Exodus Celebrated; Family and Food! Happy Passover!

Passover this year for us was a huge gathering of thirty family members for a wonderful Seder hosted by my dear Uncle Harry and Aunt Mimi, cousin's Neil, Mel, Barbara and Mike. Here I am greeted by my young beautiful cousin Debra.

Mike is Amy's husband, and Cousin John is Hiedi's husband.

We are so blessed to have our Uncle Harry and Aunt Mimi with us. (aged 92!) Everyone came with their contributions for the festivities...Heidi brought kugel, Judy made cakes... My uncle and aunt are still very very much in love...such wonderful role models to us all! Mimi and I enjoyed the clam dip. She always made this for family gatherings! And we have new additions to our family this year. Hadley is one of them, in Cousin Amy's arms with great grandmother Mimi looking on. Amy came from Cheyenne, Wy to be with us! With her son Max and husband Mike. Mimi, Harry, Neil and Mel. We gathered in a lovely Club House room (with Kitchen) at their assisted living compound. Cousin Judy, husband David and daughter Sarah! Above is Cousin Laura, young Truman, who recited the four questions in Hebrew and his dad Erich! (I apologize for not having a photo of little Cameron and Morgan, John and Heidi's kids; or young Max, Amy's son, who read the questions in English; They were sitting on the same side of the table as me so were hard to get in camera range.) Cousin Lisa, Truman's mom, and Erich's wife, explained the Afacoman, the hiding of the matzah that the little kids would hunt for and find later in the evening, as part of the Seder celebration.

Below: My brother Richard, DH, and me wearing my map of Israel Pendant (by Mim) We followed along and took turns reading from the Hagaddah

Story of the Exodus of Jews out of Egypt/bondage Dave, Lyla, Ashley, Amy and Mike all traveled far to be with us. Amy, Mike, Barb, Judy, David and Sarah

Amy is reponsible for the pretty flowers in the clay pots.

We all got to take some home and I took three!

My cousin's Barb came from Colorado, and Judy lives here in CA. Cousin Jerry (Judy's brother) next to Mimi, me and Uncle Harry We did a very modified reading from the Haggadah and got down to eating

the beautiful meal of brisket, kugal, asperagus, and puree of peas with mint. And then dessert! Judy made this rich delicious carrot cake that went well with the

strawberries and whipped cream! We realized we all made way too much food and we wound up taking

lots home. (I gave my neighbors half a sponge cake, a pot of whipped cream and a container of fresh strawberries for their Easter celebration today)

and a sweet ending note when Judy discovered OUR grandma Ella's

name taped to the bottom of one of her plates! Memories of Passovers in years past when Grandpa Abe caught the fish

and chopped it into gefelti fish balls; grandma Ella made the matzo ball soup;

shelled and chopped nuts for the charoset all by hand.

They did it all; and they passed down this tradition to us and we now

pass it on to generations to come. Happiness is family gathered together.

My daughter and family were on vacation and my son living far away were greatly missed,

but in our hearts and thoughts.