Scenes from Spring: Passover

It's SPRING in Cincinnati- And that must mean it's time again for Passover.  Now if you'll remember from our blog while in San Fran -(Passover 2008)- Passover with Mary and Fouad is one of the most special evenings of our year.  And this year we were back-and were we ever ready! PS: In case you're confused- yes we were back in Cincy last spring- but last spring Fouad and Mary went to NJ for the family Passover- so we celebrated the Persian New Year (Persian New Year 2009) instead.  Though I loved the new celebration- I have to say it just wasn't the same.  I'm a creature of habit- and I missed all that Passover means to me.  And of course Don and I could celebrate Passover without the Ezra's- why just him and me maybe- but it just wouldn't be the same. 
Passover is such a beautiful blend of the sacred and the secular- the private ritual with many overlays of ancient traditions. I think Passover is meant to be celebrated in a group- multiple layers of family and friends- each bringing their own unique perspective. And then of course with Fouad, the Passover celebration reaches back through to the years he lived with his family in Iran- and then even to the years before that when his father lived with his family in Iraq.  That's what I mean about all the layers of meaning this occasion brings to our lives.

But of course the WONDERFUL FUN is always Fouad's- and the WONDERFUL FOOD is always Mary's!

Passover begins in the kitchen:

Fouad making explanation- with the serious attention of Don, Deseree and Selena...Having children at Passover is always important to Fouad.  So Deseree and Anthony came with us this year and Deseree brought long her BFF Selena.

The lighting of the candles- by all who gathered- but then finally by Mary and Fouad...This was a new addition this year.  Fouad always adds a new twist to Passover each year and this year one of them was lighting these candle.

And the new "tradition"- CROSSING THE RED SEA!  Fouad always brings new adventures and crossing the Red Sea (OK, so it was a P&G Christmas Basket blanket, but we all crossed it anyway).  And note that this Moses doesn't sound exactly like Charleston Heston.

And "hiding" from the plagues...(need I mention how very, very, very much fun Passover with Fouad is...)

And the more traditional...

The washing of hands...

Listening the Fouad read the Hebrew- and repeating the ancient words after him...

And I love- absolutely love- that both Passover and Easter keep the "fertility symbol" from more "pagan" traditions... Now spring celebrations of all sorts understand how central is this rebirth after the long, dark, cold, empty winter.  So spring celebrations are briming with the symbolism- think eggs and bunnies and flowers and lamb and of course "where a man's fancy turns".  But the egg is front and center...

 

So "Next year at Fouad and Mary's"- we'd love to have you join us!

PS:  One final note- Fouad LOVES- I mean- REALLY LOVES Matzo.  So he took us down to the basement to see his "private collection"- and even sent us home with a box of our very own!  In case you can't quite count them, there are nine cases of Matzo.  Fouad hopes it will last him about 6 months.