In the Passover Haggadah we recite, “All who are hungry let them come and eat, all who need come Pesach with us.” (The Rebbe asks why this invite is placed several steps into the Seder, when it should happen before the holiday and certainly before the Seder begins. But that’s a story for another time).
I know some people who aren’t thrilled with Passover food and restrictions or have their fill of Matzah. Some people dread all the cleaning and preparation. But it is inspiring to hear of people, nowadays, here and now and close to us, who are hungry for Passover! They are seeking it out with all their heart!
It so happens that in the past few days, I was reminded of, and had conversations with, people very much yearning for Passover, seeking the Passover we may take for granted.
DAVID AT THE RAMADA
I saw in the news this week that the former Ramada Hotel near the 90 was put up for sale after bankruptcy. It’s a big hotel in an industrial part of town off Everett Road near the car dealerships on Central Ave. That hotel reminds me of David, a memorable guest we had last Passover.
David is from Israel, and very much part of the Israeli music scene. At some point after October 7th he ended up in New York and then was looking for some getaway place upstate and ended up near Amsterdam NY. But a few days before Passover he reached out. I am in middle of nowhere he said and wanted to be with Jewish community for the Seder!
I tried explaining where we are located and where nearby hotels would be, but Israelis are independent and impatient and he said he’d figure it out. Ramada was a familiar brand from Israel so he booked there – and ended up walking about an hour and half to and from that hotel, through all kinds of neighborhoods!
But he was hungry for the Seder – and did whatever it took to be here!
A SMALL SUNY CAMPUS’ FIRST SEDER
There’s a small SUNY campus some distance from here that has a very small number of Jewish students. Over the years we’ve had students from there join for Yom Kippur or Passover or other special occasions.
This year, there’s a student there named David, who came to us for Yom Kippur. We’ve been in touch on/off throughout the year. Just this week he reached out that he wants to host a Seder there, and got the Diversity Dept of the school to help out with it, but he needs some Seder basics. We packed him up a box with Shmurah Matzah, a Seder plate, Haggadahs and some Kiddush cups. We spoke on the phone and shared Seder tips and insights, especially for leading a Seder in such a setting.
Just before Shabbos he messaged that he got the box! The eagerness and investment of this student to make a Seder possible is an inspiration!
PS: He got the campus to get Kosher meat for this! That’s quite something!
FIRST SHMURAH IN MANY YEARS…
A decade ago, maybe more, we met a student from another campus (without a Chabad) who attended one of the regional Pegishas. He had an unforgettable dynamic warmth. We were close for a bit, kinda lost touch, but would hear from each other now and then. For a time he was religious, observant, living in a major Jewish community. His life had ups and downs, and lots of bumps in the road, and more recently he’s living in a remote upstate town, with little if any Jewish life for miles around.
We do a Matzah-by-Mail offer each year to alumni and parents, and in these few weeks before Passover we mailed out a whole bunch of the round hand-baked Shmurah Matzah. We do it by request, we put out a form, people sign up. Then I thought of this person, and reached out about his Passover and whether I could send him some Shmurah Matzah.
He asked if he would be able to make a proper blessing on the Matzah without having a full Seder? Of course, Matzah on the Seder Night is its own Mitzvah, and a very important one at that! Besides, its possible to have a Seder even without having a Seder, informally, just by telling the story, it’s not all or nothing and no need to be fancy and all… we put a Haggadah in the package as well.
He wrote that its been many years since he had Shmurah Matzah, and a long time since he had a Seder, and is excited to get this package and looking forward to this Pesach very much, even if its only in a limited way…