The holiday of Pesach (Passover) is coming. It's less than three weeks away. For more than 20 years, my family has been traveling to my parents' home in California to celebrate this holiday. No other holiday in the Jewish calendar is so home and family centered as is Passover. For years, my mother of blessed memory prepared the Seder and all the meals: scrumptious chicken soup with knaidelach (matzto balls) that floated effortlessly in the soup, two kinds of charoset, home made sorbet, and much much more. Even suffering from cancer, she was able to put together the basics last year, augmented with catered meals. I never felt more taken care of than when I was in my parents' home during Pesach.
All this in the past. Now my father plans to travel to my family for the holiday. Now it's my turn to take care of him. At the beginning of the Seder, we will recite the "Shehechianyu" blessing, thanking God for sustaining us and allowing us to see this day. Never will a blessing be recited with more mixed emotions than that one.
No comments:
Post a Comment