“On Passover, we create order to lose order. On this night, we balance between order and chaos, between organizing the Seder with a set chronology and in concrete stages and then telling a messy story that gets interrupted and upended with all of our commentary. It is a story of injustice and triumph, of human strain and divine salvation, of hesitation and progress. Of course, it must be told in fits and starts.” — Dr. Erica Brown

You have not been to a “real” seder in its most glorious and celebratory form unless you have attended a seder at the @iwe home . . .

Squeals of delight as children play on the climber punctuate the solemn and heartfelt melodies that rest on our hearts; laughter permeates the room as a familiar line of a recitation is transformed into a delightful and unique understanding; I hum the now familiar melodies when I sometimes get lost in the Hebrew singing of prayers; a multitude of dishes fill the dining table as I eat far too much indulging in the fabulous Pesach recipes (made almost entirely by iwe)—corned beef, four kinds of chicken, zucchini latkes, potatoes, carrot souffle, roasted peppers and mushrooms—and at least ten other dishes to choose from; Mrs. iwe works to hold the entire process together; guests who speak Spanish, English, Hebrew, who tell their life stories and listen attentively to each other. . . songs sung in harmony that call us to sway gently with our souls; a recital of the exodus from Egypt, probably a chaotic and confusing march, punctuated by G-d’s miracles . . .  expressions of gratitude to G-d for our arriving at this day . . . and laughter, always laughter, as we remember that we were once slaves, and we are now free. . .