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A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

A nonprofit, independent news source to inform, inspire, educate and connect the St. Louis Jewish community.

St. Louis Jewish Light

Passover

Rabbi Mordecai “Yari” Yaroslawitz (right) holds frequent, large gatherings at his home in University City but was unable to do so this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. File photo: Bill Motchan

For St. Louis Jews, Passover seders featured more empty chairs, not empty rituals

By Eric Berger, Associate EditorPublished April 14, 2020

One might think that Passover seders, the meals during which we eat matzah, the bread of affliction, and other special foods, might have been dry occasions this year because of people’s inability to gather in large numbers due to social distancing guidelines.And...

In new Passover children’s books, meet a googly eyed gator and spend a seder in outer space

Penny SchwartzPublished April 3, 2020

BOSTON (JTA) — Miriam the Prophetess, Elijah the Prophet and the Four Questions take center stage among this spring’s crop of new Passover books for kids penned by some of today’s best writers.The sparkling assortment includes stories by Jane Yolen,...

Marcie Handler conducts a Zoom videoconferencing meeting with her family.

Families will grow real memories from virtual, Zoom seders

By Ellie S. Grossman, Special to the Jewish LightPublished April 2, 2020

Passover is a cherished Jewish holiday that celebrates our journey from the bitterness of slavery to the sweetness of freedom, a paradoxical theme amidst the plague of COVID-19. During this global pandemic, we are socially distant and socially isolated,...

Gay Goldenberg seder plate

Seder plate stories

Ellen Futterman, EditorPublished April 2, 2020

When we asked readers to send us unique and/or interesting stories about their favorite seder plate, we weren’t sure what we would get back. But luckily, a few had some entertaining tales to tell.From Gay Goldenberg, 72, of Town & Country, a B’nai Amoona...

Having a solo Passover seder? There are plenty of guides for you.

Gabe FriedmanPublished March 31, 2020

(JTA) — Social distancing, stress, fear, a real-life plague — Passover amid the COVID-19 outbreak is shaping up to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. As many Jews across the country and the world prepare to hold seders on their own, apart from family...

A very overwhelmed Maya Mirsky in the Passover aisle at the grocery store. (Nina Lukacs) 

Let my people know: This is the first time I’ve had to plan a seder

Maya MirskyPublished March 30, 2020

(J. The Jewish News of Northern California) — How long does a seder really have to be? “No, we can’t just say ‘They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat!” I tell my daughters. There’s some negotiation until I promise it’ll be 10 minutes....

Margi Lenga Kahn

Challenging times call for a different kind of seder

By Margi Lenga Kahn, Special to the Jewish LightPublished March 26, 2020

What frightening and challenging times we are living in, when our daily lingo now includes “social distancing,” “self-quarantining” and “sheltering in place.”One of the four questions asked each year at the Passover seder is, “How is this...

Passover in a pandemic: Families on Zoom, solo seders and broken traditions

Ben SalesPublished March 17, 2020

(JTA) — Rena Munster was looking forward to hosting a Passover seder for the first time.In past years, her parents or another relative hosted the meal. But this year she had invited her parents, siblings and other extended family to her Washington,...

In Corinne Darvish's family, gently smacking others with green onion ‘swords’ is a Passover tradition. Photo: Anna Armbrust from Pixabay

Seder looks, tastes different in Sephardic tradition

By Corinne Darvish, Special to the Jewish LightPublished April 19, 2019

I love seder. I look forward to it all year. The heaping platters of rice, some colored and flavored with the beautiful essence of saffron, with sautéed julienne carrots and kidney beans mixed in, others with raisins and cinnamon. Helping prepare, I...

An Illinois business, J.R. Kelly, used to send postcards to horseradish manufacturers on the East Coast.

Midwestern roots of a seder staple: Just across the river is America’s horseradish hub

By Eric Berger, Associate EditorPublished April 18, 2019

This story was originally published on April 18, 2019. Steven Gold says horseradish got its name because it’s the “galloping root. It used to grow wild.” Other sources provide different origin stories, but regardless, the vegetable, now grown...

Kids at Jennifer Abadi’s seder make hamsas of sorts with haroset. (Courtesy of Abadi)

6 quirky Passover traditions to inspire your seder

Rachel RinglerPublished April 16, 2019

(JTA) — There are several do’s and don’ts when it comes to the Passover seder: what we may or may not eat, and the story we are obliged to tell. Within these guidelines, how do 21st-century American Jews manage to keep Passover engaging and alive?Some...

Traditional symbols on a seder plate for Passover.

Seder is a time to reflect on family, values, history

By Ryan Silver, Freshman, Ladue Horton Watkins High SchoolPublished April 11, 2019

Almost 3,000 years ago, the Jewish people were freed from slavery in Egypt. Since then, Jews across the world have celebrated Passover to remember the historic event. Passover begins on the 15th night of Nisan — this year at sundown Friday, April 19...

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