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Fog/Mist A celebration of Sisterhood
Jewish women gather for Passover Seder, skits and dancing
After months of planning, by a committee of 19 women from six local sponsoring Jewish organizations, 219 women gathered for the Joint Women’s Seder, held this year at the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre on March 24.
Arliene Reich, of Lawrence, and Carolyn Stein, of Lynbrook, were co-chairs of the event, which was, by report of the many women who have attended this event the seven times it has occurred, the “best one yet.”
The event started as a collaborative effort between the sisterhoods of the former Temple Sinai of LI and the former Temple Emanuel-El of Lynbrook, as a precursor to merging and becoming Temple Am Echad in 2009. It has grown and become, over the years, a collaborative effort that is now sponsored by the Sisterhood of Temple Am Echad (Reform), The Sisterhood of Central Synagogue in Rockville Centre (Reform), The Women of Congregation Beth Emeth (Reconstructionist), The Sisterhood of Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre (Conservative) and both the Peninsula and South Shore branches of NCJW (National Council of Jewish Women).
The Haggadah sub-committee wrote their own Hagaddah, incorporating many previous editions, but added a few new twists —discussion pieces, a skit depicting the role of women in the Passover story, songs and texts, in addition to leading the Seder this year. The room was filled with the sound of tambourines, as the women were “dancing with the timbrels” to “Miriam’s Song,” Debbie Friedman’s well known song. The tambourines had, tied to them, ribbons on which the attendees wrote the names of women in their lives who influenced them.
The sumptuous Seder meal was caterer by Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre’s new caterer, Chaim Kay, of D & D Catering. Two 100-year-old women attended the event, and promised that they would be there again next year.
Story submitted by Arliene Reich
