Pesach Program

Have you ever had multiple youtube tabs open on your computer that all start playing at once? Imagine about 10 of them --  each playing a different part from the end of the Pesach seder at the same time: Eliyahu Hanavi, Hallel, Bentsching, Bashanah Haba'ah b'Yerushalim, Adir Hu, Echad Mi Yodea and about 3 different versions of Chad Gadya. 

This year we did the unthinkable and decided to attend a Pesach program away from home. There are many things to say about this and most I've heard people say discuss:

-Cost 

-Would it feel like Pesach or not?

-Such a relief not having to cook and clean!

-A vacation in which you don't have to choose between time with family or going somewhere new.

-Weather!

This other thing that we experienced was not what I expected. The program we chose has, in the past, only been advertised to French speakers. This year they opened it up to Americans like us and shared a room with 14 other tables, all different families conducting their own Pesach seders. It was a challenge in many ways. So loud we could barely hear each other talk. 

But when all those singing tabs were "open," something shifted. In a world where it has been so stressful to be Jewish and seen as Jewish, it was a miracle to be in a place that felt so safe and that contained such beautiful chaos. Our room was still singing after all the other dining rooms emptied out and it was glorious. Singing as loud as we could above each other in in competition to hear ourselves, each bringing with us our heritage - individual and shared and everything in between.