On that Passover, Jews went over the Sea

By Garry Fabian

Garry Fabian
Garry Fabian

MELBOURNE, Australia — Every year for times immemorial one of the features of a Seder is the parting of the seas, when the Children of Israel left Egypt.

One year our Seder also featured the seas, but with a difference. We were on a cruise on the Queen Mary 2, sailing from Melbourne, Australia to Cape Town in South Africa and our voyage coincided with Pesach.

We celebrated the seder on board, sharing the evening and festivities with about 50 fellow passengers, the evening being conducted by a Rabbi from Chicago, Rabbi Sharon Morton. Most of the traditional songs, some with adapted lyrics were sung, the story of the Exodus retold, an impressive seder plate gracing the table, and a traditional meal served.

A copy of the menu is below

Melon & Fresh Berries

Gefilte Fish with Chrane

Chicken Soup with Knaidlach

Whole Roast Chicken with Carrots, Asparagus, Sweet Potato and Potato Kugel

Or Roast Prime Rib of Beef, with the same vegetable selection

Honey Sponge Cake, or Macaroons,

Lemon Tea, Coffee

While the door was opened for Elijah as it customary, he did not appear as it was a bit difficult to cross the ocean to come aboard the ship

The whole evening was a very enjoyable, if quite different from the traditional family gathering one is used to.

No the seas did not part; we still managed to cross them without getting our feet wet.

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Passover begins the evening of Monday, April 14, 2014 and ends the evening of Tuesday, April 22
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Fabian is a freelance writer based in Melbourne.  He may be contacted via garry.fabian@sdjewishworld.com