Seder dinner

Tonight we celebrated the Sader (five weeks early). The sader dinner is in celebration of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The whole dinner took 3 hours as my teacher, Prophessor Ophir, explained the whole program to us.

The program had 6 special musical numbers of songs in hebrew celebrating this great event. There were 10 readers who read verses from the Torrah about the exiting of the Israelites. (I was one of the readers) Dinner was sooo good. They fed us way too much. We literally were fed two desserts haha it truly is kind of like their thanksgiving. :)

We read a lot from the hebrew symbolic book and ate a couple of the symbolic food before the actual dinner.

symbolism:

green parsley: dip in salt representing tears and sweat of enslavement

Chazeret: green lettuce, representing a bitter herb to remember bitterness of slavery

Roasted egg: springtime and renewal

Charoset: sweet spread representing sweetness after they were freed

roasted lamb: symbolizes lamb sacrifice that represents God's outstretched hand in all things

horsradish: bitterness of enslavement

The whole night was centered around Matzah bread (unleavened bread). Throughout the whole dinner we would break pieces off and eat to remind us of what they went through. Also, we had a lot of grape juice... like 8 cups. LOTS of symbolism within this meal.

We had four courses to our meal. Best meal ever! Our chefs here at the JC are so amazing :)

course 1: Fresh Garden Salad

course 2: Salmon w/ light pita

course 3: fresh vegetables, sweet chicken & rice, fried mashed potatoes

course 4: pecan ice cream with bannana cobler

course 5: more deserts.. brownie, etc.

Didn't get a chance to get a picture with my teacher, but I got one of my cute cousin, Mary! So happy we can be here together. She is such a role model to me and just radiates every time I see her! Also, she can do just about anything in this world. Piano, marathons, genetics, ANYTHING. :) I hope to be able to be just like her on my mission!

PS: Adam, pictured above, served in my brothers mission, Cordoba Argentina!! Loved tonight and grateful everyday to be having these experiences in the Holy Land.

XOXO, alyson :)