Seder dinner that traditionally begins the eight-day Passover celebration, two dozen people sat in the St Rose of Lima Parish Hall Monday evening, listening intently to Mandy Monaco.

Ms Monaco already had presented parts of a model Seder to the 200 sixth graders in the St Rose Religious Education Program; now it was the adults’ turn.

“Passover begins at sundown on Monday, April 5,” Ms Monaco said. “Jesus’ last supper was a Passover seder. It is an eight-day celebration that recalls the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Celebrating Passover means rediscovering our inner freedom.”

Jews celebrate on the first and second days of the holiday by having a traditional and symbolic meal known as a Seder, she explained.

Using the B’nai Israel’s model Seder, written both in Hebrew and English, she led the participants through the Passover celebration beginning with a glass of wine, the first of four that are drunk to recall the four promises given by God in connection with the Exodus: “I will bring you out, I will deliver you, I redeem you, and I will take you unto Me.”

“The word Seder means order and is a good description for our celebration because we follow a special order of ritual prayer and historical declaration,” she said. “The Seder as we know it is almost 2,000 years old.”

The food and drink eaten during a Seder are meant to represent the hardships faced on the road from Egypt.

A roasted or hard-boiled egg symbolizes renewal, rebirth, and life’s eternal circle. The roasted lamb shank represents the sacrificial Passover lamb, known as the Pesach. The word itself described how God “passed over” the houses of the Jews in Egypt on the night of the plague. Matzah, made from flour and water, is the unleavened dough prepared — without time to rise — during the quick escape from Egypt. Marror, or bitter herbs (typically horseradish) describe the bitter suffering of the Jews in Egypt. Karpas — parsley, celery tops, or onion — are dipped in salt water to represent the tears of slavery. Another portion of greens, such as endive or lettuce, symbolize spring. Charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, and wine, represents that in every situation, however sad or bitter, some sweetness can be found.

“It also represents the mortar that was used by the Israelites to make the temples for the pharaoh,” Ms Monaco said.

Of all the symbols, the three most important are the Pesach, the matzah, and the marror, she said.

The dinner also included gefilte fish, made from tilapia, a type of white fish, by Ms Monaco’s neighbor, Colleen Clifford.

“This is first class, top-of-the-line gefilte fish,” Ms Monaco said. “It’s the best gefilte fish ever made.”

There also was matzah ball soup, baked chicken, a noodle pudding called kugel, chocolate chip macaroons, and fresh fruit.

The model Seder was the second annual presentation by Ms Monaco, who plans to hold another next year. The public is invited to attend.