The Seder

Eva and Yanosh followed Rivka, their host, into a large hall. It looked like it might once have been a warehouse or factory building. Five long trestle tables arranged into a kind of semi-circle filled about half the space.  The tables were covered with white tablecloths, in the centre of which there was a vase of sorts – an empty soda bottle, specially painted for the occasion – containing a flower or two, which caught the eye. Most of the flowers were roses, red and yellow ones. There were also blue flowers, whose name Yanosh didn’t remember. Eva named them blue butterflies but he guessed she had just invented that.

There was a poster hanging over the head table. It read: “From Slavery to Freedom” in Yiddish, flanked by two big Zionist flags in blue and white, with a large Star of David in the center. Some smaller American flags had been hung beside them. Around the walls were sheets of paper with slogans in Yiddish and Hebrew. Artistic talent was evident in the illustrations that accompanied them, depicting imaginary scenes of ancient and modern agriculture in the Land of Israel.

“It`s beautiful, Rivka!” Eva exclaimed. “Must have been a lot of work to prepare all of this.”

“It was a zhus to be involved in planning and preparing this year`s seder,“ replied Rivka. “We had a wonderful committee, who worked hard taking care of all the details. I only hope the participants are as appreciative as you are. We Jews are not easy people at the best of times, as it says: am kashei oref. We are quick to criticize, and find it easy to find fault, as you know. I am just sad that Bronya, may her memory be blessed, didn’t live to see the result of all her work. We all miss her.”

“Yes, we know, Rivka, we know,” said Yanosh.

“I am sorry,” said Eva, touching Rivka’s arm to express her sympathy. Rivka dried her eyes as they continued talking.

As they spoke and walked by the tables, people began to arrive through the entrances at either end of the hall. There were women who, like Eva, were pregnant. Some small children came in, following their parents into the room, rowdy and excited. A group of American soldiers arrived, led by an officer, who handed out white skullcaps to each of them as they...