PrintHow far do you go on Passover?
I'm just curious what people do in terms of cleaning their house or what they don't eat on Passover. Everyone has their own rules and I just want to know what Serious Eaters do! :)
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21 Comments:
I am a professional Jew, but I don't really pay attention to what not to eat during Passover. My parents were very secular (mom was Catholic) and I've only recently begun learning and exploring what being Jewish means to me.
At first I was going to say, "this year, I'm making a conscious effort not to eat leavened bread, rice, pasta, etc." but then I had second thoughts because it sounds like I'm going on a low-carb diet, which is not what the holiday is about. Instead, I'm going to two relaxed seders with my family, and teach my non-Jewish boyfriend about the wonders of matzah ball soup.
LiveToEat at 1:42PM on 04/18/08
I grew up in an Orthodox household and my mom prepared for Pesach beginning 2 weeks ahead of time! These days, I simply clean out a few shelves in the fridge and in the cupboard and stock up on KFP foods. Since there's only 2 of us it's paper plates & plastic forks. As far what I eat? No chometz in or out of the house!!
RichardCrystal at 1:46PM on 04/18/08
How "far" do I go? Not very. But then, I'm a Noachide, so I'm not obligated to do much. I try to attend a seder, but do not attempt to have my own. I just don't feel right about putting on a seder if I'm not going to go the whole nine yards with ridding my life of chometz. I used to eat KFP
Calichef at 5:53PM on 04/18/08
Sorry. I hit the wrong button. Moving on...
I used to eat KFP foods and the attendant matzos all week, but the digestive discomforts got to be too much.
Calichef at 5:56PM on 04/18/08
One of the biggest regrets of my life is not ever having been invited to a Seder. Do those who celebrate invite non-Jewish friends to Seders?
chiff0nade at 7:20PM on 04/18/08
I eat matzo year round. snap off a piece, fit some cheese to shape (I do soy), 11 seconds in the microwave ... poof! instant good snack.
I already ate all the macaroons and the jellied fruit things I bought, so I'll continue with my matzo snacks and maybe gefilte fish balls dipped in horseradish for a special treat.
I miss the old school big family seders but the memories linger.
AnnArtiste at 7:56PM on 04/18/08
chiffonade, i used to have crazy big seders when i lived in berkeley and i would invite everyone i knew, which meant a lot of non jews. everyone loved it.
cybercita at 9:42PM on 04/18/08
I'm not Jewish but I've attended many seders at a friend's house over the years.
watchforbears at 10:37PM on 04/18/08
Not much at all in the way of food (I'm Christian), but I'm praying hard for the 7 Blessings, because they would change my life. I'd love to attend a seder if ever invited, and I adore Jewish food. I'm craving Ina Garten's Chopped Liver which I've made before,
PerkyMac at 11:17PM on 04/18/08
LiveToEat - what is a professional Jew? :-)
In my parents' home we were always observant, but since I've been on my own I do not observe the dietary rules, though I try to get invited to seders (I live 500 miles from my family). I do make fantastic kneidlach (matzo balls).
wellred at 11:25PM on 04/18/08
For the past 20 or so years we've hosted a big organized potluck seder with family and friends, usually around 20 people, a few of whom are not Jewish.
I don't change over my kitchen, throw out all the chametz, or eat only foods with the KFP label, but I do avoid bread, cake, pasta etc. and try to eat more basic, less processed foods, as I believe that part of the message of Passover is to be aware of and reduce excess.
KashaKnish at 5:53AM on 04/19/08
As for as I go, will eat kosher on Seder night. That's about it. In Tel aviv, you can get pitas on passover and when I was in the Israeli Army, we snuck pitas into our rooms on Passover. A lot of Israeli's are way less observant than the Jews in America, the reason for this. Some just don't feel the need to prove they are Jewish.They just are.
One thing that we always do for Passover is make sure that we have some people who are not Jewish at the Seder. That is the most fun. Everyone should come to the seder, last year my friend who is Greek came and my friend who is filipino. Then we celebrated Greek Easter a week later. Passover is about bringing people together to celebrate a Jewish holiday, regardless of race.
Frantic foodie at 10:07AM on 04/19/08
i don't clean out my house of freezer, or use different dishes. However we have two seder dinners invite all sort of Gentile friends and Keep KFP for the week, at home and at work.
rossadavis at 2:40PM on 04/19/08
@Perky and chiff0nade - we had 7 of our non-Jewish friends at the Seder tonight. I certainly had enough food & room for you two! Maybe next year?:-)
As regards how far we go - hubby and I are both secular, and I hate being a hypocrite: if I normally eat bacon and shrimp, if I drive and work and watch telly on Saturday, I won't pretend I'm something I'm not and clean my kitchen of chometz for Passover. I do cook KfP for the Seder itself, and that's about it. I love the symbolism of food - not just for Passover, but for every Jewish holiday (other than the tradition of it, I love the idea of the food you eat having a meaning:-)). I also love traditional food, and it makes me happy to cook something that I know my Mum and Gran used to cook years ago (although I do love to put a spin on the tradition - like this year, I made salmon gefilte fish, which turned out really nice).
brooke29 at 9:53PM on 04/19/08
i just shove any chametz into the back of the fridge, the freezer, or the back/bottom shelf of the pantry. out of sight, out of mind. if the passover-friendly snacks are the first ones i see, that's porbbaly what i'm going to snack on. we'll get our nice dishes out for the Seder, then use regular stuff the rest of the week.
Passover was very ritualized in the conservative household of my youth, and i have very happy memories about it. When Mom brought the set of glass dishes up from the basement, i knew it was only a matter of time before my favorite dishes started showing up!
redhead at 11:38AM on 04/20/08
@brooke29..........I gratefully and humbly accept! I'll be there next year.
Instead of seder, I was treated to a surprise birthday dinner of all my favorite foods including lobster, classic caesar salad, roasted asparagus and carrots, baguette and strawberry short cake w/whipped cream. The wine was flowing and I celebrated seder in my heart, too. Oh, what a night (mid April in 08). If you're old enough, you might figure out that last line....haha. :-D
PerkyMac at 12:13PM on 04/20/08
chiff, there is a line in the Haggadah (the booklet we read through during the Seder) that says "Let all who are hungry come and eat"--hence the reason there are often non-Jews at most seders! Last night I hosted a group of friends, and I was the only Jew, in fact...I'm very non-religious, but Passover has always been my favorite holiday, partially b/c it's centered around a big meal where you're supposed to have a big crowd, and partially b/c the Passover story (told via the Haggadah) explains why we are/aren't eating certain foods. Plus, it's about the Jews' exodus from Egypt, and most people know the basic story, regardless of their religious upbringing.
Curlz at 3:45PM on 04/20/08
I do what redhead does. I have a non-Jewish roommate - and usually do - so it's more difficult to completely kasher my place. When I live on my own, I might. When I have kids, I definitely will to some degree, such as ridding the house of chametz and using different dishes.
My parents do the same as Richard - my mom was raised orthodox too, and her mother still goes the entire distance. I think the fact that my parents' kids are adults now changes things.
...and yes, what is a "professional Jew"?
CanadianFoodieGirl at 5:23PM on 04/20/08
@Perky - what a wonderful surprise! Sounds like somebody put out quite a spread! Now, of course, I am curious as to who was that somebody...although, I'm kind of guessing:-)
And we'll certainly be waiting for you next year!
brooke29 at 5:38PM on 04/20/08
@brooke29.........it was my BFF Sandy. She made all my favorites and it was quite a spread. MOST of my favorite people were there, too. She wouldn't have invited HIM without checking with me first, and this was a surprise party. Thanks for asking. :-D
PerkyMac at 9:44AM on 04/21/08
Wow I'm impressed with the discussion this thread started. It's interesting to read everyone's perspectives on the holiday.
As for inviting non-Jews to seders, I'm all for it too. It's one of the most educational holidays and it's a very fun and interesting meal in my opinion, so the more, the merrier!
Thanks everyone for responding.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 11:01AM on 04/24/08