The Jewish Family Affinity Group Hosts Seventh Annual Seder

The Jewish Family Affinity Group hosted its seventh annual Passover Seder on Poly’s campus on April 12, led by Jewish Family Affinity Group co-chairs Brittany Rothe-Kushel P ’34 and Thomasin Franken P ’31, ’35. The eight-day holiday celebrates the emancipation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery through a series of plagues from which the Israelites were “passed over.” Seder is a ritual feast held on the first two nights to commemorate the exodus from Egypt.

First celebrated over Zoom in 2020, these Seder events have grown in scope and popularity with the principle of welcoming all, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, to share a meal in reflection of family and renewal. Thirty attendees joined this year from across Poly, including a new incoming family, grandparents, and those interested in learning more about Judaism.

“There’s a lot of beauty and fun in Judaism to share, and I also like to partake in the fun of other people’s culture. It’s a great thing about the United States being a melting pot that there’s so much to learn and share with one another,” said Thomasin. “I appreciate that every affinity group at Poly has events that are open to the whole community and encourage other people to attend.”

The multigenerational event had everyone pitching in to contribute, from the potluck-style feast featuring roast chicken, charoset (a sweet, dark-colored mixture of finely chopped fruits and nuts), homemade brussels sprouts, saffron rice, sweet potatoes, and matzah, an unleavened bread representing the food eaten during the pilgrimage out of Egypt. The seventh-grade boys in attendance kept everyone’s glass filled with grape juice, and Middle School teacher Amy Jaffe brought her family’s delicious dessert matzah covered in chocolate, caramel, and nuts. The group is also appreciative of the Operations team for setting up the Middle school music room on short notice with rain on the forecast.

Students took turns reading from the Haggadah, which tells the story of the exodus. Instead of reading verbatim from the text, students summarized the story in their own words, demonstrating their connection and familiarity with the story. One of the most beloved parts of a Seder is when a piece of matzah is hidden to be found at the end of the meal, called the Afikoman. Leylah ’34, the daughter of co-chair Brittany Rothe-Kushel, found the matzah and decided to share her prize of several chocolate bars with those gathered for the event.

“It’s always nice to have a small community event that allows people to share their food, memories, and traditions together,” said Thomasin. “The Jewish Family Affinity Group is just one community that we have at Poly, in addition to the third-grade and seventh-grade communities of my children. The annual Seder is a great way to build connections outside of our grade and meet and welcome new families.”