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Chicken Soup
Preparing nana’s famous chicken soup recipe for Passover or making mom’s glazed ham for Easter helps us share family traditions and loving memories. As we suffer through the COVID-19 pandemic, connecting with each other is the most essential way to battle our sadness and fortify our strength.
This became apparent to me when my father died last week from the coronavirus. There was no hand holding, no seeing his body, no memorial service, no closure. Stormn’ Norman’, as we lovingly called him, was all about family. So on Friday night, we prayed together and shared our stories and thoughts with family members throughout the country via Zoom. And together we began the healing process.
As I began to prepare for the Passover meal, I took out our haggadot and kippot. Images of family members who passed flooded my memory. Each wine stain on the prayer book or frayed yamaka reminds me of my mother, nana, grandpa and others. I remember sitting at the kids table and sipping the ultra-sweet Manishewitz wine, hunting for the hidden matzah, and hearing my aunt yell at all of us simultaneously.
Passover and Easter are about sharing stories and traditions. For Passover, we recount the Israelites’ journey from bondage to freedom. During Easter, we talk about the world’s awakening to Jesus. It’s fitting that we share the stories of family members and their impact on our lives. So while we social distance, we can use our phones and tablets to stay connected and incorporate them into our rituals. Then none of us will be alone.
And if you have many leftover kippot (we have tons) , you can make them into face masks to wear when venturing outside. They are shaped perfectly to fit over your nose and mouth. Just add shoe laces and tie in back of your head. In fact, there is a synagogue in Houston, TX whose members are recycling theirs for this purpose!
