The Jewish Passover- Pesach

The Jewish Passover- Pesach

Last night Jewish families around the world celebrated the first night of our Jewish passover or Pesach. The springtime festivals are with us and by some wonderful religious coincidence, the first night of Pesach fell on Good Friday which had to be a good thing. There was a poetic symmetry about this whole period because Easter is now days away and spring made that first announcement free from the cold blasts of winter's dramatic orchestrations.

For a while it seemed that those deafening, howling winds would never subside but now we can look back to those snow laden mornings when everything seemed beyond all hope and salvation. Of course the kids enjoyed the snow because they always have and always will. But how glad we are to find that the pavements, although slightly wet from the briefest of passing rains, are now visible rather than cloaked by white carpets of snow, ice and slush.

So how was the Jewish passover for you?  Last night was a night for families, friends and close acquaintances, a time for gathering around tables groaning with food, drink, matzas and the Hebrew haggadahs rich in the texts of beautiful Jewish literature. We followed the story of Pesach with its traditional renderings of Egypt, fleeing persecution and biblical chapters from history that reminded us once again of the difficulties that the Jewish people have always faced since time immemorial.

But we've overcome innumerable obstacles with a resilience of character and gritty determination that has to be admired. Still we were not to be defeated because the Jewish people have always fought their corner and refuse to give up when all of the odds are heavily stacked against us. We lit our candles, remembered the meaning of Pesach and abandoned ourselves unashamedly to triumphant celebrations, a medieval banquet of food and wine from the finest cellars and vineyards.

Last night was indulgence on the grandest scale, overflowing food and drink from the busiest of supermarkets and a general engagement in the positive things that life can offer. There was a life affirming togetherness and glowing warmth about this yearly matzafest. Relations were at their most typically harmonious, jokes were exchanged with the liveliest sense of humour and the world around us was discussed with a passion and fervour that was utterly reassuring. Then there were huge bursts of laughter, merriment unconfined and gushing outpourings of warm wishes and story telling on a quite phenomenal scale.

Personally, Pesach triggered a treasure trove of glorious childhood memories. It took me back to my grandparents who lived in Gants Hill, Essex. Now my grand- dad was undoubtedly one of the most learned Hebrew scholars, a man steeped in the traditions of Judaism, a man who knew instinctively about the songs, the blessings and prayers which accompanied his childhood and guided him throughout his life before the Holocaust intervened and almost broke him.

Shortly after they moved into their big, rambling house in Gants Hill in the early 1970s the re-adjustment to a new way of life began to take shape. But the first night of Pesach was particularly special because for my grandparents the passover service held a powerful significance that meant so much to them and it was the one night of the year when they could just relax, enjoy the spirituality of the evening and convey a natural enthusiasm to a very receptive grandson.

I can still remember my grand-dad presiding over the seder service and then spending the best part of five minutes racing through the Haggadah text in a matter of minutes. Suddenly a deep baritone of a voice would open the service, then chanting, mumbling and muttering under his breath, totally incomprehensible but eager to embrace the evening. Not for the first time I could  barely grasp any of his Hebrew grammar, the translation of the words in the book and the frightening speed of his utterances, an occasion that had quite literally left me totally confused, speechless and ever so slightly taken aback.

Then there was the year when my grandparents, having settled down at my parents dining room, sat down on those typically 1970s chrome and black padded chairs. Halfway through the blessings all seemed to be going swimmingly well and everything seemed to be going just right. Then my late and wonderful dad stood up for his turn in the spotlight. Cue the circus comedy moment. Seconds into reading a prayer for the wine, the spirit of the circus clown crept up from nowhere and took my dad by complete surprise.

What happened next was the stuff of Whitehall farce, a magically funny moment that will never ever be forgotten by yours truly. In a matter of seconds my dad's trousers had fallen to his ankles, dropping down to shoes and socks that could barely believe what had just happened. Cue the gales of audience laughter. I looked at my dad and everybody around me seemed to be gripped by collective giggling. There was no need to apologise because these are the golden moments of family life that should have been captured on our Kodak Instamatic camera for ever more.

Essentially though Pesach or passover is all about the positivity most of us think we can find, the belief that it doesn't take a lot to find unity, love, understanding, a smile and laugh, a genuine bond and rapport that binds us all in cosy domesticity even when the weather outside is not quite the weather we might have been hoping for. Pesach is about singing at the tops of our voices, of being grateful for the people around us and cherishing who we are.

As the huge plates of lamb and chicken were delivered along with thousands of potatoes and vegetables it was nice to reflect that families are as vitally important as they've ever been. Even in times of world instability and mad mayhem I found myself surrounded by my family, the people who have always been there for me, loving and supportive, the firmest foundations in your life whatever life may bring. Yes I know I'm too soppy and sentimental but once again Pesach had sprinted for the finishing line and won with the most resounding of victories. What a feeling!