The fantasy of sitting around the seder table, teaching engrossed children about the Exodus and liberation, is a touching tableau. But in reality, the dwindling attention spans of today’s youth don’t always afford the opportunity.
With a bit of tweaking, Congregation Beth Am’s Russian émigré program has created a seder with Sesame Street-style appeal that caters to this tough-to-engage population.
On April 8, Easter Sunday, while the world’s Christian children hunted for Easter eggs and gorged on candy, the seventh night of Passover was celebrated with dramatic Russian flair during an action-packed seder at the Los Altos Hills Reform synagogue. Russian families with children age 4 to 11 and grandparents were invited to attend the seder, which cost $20 per family.
Nicole Zeltsa, 9, played the part of the Pharoah’s daughter in the skit version of the Exodus, which was performed by children and adults from the community. To Nicole, the seder was not the interminably boring dinner most children experience; instead, it was an exciting opportunity to perform.
Before the seder began, children were entertained at a visor-decorating station. They were told the visors would serve as much-needed protection from the cruel Egyptian desert sun.
The seder began with a skit featuring the four sons, whose funny, in-character questions about the seder included a query about the Afiko-man’s relationship to Spiderman and Batman.
Seder leader Lena Zusmanovich, an émigré and Hebrew schoolteacher, played the role of emcee. She interacted with the four sons, interrupting for traditional rituals like dipping the karpas as well as nontraditional activities such as Simon Says-type games. She also led songs written especially for the seder, including the Four Questions sung in Hebrew and Russian.
A memorable one was called “Pharoah, Pharoah,” sung to the tune of rock classic “Louie, Louie,” complete with dance moves and Egyptian hand gestures that everyone performed. Most of the seder was dedicated to the Exodus skit, which was highly interactive. Baby Moses in his basket was passed from table to table while kids circled with stuffed crocodiles. All the visor-clad children in the room were required to pass through the parted Red Sea, which was fabricated from two blue sheets held up by parents.
The Exodus skit, performed in Russian and in full costume, was written by Zusmanovich. Instead of passing out haggadahs to follow along, the seder’s format dictated that participants simply sit back and enjoy the show.
While it’s been difficult for many Bay Area synagogues to attract Russian Jewish émigrés, Beth Am has been a front-runner in creating a vibrant Russian-Jewish community by catering to the culture, language, population and experience of Russian Jews. The temple’s émigré program director, Inna Benjaminson, has been instrumental in building this community for years.
This was the third year Beth Am’s émigré department hosted this children-focused seder. Its success could easily be gauged by the hundreds of smiling Russians crowded around the seder tables.
The seder ended at sundown with an original Beth Am Russian seder tradition. Each child was given a balloon and parents were asked to write down what they are seeking liberation from this year. The papers were tied to the end of the balloon string and sent flying into the dusky skies overhead. The children were happy and tired, the adults were well fed and the Jewish obligation was fulfilled. Perhaps next year, they’ll do it in Jerusalem.