Spring, Seder, and a Few Extra Crumbs

April has arrived, and with it comes that magical moment each year when we look around our homes and wonder how on earth so many crumbs accumulated in so many places. It’s Passover season, which means it’s time for deep cleaning, deep reflection, and deep debates about whether last year’s unopened box of matzah is still technically edible. (Spoiler: it is. Matzah has the shelf life of a small asteroid.)

But truly, there’s something delightful about this time of year. The days are longer, the air is warmer, and the temple is buzzing with the kind of energy that only spring—and a looming holiday with 14 separate rituals—can bring.

Everywhere you look, something is blooming. Our grounds volunteers have been out on days without bitter cold and snow, removing old plantings and pulling weeds with the determination of people who want to earn their reclining. Inside, our religious school students are preparing Passover songs, making afikomen covers and charoset with the kind of enthusiasm that suggests they have not yet been asked to sit through a full reading of the Haggadah. And of course, we’re gearing up for our community seders. I’ve already heard whispers of new charoset recipes, bold interpretations of the Four Questions, and at least one family planning to hide the afikomen in a place so clever it may not be found until Shavuot.

Passover is a holiday that manages to be both deeply meaningful and unintentionally comedic. We gather to retell the story of liberation, to celebrate resilience, and to remind ourselves of the importance of freedom. And we do all of this while eating food that crumbles if you so much as look at it.  And yet, beneath the laughter and the crumbs, Passover remains one of our most powerful holidays. It invites us to reflect on where we’ve been, where we’re going, and how we can help bring more freedom and justice into the world.

My wish for you this month is simple: may your seders be joyful, your gatherings warm, your matzah tolerable, and your afikoman findable. May the spirit of spring bring renewal to your days, and may the story of Passover inspire you in ways both profound and delightfully unexpected.

Chag Pesach Sameach to you and your families. May your holiday be filled with meaning, laughter, and just the right amount of maror.