By Jacquelyn Letizia Staff writer
On April 10, Susquehanna held its annual Passover Seder in Evert Dining Room.
The Seder is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Jewish religion, marking the first two nights of Passover, which celebrates the anniversary of the exodus from Egyptian slavery over 3,000 years ago.
The service included many different foods and steps, all of which are rooted in tradition and can be found in the Haggadah, the prayer book for the service.
Senior Tracey Pyser, the co-president of Hillel, described the meaning and the importance of the Seder.
“We talk about why this night is different from other nights because this is the point when the Israelites became free so we celebrate and relax on this holiday,” she explained. “There’s a Seder plate, which has a few different symbols, each which are mentioned through the service.”
“Partway through, we break for the meal and then we finish with a couple prayers and other passages,” she continued.
“The Seder is important in Judaism because the story of Passover is one of the reasons of how we got to where we are, which we are reminded of,” Pyser added. “Passover is one of the most important holidays to the Jewish people because it commemorates our liberation from slavery and the conditions that the Jews once lived in.”
Pyser also explained that the Seder is planned to accommodate the traditions of different Hillel members, which contributes to the overall welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.
Pyser said that her favorite part of the service is when the four “children” are discussed.
“There are four ‘children’ that are discussed, one wicked, one wise, one simple and one who does not know which questions to ask,” she said. “I always love when we get to this part of the Seder because we pick out the four people in the room who have those personalities to read.”
Not only is the Seder important to the Jewish religion, but it also can serve as a uniting event for students and faculty on campus.
Pyser said that the campus-wide Seder brings together individuals from all over the campus community for a meal and discussion about religion and faith.
“The Seder allows the campus community to learn more about Judaism and opens up discussion between multiple religions,” she said. “Passover is an important holiday for a majority of the Jewish population here and it lasts a week, so it gives insight on the dietary restrictions we have the remainder of the week.”
“I really think it’s a great environment for learning about each other’s religions, not just Judaism, and understanding how the Jewish people escaped Egypt,” she said.
She added, “There’s a line in the Haggadah I use at home that says ‘all those are hungry come and eat,’ which helps explain that Passover is about welcoming others into your community and focusing on what you can do for others.”
Senior Rachel Marstellar attended the service as well.
“I love that the Seder was an inclusive event,” Marstellar said.
She added, “Quite a few students present, including myself, were unfamiliar with the traditions of the evening, the Hebrew language and the songs, but the leaders explained all of their customs and gave very clear instructions.”
Marstellar expressed her appreciation for the openness of the event.
“Extending beyond my faith, I think it is immensely important for students to be aware of religious and cultural traditions of as many groups as possible,” she said.
Marstellar also said, “The Seder gives students a safe space and an interactive opportunity to hear, see and participate in an otherwise unfamiliar custom.”
