Despite my devout atheism and rejection of all Jewish theology (as well as all Christian, Muslim, or any other theology), I do love Passover. What's not to love? (Especially after you decide you won't follow the dietary restrictions any more.)
The story is a rousing one, with epic highs and lows. It has the brutal yoke of slavery, followed by freedom from bondage; it has an all-powerful, destructive, and demanding god, who is also loving; it has the greatest of heroes, who is also a flawed human; and it has the delivery of Law. On top of that, the story is told and observed in a way that begs for reflection. It both retells the past and looks to the future. There is also the movie. No Jewish American can think of Passover without thinking of the Charlton Heston portrayal. It may be campy, but it is indelibly etched. The tradition by which Jews have celebrated Passover imbues the holiday with additional significance. Literally, over millenia and on every continent -- and even in the darkest of dark times -- Jews have always tried to hold Seders to mark the beginning of Passover. There is something moving about that. And, finally, as an American -- given our history -- the themes of slavery and emancipation resonate with special power.
All of this combines to make this the best Jewish holiday in a landslide, and the only one that I still care about.
I'm especially stoked for this Passover. For one thing, my fratello Gregg (Oomps) and my sister-in-law Irene just got here a few hours ago. It is great to have them. (Just don't ask them about the stop-over in Moscow.)
The other thing is that, with help from a friend here, I found a Roman seder for us to attend tonight. I think it will be fascinating to see how Italian Jews celebrate Passover. As I understand it, Roman Jews are not of the Ashkenazi type (who have roots in Eastern Europe), or the Sephardic branch (who have roots in the Middle East). Italian Jews have their own separate history that is over 2000 years old. I actually can't wait to see how they do their Seder. I expect that the songs, foods, etc., will be at least somewhat different. And make no mistake: this will be an Italian seder. I was told expressly that this one is not -- as opposed to other ones here in Rome -- designed for visiting Americans or English-speakers.
Can't wait. But gotta get ready. If there's wireless, I'll FaceTime you during it!
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