Passover and Baseball (There is a connection)

The passover seder is similar to a baseball game in several ways...

Both are spring-time activities

Both have specific rules that govern the event

Both have specific things that must be covered

Both tend to run too long

Both have yelling and singing and rejoicing

But the similarity that I want to discuss today is that both should have a home and an away day.


Home Seder played at Home

The Passover seder is a traditionally a home-centered event. My home was crazy with the usual fighting and yelling and people coming late and this year we had tough brisket. Even the chef agreed (She said it was a bad cut of meat and not her fault). The home seder (no matter how annoying) is not to be missed and we held ours on the first night of Passover.

Away Seder played on the road

The away seder can be either at a relative's, friends house or for us this year, at FHC.

The FHC seder was warm and inviting and the group was a nice mix of old and young and the seder service was truly enjoyable. While the rabbi did the majority of the work in preparation and organization (his homemade chicken soup was a "HIT", see the baseball connection), and he led the seder, everyone pitched in to serve and clean up. No yelling or fighting regarding who was responsible for clean up and who was avoiding work. (My home seder) Instead, lots of singing and drinking wine and lots of side jokes that were warm teases.

The community seder is an event that FHC should foster and grow. While the seder (including dinner and desert) ended around 10:30pm, the Rabbi told me that it should have gone till midnight. While I certainly did not feel "gyped" by ending at 10:30pm, it can be a bit long for the individuals at the far ends of the age spectrum. (We planned ahead, brought two cars and split our group about an hour early. It worked out great.

The Rabbi was quite animated in the rendition of the ten plagues (he did not include our plague that night of "not so good" chicken, "a fowl ball") but his throwing of rubber frogs to present the frog plague was enjoyed by young and old alike. Reminded me of when they throw out free throwaways at ballgames.

Finally our rendition of tu-zuzim reminded me of the singing chants of days gone by at the ballpark.

The passover seder and baseball; two long cherished traditions which should be played at home and on the road....