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In Bucharest, Two Mothers Spearhead Community Seders
"I always wanted to be Moses," says 10-year-old Gabriel with charming sincerity and a matter-of-fact tone. "He did a good thing by taking the Jews out of Egypt." Already taking upon himself a leadership role within the Jewish community of Romania, Florin led this year's seder for children and families at the synagogue in Bucharest.
His sister Dana, age six, took on a primary role as well, lighting the ceremonial candle and reciting the blessing to begin the holiday. Other youngsters recited explanations for the symbolism of different parts of the seder, and all of the participants together recited "The Four Questions". Gabriel’s and Dana’s mother, organized the community seder and taught the children their parts. At home, she involved her children in the Pesach preparations, including cooking special local foods such as sponge cake. She was proud of to watch Gabriel patiently answer his sister's inquiries about the ten plagues. "Now that we have children, the entire Pesach celebration has much more depth," says Gabriel’s and Dana’s mother. "Sitting at the seder table surrounded by my children, husband, parents, and in-laws is one of the most incredible feelings." And this is the general sentiment among the renascent Jewish community of Romania, which with each passing year brings more Jewish traditions into the home. Romania's is one of many Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe for whom Passover bears a particular significance. Here, where the combination of Nazism and decades of Communist rule nearly eradicated Jewish life, renascent communities echo of the redemption of the Jewish people from oppression in Egypt. JDC is at the forefront of this Jewish resurgence, funding and developing programs to meet the material and spiritual needs of local Jews through the Jewish Federation of Romania (FEDROM). Ileana, age 80, fondly recalls the family seders she enjoyed growing up. "For Passover my mother would buy new dishes and no bread was allowed in the house," shares the bright, engaging senior. She and her three sisters were raised with a strong Jewish identity, which she has managed to maintain to this day through her own intellectual curiosity. In her golden years, Ileana, too, is an integral part of the renewal of Jewish community life today in the Romanian capital. "My favorite part of the community seder held at the Bucharest Jewish Community Center (JCC) this year was the discussion the rabbi led on the significance of different parts of the Haggadah," says Ileana, who was among the 200 participants. "My family’s seders were short and mainly focused on the meal. I found the seder this year to be very beautiful and enriching." Roxana, age 25, was one of the people responsible for organizing a community seder at the JCC, sponsored by JDC through FEDROM. She engaged the local youth in a special seder using Haggadot in Hebrew and Romanian. "Everyone participated by sharing an idea they had learned or telling a story about a past seder experience," explains Roxana, whose mother spearheaded a community seder for 35 people in her hometown of Suceava. The two women planned an extensive menu, which Roxana also leveraged to host 15 friends in her home for the second seder. "We had appetizers, two kinds of soup, chicken, meat roll, cabbage, and three desserts," says the young woman, proudly. She insisted on organizing one communal seder and one in her home. "I grew up going to the community seder on the first night and having a seder at home with my family on the second night," explains Roxana. "I have strong positive memories of my grandfather and father arguing over different points in the Haggadah. Now that I live in Bucharest, I wanted to continue creating these kinds of memories for myself." April 2007 |
