March 17 Women’s Seder offers fresh ideas, perspectives, tastes
By JEWISH REVIEW
article created on: 2010-03-01T00:00:00
“New Perspectives—Celebrating Miriam’s Legacy: A Seder for Women,” will give women a break from their Pesach cleaning as they gather to share fun and resources and a fresh look at the upcoming holiday.
Sponsored by the Women’s Philanthropy Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, the annual women’s seder was created to help build and strengthen the community. Led by Cantor Ida Rae Cahana with musical accompaniment by Rayna Dushman and Kim Palumbis, the seder begins at 5:30 p.m., March 17, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center with a Passover wine tasting. The reception with food and wine tastings and a wealth of Passover resources will be followed by a seated seder and light dinner.
“Last year was my first time attending the seder and I got hooked,” said Debbie Plawner, who is co-chairing this year’s event with Amy Blauer. “Usually, for me the weeks before Passover are about cleaning, shopping and cooking. It was great to take a break from that stress and remember the work I was doing in getting ready to prepare for the holiday is so critical.”
“The seder attracts women of all ages and all Jewish backgrounds,” said Blauer. “While we are retelling the traditional story, there are countless opportunities to make it meaningful and relevant today to each and every person.”
“Our hope for attendees of this year’s Seder is that they too leave the night with new perspectives on Passover,” said Plawner.
To provide those new perspectives, the planning committee has searched for the best Kosher for Passover wines, best Passover recipes and fun ideas for making seders more interactive. Wines from the tasting will be available to order.
“Why serve just Maneschewitz for the four cups of wine?” asked the co-chairs. “A bite of matzah here or there is nice, but there are so many, easy foods to enjoy during the eight days of Passover.”
And while the Haggadah is a guide to retelling the story, Plawner and Blauer said that some of their favorite Seder experiences include discussions, activities and songs that helped young and old connect with the story of Passover in new ways.
Most modern Haggadahs include a Miriam’s Cup, an innovation introduced in the 1980s when a group of women realized Miriam’s role in the Exodus was under-represented in most Haggadahs.
Plawner discussed Miriam’s important contributions: Miriam was the peace-maker—she helped reunite her parents after the Pharaoh’s edict to kill newborn sons. It is because of her, Moses was born. She was the rescuer—it was Miriam who recommended to the Princess that her mother serve as Moses’s nursemaid. When Moses and Aaron led the Israelites through the parting of the Red Sea, Miriam and the women joined Moses in leading the people through in song and dance. As the Israelites wandered though the desert for 40 years, Miriam’s Well sustained the people both physically and spiritually.
“When we integrate Miriam’s story into our retelling of the Exodus, we realize that as women—our courage, spirit, dedication and strength has served to sustain the Jewish people for thousands of years,” said Plawner. “Throughout the night, we will retell parts of Miriam’s story and celebrate the Miriams of today who continue her legacy both here in Portland and around the world.”
Rather than serving as a fundraier, this event will provide participants with a wealth of resources to share with family and friends at their own Passover celebrations for years to come.
Tickets are $36 by March 10 ($46 after), which includes 3 percent to Mazon—A Jewish Response to Hunger. Sponsors are sought to help offset the cost of this event. To become a sponsor or to RSVP, contact Becka at 503-245-6219 or becka@jewishportland.org. Registration is also available online at www.jewishportland.org.
