A Word from Rabbi Schulman - 4/3/2020

Reciting Mah Nishtanah at our Passover Seder is going to take on all new meaning this year. It is not merely a rhetorical question to ask, “How is this night different from all other nights?”

The answer is readily apparent.We will be missing many of the elements that we treasure about Pesach: having multi-generations gathered around the table; being surrounded by many family and friends; and celebrating as a community at our 2nd Night Seder.

Passover, which begins next Wednesday night, will be radically different from any other.

Yet that does not mean that each of us should not strive to make Pesach as joyful as possible.

For the past weeks, I have been searching for resources that can enliven your Seder. First and foremost, what should you do if you do not have copies of a Haggadah at home? The CCAR Press has made available a free Flipbook Haggadah here.

If you desire a Haggadah in a different format, Sarah Benor, a faculty member of HUC-JIR in LA, has created a fabulous PowerPoint Haggadah. This is a great tool if you are Zooming your Seder!

If you are looking for resources for how to make your Seder lively, engaging and meaningful, here are great suggestions from the URJ.

What if you have younger children at home? The best guide to Pesach activities I have seen comes courtesy of Rabbis Emily and Scott Segal at the Aspen Jewish Congregation.

Sheltering-in-Place places a restriction on inviting people who are single from joining a Seder. What do you do if you are alone on Pesach? Here is a remarkable post by Josh Weiner about what you can do to make your night meaningful.

Lastly, if you have no specific plans on Wednesday night, I want to invite you to my home. Rabbi Eve, our daughter Rebecca, and I will be hosting a first night virtual Seder. Further information about how to join our Seder will be sent out beforehand.

Mah Nishtanah? This year’s Pesach will be unlike any previous one we have experienced. Nonetheless, let us celebrate this festival with joy and infuse Passover with renewed meaning.