Rabbi's Messages

on Sunday, 23 March 2014.

RABBI'S MESSAGE FOR APRIL 2014

The old joke is that the real Four Questions are:

Can we eat yet?
Can we eat yet?
Can we eat yet?
Can we eat yet?

Many of us have unfortunate memories of sitting at long, mumbly Pesach Seders and asking exactly these questions. But the Seder is actually meant to be just the opposite: an engaging journey through an ancient tale; an opportunity for parents to delight their children with songs and stories; a chance for every member of the community to be engaged at their own level.

Here are my humble suggestions for keeping the Seder interesting:

1. EAT! You don’t have to wait until the story has been told to chow down. We all listen better on a full stomach, so put out appetizers at the beginning of the Seder.
    
2. Be Prepared to Make a Fool of Yourself. Dress as your favourite character. Hang streamers on the doorway to “part the Red Sea.”
    
3. Include Everyone. Telling the Passover story through dramatic improv is 100 times more interesting than listening to it being mumbled. Get out of your seat, move around, and be active!
    
4. SING! Enough said. If you don’t know the Passover songs, sing other songs. How many pop songs can you think of that are appropriate to themes of freedom and slavery?
    
5. Discussion Questions. The Seder is an intellectual exercise. As we sit around the table, it is our goal to relate the themes of the ancient story to the world around us. Some questions could include: “Who or what enslaves us today?”; “Which of the Four Children are you and why?”; and (my personal favourite) “Who are the Pharaoh and Moses of the year?”.
    
6. Age-appropriate entertainment. Dress-up and silliness are great for the kids, but the Seder should speak to adults as well. How about “Four Cups Wine Tasting?” How about an international charoset contest? Be creative!
    

Just for fun, here is a link to a short piece that I wrote a few years ago (and used at my Seder), called "The Four Children of Star Wars". Enjoy!

May it be a meaningful and enjoyable holiday season for all of our community. If you don’t have plans for the second night of Pesach, consider joining Kol Ami for our first Second Night Seder, April 15 at 6 pm. Cost is $36 for adults and $25 for kids under 13. Contact Ella in the office at 905-709-2620 x3 or admin@kolami.ca to register.

Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Micah Streiffer