Lockdown Day 16: virtual passover

The annual Passover service is always an event combining reflection, chaos, humour and disorganisation. The fact that this year we were doing it virtually rather than together made no difference.

The YMOTHs took charge of the catering and I have to say they did an exceptional job of it. I’m told the fish pie was excellent and I can testify first hand that the vegan shepherds pie was of the highest standard. As for the biscoff apple crumble, The Dizzle excelled himself. There will be arguments over the leftovers.

Panic had ensued an hour before kickoff when we couldn’t find any of the essential props (Haggadah, Seder plate, matzoh cover etc) which were eventually located under the eves in our bedroom (along with a hand drawn shank bone which I think is on its third year). Supply problems meant substituting parsnip for horseradish (a surprise hit) and there were no bitter herbs (we flirted with the idea of using sushi ginger but it seemed just a bit too metropolitan elite).

There were some technical discussions about whether to use Zoom or Houseparty as a gathering platform. It probably wouldn’t have made much difference as The Yoga Mama kept disappearing so that you could only see the top of her head, and the South London contingent seemed incapable of keeping their device in one place for longer than thirty seconds. Default view was a blank wall. 

This year we were joined for part one by TGR in Canada who was having a chilled mid morning session with us. Part two saw the Australian contingent call in, but for them it was 5am. Ms T looked absolutely delighted at having been dragged out of bed so early to listen to the Passover story and wrapped herself in a bathrobe that did at least look  vaguely biblical.

As to the service itself there were some commendable readings and prayers. The section on the ten plagues seemed ripe for updating but I was shouted down in my attempt to add Covid to the likes of frogs, boils and locusts. Three days of darkness, when according to Exodus "No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days" does however have a contemporary ring to it and may be the earliest recorded experience of lockdown.

All in all a successful event spanning many people across tens of thousands of miles. If we can improve the technology it could even become a way of life, as indeed it is at the moment...