Observing Passover from a Global Perspective

In 1970, My husband and I got married and moved to Rockaway, New Jersey from 1970-1985 where we raised three daughters. We were all active members of Temple Shalom, a Reform Temple in Succasunna.  

Refusenik Jews emerged in the early 1970s as a significant group, comprising of Soviet Jews denied exit visas for emigration to Israel. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah twinning program during the time paired American Jewish children with Soviet "refusenik" peers who were denied the right to celebrate their comings-of-age. American participants honored their counterparts during ceremonies, often with an empty chair on the bimah symbolizing the absent child, raising awareness and fostering solidarity. We attended many ceremonies honoring that program.  

In the summer of 1985, our family moved to a small village in England called Dibden Purlieu. Our three daughters were 5, 7, and 9 years old then. In March of 1986, my husband and I decided to take a trip to Moscow, Russia before Glasnost (increase government transparency, reduce censorship, and encourage freedom of expression). Since twinning ceremonies were still in effect, I contacted Rabbi Joel Soffin from Temple Shalom to ask him if there were any Bar/Bat Mitzvah twinning ceremonies during the time we would be in Russia. And asked, is there anything Peter and I could bring to any of the twins? We received a package in the mail with two prayer books and Tallitot (two prayer shawls) to give to Gregory and Valery Mendeleyev. They lived on the outskirts of Moscow. Rabbi Soffin also gave us contact information for the 35’s, a women’s campaign for Soviet Jewry located in Goulders Green, a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet in north London.  

I recall contacting Margaret Rigal, 35’s co-chair, by phone. She immediately told me to give her my number so she could call me back on a secure phone line. Margaret asked for me to travel to London to discuss our visit to Refusenik Jews in person. It took 75 minutes by train to go to London, then 40 minutes by bus to Goulders Green to meet Margaret. When I arrived at 755A Finchley Road, I couldn’t find the entrance door until a shopkeeper pointed to the unmarked door next to his shop and to the sky, indicating it was upstairs. Margaret briefed me on the dos and don’ts to be safe in Moscow.  

Our trip began the week before Passover. This experience was right out of a John LeCarre spy novel! Peter and I were followed when we went to the Moscow Synagogue. Then two men with large black hats arrived at the synagogue to greet us. A woman we just met asked me, “Do you want to see the mikvah?” I said “no.”

She asked again, this time with a raised voice she said, “You WANT to see the mikvah!” I felt that there was an urgency, so we left the synagogue. This woman ushered me and Peter out of the back door of the synagogue, not to the mikvah. She began to tell us that the two men were KGB. The congregants were at the synagogue to collect their ration of matzoh for the upcoming Passover holiday and this time of the year they tended to harass congregants. All I could think is how lucky I was to be an American Jew with all the opportunity to go into a grocery store and purchase items I would use for Passover and not be harassed for buying matzoh.  

The next day, Peter and I visited Oscar Mendeleyev and his family at his home. We went by train and bus to the outskirts of Moscow, a 45-minute ride. The housing looked like the projects in Queens, New York. When we arrived at the apartment, we gave the twins their religious items and many other items the family could sell. The table was set to eat food (we were told) given to the Mendeleyev’s from other USA visitors. We toasted with vodka to the upcoming Passover holiday that commemorates the biblical Exodus, celebrating the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. We all said loudly, “Next year in Jerusalem.” I will never forget the evening with the Mendeleyev family.  

When we returned to England from that trip, Passover had a special meaning to me. I was renewed, having recently found a fresh approach to Passover. I decided to research Jewish recipes from around the world to incorporate into my family’s weeklong Exodus celebration. Although it was hard to be Jewish living in England during the 1980’s, I reflected on how hard it was for the Mendeleyev family to be Jewish in Moscow. I was glad to hear that Oscar and his family emigrated to Israel a year after our meeting in Moscow.  

In 1991, my family and I moved to Texas and lived in Kingwood until 2002. I had to schlep to Braeswood area of Houston (45 minutes by car) to buy provisions for Passover, but I really didn’t mind. It was during that time that I started adjusting everyday recipes to make during Passover, since packaged Passover items, available to buy in the supermarket, were tasteless.  

In 2002, my family moved to Vienna, Virginia. Fast forward to 2010, Women of Temple Rodef Shalom (WoTRS) sisterhood’s president asked me to co-chair their Passover cookbook committee. The purpose of this cookbook was to collect traditional and out-of-the-box recipes to entice and enrich the Passover holiday after the Seder meal. Celebrating and Creating Traditions: Passover Recipe & Ideas cookbook was created.  

With that mindset, favorite recipes were tweaked for use during Passover and published in the cookbook. The two-volume printed cookbook was a huge success. In 2019, the cookbook committee transformed the recipes into a virtual version, which is sold today, 16 years after its inception.  

Later that year, I oversaw the food for a temple-wide event celebrating Passover food. I learned to love Passover when I researched recipes for, “Not Your Bubbe & Zayde's Passover - A Fresh Approach.” This innovative program won a Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) Bronze Or Ami award in 2020. The 70+ recipes, cooked by sisterhood members, was a fresh approach to unusual Passover foods from around the world. Fast forward, from 2020 to date, I have been doing virtual cooking/baking demonstrations since COVID-19 for WRJ, my sisterhood and other sisterhoods in the Mid-Atlantic (soon to be Eastern) District, and other WRJ Districts when asked, using my Jewish cookbooks as resources to find unusual recipes. 

On Monday, March 23, at 7:30 PM EST WRJ Program committee presents, “Cooking Outside the Matzah Box: Unique Passover Recipes & Demonstration.” At this workshop, I will be demonstrating how to make homemade Passover bagels with “everything” topping (as pictured above), blending the old with the new. We will be sharing out the recipe for this program a week before the program, so be sure to sign up early! During the program, Carol Newman, Sandi Firsel, and Becky Markowitz will be telling us about their unique, delicious recipes including chocolate dipped almond horn cookies, raspberry squares and chicken paprikash recipes, respectively. 

I love Passover food. All I can say is YUM, you won’t want to miss this program!  But in case you have a conflict, no worries. The program will be recorded and the recipes showcased that evening (and many more) will be available after the program on Mighty Networks in “Cooking and Baking” under Engagement & Programs for you to use this Passover and for many years. Those who sign up for the event will also get access to WRJ Passover cookbook, showcasing these recipes and more for your personal use. As a sweet teaser, here are three recipes that will be featured during the demonstration and in the cookbook.

To quote Emeril Lagasse, “Kick it up a notch,” this Passover by combining your beloved classics with soon-to-be favorite unusual out-of-the-ordinary recipes on March 23. Register today!

בְּתֵאָבוֹן (Be'te-avon) – ‘Bon Appétit’! - Have a nice meal!