We are right in the middle of the holiday season.
Yesterday was Palm Sunday, this coming Sunday is Easter, and for Jews around the world, tonight, at sundown, begins Passover.
Passover is probably my favorite Jewish holiday on the calendar. It centers around the family, and the only gifts that are expected are that everybody is supposed to be at the two seders that lead off the eight-day celebration.
Be there, or be square.
During the seder, we talk about the Jews' flight from Egypt all those many generations ago, and how they didn't have time for their bread to rise, and thus was created matzoh, the main symbol of the holiday.
Matzoh is like a cracker, and I just love matzoh.
I love it with cream cheese spread over it.
I remember as a kid, you would spread cream cheese from a matzoh end to end, and then sprinkle some salt on it for extra flavor.
As an adult, I know that I can live without the salt, so just having the matzoh with cream cheese is fine with me.
You can also have it with butter.
Butter on matzoh is also very tasty. And it is the same premise: spread it end to end, and just enjoy every morsel.
It is easy to give up bread for the eight days by substituting matzoh.
And now, there are several different types of matzoh--regular, egg and even wheat matzoh, and let's not forget chocolate matzoh--to satisfy any hunger or dietary need.
There are other great foods that symbolize the holiday, including macaroons, but for me, when I bite into my first piece of matzoh tonight, it really is the holiday.
It is a time to reflect on the past, look into the future, and move forward not just as Jews, but as human beings.
Happy holidays to all.
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