Photo by Ximena Castillo Nuñez/The Choate News
Each year, Choate hosts a Passover Seder to offer students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to celebrate Passover’s core principles — community, connection, and togetherness. However, amid the pandemic, this year’s Passover looked a little different on campus. Seders traditionally take place during the first two nights of Passover, but because students and faculty were in quarantine during that time, the Seder took place on April 3 in the Ruutz-Rees building on the second to last night of Passover. The seats were set at a distance, with only two people at each table. Traditional Seder plates were provided and Jewish food was served.
Every spring, Jews around the world celebrate Passover by hosting a traditional Seder, a meal during which they tell the Passover story and remember the formerly enslaved Jews who journeyed from Egypt to Israel. Although Passover is a celebration of freedom, it also serves as a reminder that not everyone has obtained freedom in the modern world. While the holiday is Jewish, the message of Passover resonates with many people, even those who aren’t religious at all.
“I was thankful to see many Jewish and non-Jewish people come to the Seder,” said Hillel cabinet member Katie Gendrich ’22. “I was also really happy at how fast the event filled up and at the large turnout. It was super nice that we were able to celebrate and eat together, kind of like a normal year.”
Gendrich also appreciated Rabbi Barbara Paris, Rev. Aaron Rathbun, Director of Equity and Inclusion Dr. Rachel Myers, and HPRSS teacher Mr. James Davidson, who helped to organize and set up the Seder in accordance with health guidelines.
Martha Chessen ’22, who attended the Seder, enjoyed the celebration and appreciated the chance to celebrate with Choate’s Jewish community. “Growing up, I went to Hebrew school on Sundays and celebrated many Jewish holidays with family friends, but I never really immersed myself in the culture. As I got older, I kind of lost touch with the religion, and I haven’t been to a Passover Seder since seventh grade,” Chessen said. She saw the event as “an opportunity to reconnect with Judaism and celebrate with a part of the community that I identified with.”
Ms. Brianne Ellis, who works in Admissions and attended the event, said, “As a new member of the Choate community, I really enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate the holiday with fellow faculty and students in person! While it was masked, distanced, and felt a little different than a Seder in a more normal year, I’m so thankful for Rabbi Barbara and the Choate Spiritual Life team for creating a space for us to come together.”
