Happy Passover!

Irony: One of the nicknames of Passover is “chag ha’aviv” – the holiday of spring. Yep. This snowstorm sure makes it look spring-like out there…

But, whether it looks like it or not, the eight days of eating cardboard are once again upon us. And you know that the reason most of us keep at least some degree of kashruth on Passover – even those of us who don’t bother with it the rest of the year – is so we can moan and groan and complain about how bad the matzah tastes.

Passover is different from a lot of other holidays because it doesn’t involve mere ritual or even belief, but action. From cleaning the house and changing over all the dishes, pots, and pans to cooking for two seders with twenty-plus people at each… anyone who wants to observe Passover has to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, so to speak. It’s not about words, it’s about deeds.

Even for those of us who draw our lines a lot more liberally, Passover is something of a pain. Oh sure, Manichewitz makes out like a bandit, but the grocery bill alone at this time of year is enough to make most of us wonder why the addition of the UP symbol seems to double or triple the price of most items.

But despite all of the annoyances of Passover, there’s something about it that makes it seem, well, to borrow a well-worn cliché, different from all other nights. Coming together to recount history and observe tradition, and – perhaps most importantly of all in these times – celebrate freedom. And there’s a moment when the entire family gathers at the seder table and – in between my uncle’s snoring and my little cousin’s attempt to mash all food items into the carpet – I realize that this is what it’s all about. Cardboard and all.

Chag Sameach.