Arts & Culture

The Irony and Gravity of This Year’s Passover

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Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the most important and beloved Jewish holidays. Passover is usually a joyous affair; it begins on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Nissan — sometime in March or April in our calendar — meaning it is also a festival of spring. Celebrating the beginning of the agricultural season and freedom from slavery, characterized by family and friends coming together, there is usually little to be sad about during Passover, though my caring grandmother did always shed a tear for the animals lost throughout the story. However, as Jews across the globe anticipate the beginning of Passover on the sundown of April 22, this holiday will inevitably be seen in a different and much more somber light. Given recent events, the story and message of Passover is more critical than ever — and undeniably ironic. 

Passover commemorates an event which occurred over 3,000 years, making it the oldest continuously celebrated holiday in the Jewish calendar, having been celebrated since at least the fifth century BCE.

Dining

ROVINE | Reflections on an Unusual Passover

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In a world afflicted by plagues and devoid of autonomy, the ancient Israelites enslaved in Egypt longed for little more than fundamental safety and freedom from suffering. Today, whether you have lost your job, feel unsafe in your home or are eating Matzah of your own volition, your pain is also valid. What makes this Passover different from all other Passovers? For one, many seders have saved a seat for a special new guest (and no, I’m not talking about Elijah). This year, Zoom joined the party, enabling extended families to safely come together from across the street or across the globe.

Uncategorized

Students Break Matzah Over Seder Table

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Transforming from a track to a dining room, Barton Hall seated 50 tables of Cornell Jews and non-Jews last night as students celebrated the first night of Passover at Cornell’s Super seder. As in years past, Cornell Hillel hosted The Super seder in coordination with Cornell dining.