Passover @ MindSay

It's tough enough finding things you like to eat when you are a kid, even more so when you are a kid whose diet consists primarily of soy based products and it's Passover.  In past years it was tough for him to adjust.  No french toast sticks or Eggos for breakfast.  No Morningstar.  No goldfish snackers at school.  We always send a long memo to his school with all the do and don't and ask them to call  if they are unsure of anything. 

Last year though the tide turned though during snack time, when Av started to get upset that he had a different snack from all the other kids.  His teacher at the time (who happens to be Muslim) took him aside and explained to him how wonderful it was that HE got to eat matza.  She went on that Passover is such a special holiday and it is so great that we get to celebrate it every year.  She made him feel so much better, that apparently he was strutting around the classroom telling all the other kids that HE got to eat a special Passover snack.

This year we tried to prep him a bit more.  Lucky for us he loves matza.  We also got him to eat scrambled eggs last year which was a big accomplishment.  We started a we ago talking about no toast or waffles or Morningstar.  It got to the point where he would just cut me off and say "I KNOW Mommy!  It's Passover!"

Yesterday he was holding his lunch bag while the kids were all getting ready to go into their classroom, and one of the other boys pointed at it and said "What is THAT??"  Av replied proudly "That's my Passover snacks!"  Today however was a real test - there was a birthday celebration at school.  I gave Av a quick reminder when I dropped him off about not having a cupcake and the teacher agreed to save one for him for Sunday.  When he got home he told me all about the pretty pink cupcakes and how he didn't have ANY because you know Mommy, its Passover...  Go him.  So that is why my kid is super-awesome.  He's learning, he's understanding, and he has way more will power than some grownups I know...

fuck i hate Passover.
just want it to be OVER.

and i have a meet tomorrow.
NO SUBWAY FOR ME.
and, just in case nobody knows, i have this thing with subway.
like, i get anxiety at meets if i don't have it.
i freak out if i don't get subway before a meet.
i know. it's weird. but it happens.
so i have a freaking SALAD in my bag for tomorrow because i can't have any goddamn bread.
or i could bring some MATZAH with me!!
fuckin pharoh.
couldn't have just let us make some real fucking bread, could ya??
asshole.


anyways.
like i said, i have a track meet tomorrow.
and seriously. i never thought i'd say this.
but i am seriously just over this whole track thing.
be over already, please.

PASSOVER

 

Today a spotless lamb was chosen

Sacrificed for the sins of all

It’s blood on the mantles of the doors

So the eldest would not fall

 

The angel of death came around

And took the child of each

Of the families who had not killed,

Painted and had the feast

 

They could not relax as they usually did

Could not lie around nor lounge

They had to gather things and go

When they heard the trumpet sound

 

What a triumph when Jehovah great

With his strong right hand

Led them out of Egypt’s chains

Toward Canaan’s land!

 

So this day we celebrate

The Lord in his great power

Knowing He’s victorious

Back then, and at this hour.

 

Happy Passover to all of my Jewish friends.

 

Bonniegirl April 20, 2008

To all my MOT friends out there - Happy Passover!

To everyone else - enjoy your pasta, bread, legumes, corn and corn by-products.

A number of years ago (in those few new to DC, pre-Shiny days) I had the pleasure of attending a Passover Seder at the home of my friends' parents.  During that Seder, I came across a drawing that I had done while a elementary school student at my Jewish Day School.  How it got published I have no idea.  But I can prove that it was mine should anyone question it.  Unfortunately, I didn't take note of the identification information of the publication.  Every Passover since, I check every Haggadah at the Seders I attend in order to try and find it again.  I've since become a little bit more obsessed about finding it.

I've emailed the Rabbi whose home I was at, and emailed my Day School.  Hopefully they can help me out.  I suppose worst case scenario I end up back where I started. 

This all came up again this week, as I was looking online for a good Hebrew aleph-bet (alphabet) book that I can get Av so that we can teach him the rest of his Hebrew letters.  One of the books that came up in the search was written by the Judaic Studies Director of my elementary school.  The theory always was that she was involved in the publication of the book, and that's how my drawing got in there (via the school).  So I finally got off my duff to write everyone to track this thing down.

I think this is all to confirm that I'm not crazy, and as Av gets closer to starting Day School, it's something that I'd like to be able to share with him.  We shall see...