"Gringa":White chick
April 3rd at sundown marked the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Most people associate this holiday with the “weird tasteless cracker thing,” that Jews eat during the period of Passover instead of leavened bread. For others, Passover (known as Pesach) represents chewy gummy orange slices in all different colors, macaroons, chocolates, good food, and good company. Simply put, Passover is the time when the Israelites left the enslavement of the Pharaoh in Egypt. We remember our enslavement and celebrate our freedom while remembering the 10 plagues that G-d set forth to help us escape. For me personally religion in general has not always been the easiest thing to grasp and understand as words and stories written so long ago are not always relatable now. However I enjoy the traditions, customs, and company that Judaism brings. Traditions vary over time and place, however some things remain the same. Every year at the end of the Passover seder, everyone says, “Next year in Jerusalem.” However in the past 4 years I have celebrated Passover in 3 different countries. In Costa Rica, I found my way to a small temple that hosted around 50 people for their seder that was in Hebrew, Spanish, and English. In the United States, we have had small family seders and seders with other families and friends, sometimes Jewish, sometimes not. This year I found myself in Cusco, Peru for the first night of Passover. I searched online to see if there were any synagogues in Cusco, not expecting to find much. However, Google immediately spit out tons of articles about some of the largest Passover seders in the world. One of those being Cusco, Peru. Apparently the Chabad group in Cusco hosts a seder with hundreds of people from all over the world every year, undergoing days of meticulous preparation, and even recruiting the help of rabbis and rabbinical students from all over the world. I met some rabbis from California, New York, Canada, Uruguay, Israel, and more. I was at first very nervous to attend this seder. When I went to get my ticket, I talked to a man that knew very little English, and I know no Hebrew. My extent of Hebrew is probably limited to 10 very insignificant words, including the 3 numbers I could say in Hebrew. Therefore, I knew that it would be a cultural rollercoaster, but that it would be a rollercoaster worth riding. I arrived and felt like I had just walked into a square in Tel Aviv or it very well could have been a bus in China. Everyone was speaking Hebrew, and I had not a clue what was going on. The streets were packed side to side for as far as I could see. Those of you who have run races especially like the Cooper River Bridge Run know this feeling, a group of people for as far as you can see running in what appears to be one unit, the motivation and excitement bursting out from the large crowd. The crowd in front of the Chabad was just like this. As I waited in line, the 400 or so people from the previous seder walked out as the next 500 people waited to enter. In total, at least 900 people attended the two seders. Where did all of these people come from? Many are Israelis that are traveling throughout South America after their service in the Army. In addition, there were people from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Canada, and the USA, just to name a few. The feeling of being at this seder was like none other and almost indescribable. About 98% of the two and a half hour seder was in Hebrew. I understood practically nothing, but I somehow felt extremely connected to every person in the room. Everyone was excited to be sharing the Passover experience with the person sitting next to them, stranger or long-time friend alike. The prayers may have been said or sung slightly differently, but when the room sang, everyone sang loudly and full of excitement, clapping and banging their feet or hands against the table and the floor. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt we learn that Miriam led the group in joyous song. The singing at this seder, I believe, is the closest experience to what it would have been like singing with Miriam. Regardless of country, language, or sect of Judaism, It was unifying. It would be like celebrating Christmas with hundreds of people, pastors, and priests from all over the world. Imagine the amazing vibe of connectedness you would find. One guy even stood up and spoke of his experiences of traveling and not knowing what will come next and how he was at a crossroad between traveling and beginning work upon his return to Israel. This is a feeling of which at least 80% of the room could relate. I have never felt at home in any place of worship to be honest. Many, clearly not all, people dress up to show off the latest fashion or their new cute outfit, and I’ll admit I have been guilty of this as well. This to me does not define a place where I would ever be able to pray comfortably. Instead I find that I feel most connected outside of a building whether that be at home running, in Patagonia feeling miniscule next to incredible mountains, or the Amazon rainforest. But there we were, together travelers, many of us in whatever clothes were clean out of our pack, likely jeans, a shirt, and a pair of hiking boots. It didn’t matter. We were all together celebrating a journey that is both past and present. This will surely be a seder that I will never forget. Chag Sameach. (Happy Passover) Next year in…? L’chaim. (To Life)
4 Comments
Tricia
4/4/2015 04:21:25 am
Happy Passover! Next year -- USA
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Kelly Markiewitz
4/4/2015 04:56:31 am
This was much larger than our Seder of 3! Glad you were able to go. Thanks for sharing with us!
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Gloria and Sandy Rosenfeld
4/4/2015 06:49:33 am
Really enjoyed the blog. Almost felt like we were there. Keep 'em coming.
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Charles & Faye Rister
4/4/2015 12:22:28 pm
Enjoyed reading about your experience.
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Photo used under Creative Commons from Felipe Arias U.