A glimpse of our Jewish heritage lead by our friend Steve Jurrow who writes, "The best way to learn about a Seder is to attend! Seder is the retelling each year of the Jew's freedom from their slavery in Egypt, under the leadership of Moses, one of the three Jewish patriarchs. The story of Moses being set adrift in the Nile river by his mother in Egypt, and then retrieved by the Pharoh's family, is well known. He lived as royalty and only realized his Jewish roots at adulthood. He then determined to set his people free. The parting of the Red Sea by God is elemental to the Passover story, as it suggests that God was in favor of the Jews escaping their enslavement (400 years +/-) and returning to Israel, their "promised land." Ceremonial foods are served and their symbolism is explained in the course of the Seder, which is narrated by a "leader." We read the story out of a little book called a Haggadah (the "Telling"). This is the same story that Jews the world over read twice each year, for the 1st and 2nd nights of Passover. The word Passover refers to God's agreement to pass over the houses of the Jews as he exacts great sacrifices from the Egyptians for attempting to keep the Jews as slaves and prevent their escape.
In telling the story, most modern Jewish families typically invoke contemporary slavery and oppression of one group by another. Somewhat akin in its intention to "Lord, hear our prayer" at the regular Mass.
Hope you can make it; I don't think you'll be disappointed if you join us.
