I am writing today since the Jewish Federation office will be closed Wednesday (so our team can prepare for their seder) to Friday in observance of Passover.

Tomorrow night, Jews across the world will retell the Passover story -- our exodus from Egypt -- from slavery to liberation. But the seder table is more than that. It is an opportunity to gather with family and friends to create our own stories and memories.

Throughout history there have been stories told of “famous” seders...

Perhaps the most famous rabbinic seder in history is actually recorded in the Haggadah itself. It took place in Bnei Brak during the 2nd century CE and serves as the ultimate example of how the seder is meant to be conducted.

As the story goes, five of the greatest Sages in Jewish history -- Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Joshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Tarfon -- gathered for the seder. They became so engrossed in discussing the exodus from Egypt that they talked all night long. They only stopped when their students arrived at dawn to tell them, "Rabbis, the time has come to recite the morning Shema." The story teaches us that no matter how wise we are, we are all obligated to retell the story of the Exodus.

Other notable seders (beyond your own, of course):

The founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, perceived that the "perfect" seder was the inclusion of every Jew, regardless of their knowledge. He taught that "the seder’s disruptions (eating, dipping, singing) facilitated a shift in divine energy, elevating the mundane to the holy, rather than just acting as a rigid ceremony." And, as with everything, the Baal Shem Tov emphasized that the seder should be conducted with joy and enthusiasm. 

There was the "Wilderness Seder" of 1862. During the Civil War, 20 Jewish Union soldiers from the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Regiment found themselves stationed in the remote mountains of West Virginia during Passover. Determined to keep the tradition, they requested leave and used some creativity to pull it off.

They had a fellow soldier, who was going home to Cincinnati, order and ship several barrels of matzah to the front lines. For bitter herbs, since they could not find any horseradish, they foraged in the woods and found a local weed so bitter it "exceeded anything our forefathers enjoyed.” And since they could not find ingredients to make charoset, they placed an actual brick on the table to symbolize the labor of the Israelites. They also substituted cider for wine, and after four cups of fermented cider, the story goes, the soldiers got so rowdy that one started acting like Moses and another like Pharaoh, leading to a fight. Everyone eventually calmed down and fell asleep in the grass.

While not a "rabbinic" Seder in the traditional sense, the seder held on April 19, 1943, the night the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began was quite special. Rabbis and civilians alike gathered in basements to fulfill the commandment of Passover while the first gunshots of the resistance were being fired, symbolizing the ultimate transition from slavery to freedom.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, three young Jewish staffers (Eric Lesser, Herbie Ziskend, and Arun Chaudhary) realized they would be at a hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on the first night of Passover. They organized a makeshift seder in the hotel basement (wonder why they did not reach out to a local synagogue or Chabad?). Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama surprised them by showing up and participating in the seder meal. At the end of the night, when the traditional seder concluded with the phrase "Next year in Jerusalem," Obama added, "Next year in the White House." True to his word, once elected, he hosted the first-ever sitting president’s seder in the White House in 2009, a tradition he kept for all eight years of his presidency.

Not a seder story, but you may know that the founders of our country viewed the American Revolution through the lens of the Passover story. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson proposed that the Great Seal of the United States depict the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, with the motto: "Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God." To the early Americans, King George III was "Pharaoh," the Atlantic Ocean was the "Red Sea," and America was the "Promised Land."

I share all of this because we all have our own seder stories and traditions. May you, your family, and friends enjoy your seder and know that each one is special, historic, and will create memories for generations.

Once again, here are Passover resources and happenings that may help you. You can also learn more about the Passover seder by watching this short video. Or listen to this Jewish Review podcast, "Seder School with Dr. Yosef Rosen."

As we gather for Passover and reflect on themes of freedom, compassion, and community, it is a natural time to turn those values into action. Good Deeds Day is April 12, 2026 - a global movement focused on simple acts of kindness that make a real difference. Here in Portland, the Jewish Federation is celebrating Good Deeds Month. To see a full list of program offerings and to get involved, click here for the Good Deeds Month calendar.

Finally, I want to thank Archbishop Alexander Sample and Mayor Keith Wilson for their words in fighting antisemitism. Archbishop Sample said, "The Jewish community is attacked at a far higher rate than any other religious group in the United States. If we Catholics, in truly living out the Gospel, are to defend religious freedom with integrity, we must clearly speak out against antisemitism.”

And Mayor Wilson posted on Instagram, "Antisemitism is increasing at an alarming rate in American society -- in K-12 schools, on college campuses, in the health care and other sectors. Moreover, it is becoming normalized on both ends of the political spectrum. Antisemitism is not just an ancient hatred; it is a growing epidemic threatening democracy itself. If it is allowed to find daylight, it never stops with the Jews. As elected officials, we have a moral obligation to call out antisemitism and to work diligently to ensure that our Jewish community feels a strong sense of security and belonging."

Both statements reflect the importance of the close relationship our Jewish Community Relations Council has cultivated with the Archdiocese and the mayor.

Wishing you and your family a chag kasher v’sameach (kosher and happy) Passover and a zissen (sweet) Passover.