Submitted by Jerry Greenspan
To the Passover Seder
I’m one of 20 gathered for a Passover Seder.
Diana and I have counted 18 years of such occasions.
Hosting has moved from Harriett’s to Cathy’s table,
But the spirit that brought us here still reigns.
We gather at this table in a shared belief
That humanity in its search for peace and acceptance
May sing, laugh and embrace strangers.
It is the music; some original, that propels the evening.
Insight into the Passover Seder mandates the serving
Of a substantial meal and the drinking of wine.
Both are essential aspects of this celebratory evening.
For we are able, thousands of years after the first Passover,
To rejoice in the freedom those Jews achieved and
We now possess.
Each of us is invited to recite a portion of the Haggadah.
The story of the Jews, who, with god’s blessing,
Escaped Egyptian slavery, and offered a prayer
For the fallen Egyptians.
For this occasion being Jewish is not mandatory,
Being part of a call for peace and understanding is.
As in past years, not all attendees are Jewish.