Passover Seder at sea!

Passover Aboard the Oceania Insignia in South Africa
“The Exodus occurs in Everyone, in Every Era, in Every year and even on Every day”.

The reading of the Haggadah this year and telling the story, really did happen in an “eternal present”, as if we ARE there, participating in the story. What a wonderful experience that day was beginning with us learning so much about Freedom and Hope, first-hand from a man that was a political prisoner on Robben Island, where Mandela spent 27 years of his life.

Our seder on-board began with “some trepidation”, as we had never been away from home on Passover and knew the seders and the week of eating would be a challenge. After weeks of prep (including saving up shank bones) with a wonderful team here including: the cruise director, restaurant managers, wait staff, chefs (pastry and others), shoppers, cooks, wine stewards, and the tech staff for the sound system.

Many of us missed our families back home but our Oceania Family at Sea came together to make this a unique and memorable Passover. Here are some of the highlights (see 20 photos and 2 videos):

-Meeting with Staff to discuss the details – so much fun explaining things like charoset (make it mortar-like)
-Shopping in South Africa before our Private Function where we took over an entire side of the Terrace Cafe (open to all, many non-Jews joined us) for 3+ hours
-Haggadah -modified last year’s 80+ page one (had to leave out videos and finger puppets) and get it down to 45 minutes to time with dinner being served
-Every one of the 63 participants paid attention the entire time (it is a riveting story)
-Karen & I sat at the Bride & Grooms Table
-Candles -no fire, hmm, An Orange (ours was green), Elijahs Cup (somehow was total consumed, really)
-They made 25 perfect Seder Plates (yes, I did make a paper template)
-The Fir Kashes (four questions) asked by our “youngest participant”
-Elijah spilled over an entire glass of wine before we even started (and it wasn't Bruce)
-Many readers and subsequent questions, so much fun
-A highlight (see photo) was the sun was setting just as I explained the tradition and as we began to recite the plagues (meaning is up to you)
- Hiding the Afikomen – cruise director hid it on the ship (he decided not to be limited to the dining room) … it was found 19 hours later …no we didn’t wait for dessert. It was ransomed for a “screaming goat” (and socks)
- Did you see the MENU? Even the “connoisseurs” of Jewish food raved about it (the chopped liver, the tzimmes, and Empire Kosher chicken that never had such a good marinade were wonderful)
- The next morning's Matzo Brie (Karen taught the entire staff in the cafe a new recipe)
- A Telling AND Pure love!Read more