Sayder at the JCC Manhattan was rocking and lively. Highlights include Rev. Derrick’s story of an Ethiopian slave, a fascinating conversation about the meaning of this story to our lives today, the vat of Rabbi Amichai’s home-ground horserradish Maror that became an alter of tears, Julian Fleisher’s hip shaking jazzy rendition of I Will Survive, and a parsley sprinkling ritual by our Zen brothers.
Five year old Tom stole the Halfikoman and, per our rules, chose an organization to receive a financial gift of $700 donated by all the guests that night. There was a long list of organizations advancing freedom and justice in the world texted in by the Sayder participants earlier, including the ACLU, Muslim-Jewish Counsel, the US Military, and, proudly, the New Israel Fund.
With a bit of help from his parents Tom chose My Child’s Cancer, a non-profit supporting families at their most challenging times. Next week Tom will be going along with his parents, Naomi Less and Rabbi Amichai to learn more about this organization and hand them our gift.
Is supporting families with medical crises in the realm of fighting for human freedom and dignity, ala the story of Exodus? That conversation started at Sayder and now continues online. A night of questions keeps questioning going.
On the Second Night, Rabbi Amichai and Lab/Shul friends and volunteers joined the Project ORE community for a Second Seder led by Rabbi Amichai, Anna Chapman, a Cantorial student at JTS, and impromptu performances by members of the Dzieci theater company…including the whackiest Elijah entrance and performance any of us could remember.
And a huge thank you to over 50 Lab/Shul community hosts and guests who made Seder matching magic, welcoming new faces around their home tables across New York. From one of the guests:
“Your Seder Match was the best thing that could have happened to me this weekend! Thank you for your thoughtful match – it was so beautiful seeing three generations of their family celebrate together. I even joined their family again on the 2nd night since we were neighbors!” – R., Brooklyn
And if that wasn’t enough, we also marched our talk today at A Passover Seder & Jericho Walk in Solidarity with Immigrants and will be joining the NYC Commission on Human Rights and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, along with faith and civic partners from across the city, at the Interfaith Seder for Immigrant and Refugee Justice. FREE – LAST DAY TO RSVP IS TODAY!
