More than 100 women from several Jewish organizations gathered on March 17 at Temple Am Echad in Lynbrook for a long-awaited return of a beloved community Passover tradition — this time re-imagined through music, poetry and shared reflection. Passover begins the afternoon of April 1 and ends after sunset on April 9.
“It was wonderful to see the community together in a happy setting,” Irene Dranch, a member of the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, said. “It was a beautiful event. They brought it to current — Passover is a story about freedom, and there was so much to celebrate and relate to over this past year.”
The Jewish holiday of Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt, is traditionally observed through a ritual meal called a Seder. While past gatherings followed a traditional Seder format, this year’s event was intentionally designed differently.
“We made it specifically not a Seder this time,” event Co-chair Julie Skiddell said. “We wanted to try something unique, guided by four themes: slavery, hope, redemption and gratitude.”
Instead of a structured ritual, the evening unfolded as a “musical journey,” blending modern poetry, personal reflection and song. Four female cantors from three congregations — Elana Bell, of Temple Am Echad; Barbara Haimowitz and Hazzan Bonnie Zakarin, of Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre; and Eryka Velazquez, of Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth in Rockville Centre — led the program.
“We took each segment and blended music, poetry and a modern perspective on the Passover story,” Skiddell said. “We found poetry we had never used before and incorporated it into our program.”
Participants said the updated format made the centuries-old story feel especially relevant.
“They made it very lively and feel-good,” Dranch said. “Sisterhoods came together — Reform, Conservative, all types of religious observance — and it felt very meaningful.”
The event also included readings from contemporary and historical voices, including Israeli feminist activist and Open Orthodox rabbi Haviva Ner-David and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel, along with reflections on current events, including updates on previously held Israeli hostages.
The tradition of hosting a women-centered community Passover gathering dates back to 2007, according to co-chair Arliene Reich. The last event was held in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic paused large gatherings.
“After Covid, it took time for people to feel comfortable coming back to something like this,” Reich said. “This year, we made it a priority to bring it back.”
The return carried added significance amid rising antisemitism and challenges facing Jewish communities.
“In the world right now, it’s important that we have one voice together,” Reich said. “To celebrate together, to know each other, to continue traditions and bring together strong women — we feel that strength together.”
More than 110 attendees representing eight Jewish organizations took part in the March 17 event, creating a multigenerational gathering of women connected through shared heritage.
“There were young people, older people, parents and children — it was really multigenerational,” Reich said.
Though the evening did not include a traditional Seder, symbolic elements such as matzo, grape juice and a Seder plate, alongside a kosher-style meal, were offered.
“The word Seder means order, and we didn’t follow that traditional order,” Rhonnie Fischman, co-chair of the food committee, said. “We incorporated food and music in a different way to match the spirit of the evening.”
For many, the emotional impact of the event lingered well beyond the final song.
“People were emailing us afterward saying they felt uplifted, spiritual and moved,” Fischman said. “They were proud to have been part of it.”
At its core, organizers said, the evening was about connection — honoring the past while strengthening bonds for the future.
“We’re reinforcing our connection as Jewish women,” Reich said, “sharing the same joys and worries we’re facing in the world today.”
Fischman echoed that sentiment with a message she hopes attendees carried home.
“I hope these women leave with the idea of unity — that we are not alone,” she said. “No matter what we’re facing, we are Jewish women doing it together . . . and we are strong.”
