I’ve had the recipe for beet ravioli on my recipe queue for the past year. I’ve also had the beets patiently biding their time in my refrigerator. Nonetheless, a year has passed, and the beets and I still await our rendezvous. Clearly, something is wrong with this situation. The problem is food empathy.

As someone who has their own food idiosyncrasies, ideally, I should have a good deal of food empathy. But as I ponder this fact now, I am coming to the harsh realization that I may have far less than I would like or am proud of. Or perhaps I have too much, and express it in less than productive ways.

I started keeping kosher to an extent when I was 13, and growing up in the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, it was sometimes easier to do than others. The worst moments of food alienation came when I lived for four months in Belgium and then for four months in Hong Kong. In Belgium, the baguette with brie started out as a fine lunch, but after a week of it, while everyone else enjoyed an array of indulgent and succulent foods, it started to get old. Hong Kong was even worse – with so many new and exciting foods and flavors served family-style, I was stuck scrutinizing menus and waiters, resigned to a plate of some steamed green vegetable or maybe some noodles.

The lowest point came when my Mandarin class took a field trip to a dim sum restaurant, and as my classmates devoured barbecued pork buns and chickens’ feet, I ate bok choy. Looking back, it doesn’t seem like eating perfectly good bok choy should be that big of a deal, but I can assure you that it was quite an emotional experience being hungry and disappointed while my classmates gorged themselves on tasty foods.

Moving to Seattle was a welcome change – nearly every potluck I go to is vegetarian and most restaurants have extensive vegetarian options or are accommodating. But given my difficult food experiences, you might expect me to be exceptionally in-tune to other people’s dietary needs and preferences. Unfortunately the most I can say is that, well, I do my best. As an occasional hostess who loves to go overboard with involved recipes and gastronomic delights, my friends’ complicated eating restrictions are a major frustration. Between the vegetarians, the gluten-frees, the dairy-frees, and the fish- and tomato-averse, creating a meal to not just feed, but delight a crowd becomes an exercise in logistics and coordination that is often more than I bargained for.

The result is that the beet ravioli has not come to fruition, but at the same time, if I’m honest about it, I don’t fully accommodate my guests either, making some compromise dish. And while my guest assures me that she is full and satisfied on the salad and roasted vegetables I’ve provided her for dinner, I know that I should strive for better if I want to be a good hostess and a good friend. And at the same time, I should find a way to make the foods I fantasize about a reality for those whom they will be a delight rather than a downer.

The challenge to being empathic, both with regard to food and life, is to really recognize the way that others feel and support them as best we can. But at the same time, to be able to empathize, we need to recognize how we ourselves feel so that we can meet our own needs.

So I’m committing to making the beet ravioli for someone who will appreciate it in the way that I will. And when my gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian comes over, I’ll try to make something we can both enjoy as well. It is my hope and my conviction that if we can acknowledge people for who they are and embrace them as well as ourselves, we can all be better off—living and eating in a world of connection rather than isolation.

The following additional SIFF films have been identified as those of Jewish interest and will be reviewed as they become available:

Daas
Poland – Historical Drama
Fri., May 18 – 4 p.m., Egyptian Theatre
Sun., May 20 – 6:30 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown Theatre
Sat., June 2 – 3 p.m., Harvard Exit

The Law in These Parts
Israel – Documentary
Sun., May 27 – 1:30 p.m., Pacific Place
Tues., May 29 – 6:30 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown

Simon and the Oaks
Sweden – Drama
Sat., May 19 – 1:45 p.m., Renton
Mon., May 28 – 6:30 p.m., Egyptian Theatre
Thurs., June 7 – 3:30 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown

Six Million and One
Israel/Austria/Germany/USA – Family Documentary
Sun., May 20 – 6:45 p.m., Pacific Palace
Mon., May 21 – 4 p.m., Pacific Place
Wed., May 23 – 6 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown

Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas
USA – Family Comedy
Tues., May 22 – 7 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown
Sun., May 27 – 1 p.m., Everett
Fri., June 9 – 11 a.m., Pacific Place

5 Broken Cameras
Palestinian Territories/Israel/France/Netherlands – Documentary
Thurs., May 24 – 6:30 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown
Mon., May 28 – 3:30 p.m., Everett

Policeman
Israel - Political Drama
Tues., May 29 – 9 p.m., Pacific Place
Mon., June 4 – 9 p.m., Pacific Place
Wed., June 6 – 3:30 p.m., SIFF Cinema Uptown

Despite his local following and the enormous success of the Groucho show, which Ferrante has performed in more than 400 cities across the U.S. and Canada, Ferrante has never played it in Seattle. But that’s about to change as ACT Theatre presents the production in a three-week run from May 3-20. For Ferrante, whose typical Groucho gig is one or two performances per city, this is a chance to settle in with local audiences and he’s clearly excited at the prospect.

Ferrante comes by his impression — he doesn’t like the word “impersonation” — of Groucho honestly. Ferrante saw his first Marx Brothers movie, “A Day at the Races,” when he was 9 and was immediately captivated by Groucho in particular and by all the Marx brothers in general. Immediately afterward, Ferrante went to his local library and started reading all about the Marx brothers and other vaudeville stars of their era.

He had a chance to see Groucho in person just once, as the great man was nearing the end of his life. When Ferrante was 13, his father took him to a performance Groucho was doing for a book promotion and although Groucho looked, in Ferrante’s words “like he was almost ready to expire,” Marx’s quick wit was on full display. To a woman who wanted to know, “What do you dream of?” Groucho responded without skipping a beat, “Not you.”

By the time he was a theater major at USC, Ferrante was completely hooked on Groucho’s unique blend of wit, physical comedy and improv. When it came time to create a student project, Ferrante developed his first iteration of the Groucho show. He invited Marx’s son Arthur to a performance and when Arthur Marx decided to write a show about his father’s life a few years later, he asked Ferrante, then 23, to star in it. When “Groucho: A Life in Revue” opened in New York in 1985, it was a surprise hit and went on to an equally successful run in London, paving the way for Ferrante’s lifelong commitment to keeping Groucho’s jokes, songs and spirit alive.

“Groucho is my alter ego,” explains Ferrante. “There’s so much in life we don’t say but Groucho cut through that. He had license to say ‘the emperor has no clothes’ and an outsider’s humor like the guy who crashes the party but refuses to be put down by the lack of inclusion.”

But Groucho’s appeal for Ferrante is far greater than his ability to take on the establishment and get away with it.

“Groucho could do it all. He could read the dictionary and make you laugh, he could go from falsetto to bass, he was athletic and he was fearless.”

Although Ferrante is not Jewish, he honed his gift for shtick not just by watching Groucho but also from some of the greatest Jewish-American comedians, like Milton Berle and Sid Caesar, at New York’s Friars Club. Over the years, Ferrante has taken Berle’s advice to “do everything and learn from everything you do” to heart and though he has played Groucho for more than 25 years, he continues to fine-tune his performance. “Each time before I go on, I say ‘Frank, your job is to exhilarate the audience and share the playfulness of the Marx brothers.’”

Given the improvisational nature of “An Evening with Groucho,” Ferrante has a chance to continually hone his comedic skills. The performance, which Ferrante describes as “what Groucho himself would have done in 1934 if he had worked without his brothers,” is tightly structured to include material from Groucho’s films and shows but also includes “pockets” to allow for improv bits. As he does at ZinZanni, Ferrante wanders through the audience, stopping for a few wacky one-liners, or calling an unsuspecting soul up on stage for what invariably turns out to be a hilarious interchange.

Most of all, Ferrante says he tries to “conjure up the spirit of Groucho and emphasize his performing style” in a format he describes as part stand-up, part musical, part acting and part free-flowing improv. Whatever the label, “An Evening with Groucho” is a chance to appreciate Groucho’s genius and the contemporary actor who is his heir in spirit, intellect, and irreverence.

Frank Ferrante performs “An Evening with Groucho” at the ACT Theatre’s Bullitt Cabaret, 700 Union St., Seattle. Tickets cost $15-$30 and can be purchased at the ACT website. Read more about the show here.

Tomorrow night, Seattle will get a taste of what all the hubbub is about. We will be given the opportunity to get a glimpse into this popular author’s quirky personality and his engaging new collection of short stories, Suddenly a Knock on the Door.

Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Keret is sometimes described as being “at the forefront of a ‘new’ kind of Israeli writing,” one that wants little to do with political entanglement. Unavoidably, the region’s turmoil saturates his work, yet his stories convey no clear message or ideological position.

“Most of the Jewish writer friends I have are American and I feel closer to them because they’re always obsessed with one issue – identity: what does it mean to be an American Jew?” Israelis, he says, rarely deal with the question of what it means to be Israeli. “Maybe it’s too difficult, but they tend to suppress it. There is something about Jewish writing that’s very reflective, while Israeli writing is more active and epic in nature.”

Instead, Keret’s work is wildly imaginative and extraordinarily witty. He manages to be both sophisticated and “anti-literary,” humorous, while slyly serious. As William Skidelsky wrote last month in the Observer, “While invariably set in contemporary Israel, and full of sex and violence, they also hark back to older storytelling traditions, such as the parable, the folk tale and the absurdist fictions of Gogol and Kafka.”

Join Seattle Arts and Lectures tomorrow night, Wednesday, April 25 for Etgar Keret’s talk at Town Hall. Hear about his connection with writing, where he pulls his inspiration (after having spent ten long years on this last collection) and participate in some Q&A.

Don’t miss the LitUp! event prior to Keret’s lecture at the Sorrento Hotel, sponsored by SAL and Jew-ish.com. This mix and mingle hour will start at 6 p.m., with ample time to walk over to Town Hall (across the street) together as a group to see Keret speak.

Jew-ish: How has the tour been so far?

Idan: Great so far. We have had many concerts that sold out, which for us reflects the support we are getting from our fans. Since the show is a jam session format, the main challenge was to “rehearse,” so to speak, the vibe: the basic needs that we have to establish to create a “living room” experience for the audience and have a good time.

Jew-ish: How is this tour different from when you toured with Vieux previously?

Idan: Previously I was a keyboard player for his band, to learn his music, the Malian grooves. It was a learning opportunity for me as a musician to leave my band and experience a new musical world before this current collaboration. 
This time around it is less drums-oriented, but more percussion oriented. I am playing with Souleymane Kane, one of the best calabash players of Mali, who used to play with the legendary [late] Ali Farka Touré (Vieux’s father) as well as Amit Carmeli, one of the best bass players in Israel and a great vocalist who teaches choirs there. 

Jew-ish: For those who do not know, what is the focus of your music project?

Idan: It is the voice of the Israeli street, and a big influence is the East African/Ethiopian community [in Israel]. But there are artists from all over the world. For those who are less familiar with our work, we just released a new album which is a collection of live shows, and it covers such a long time frame that is feels almost documentary in nature. These were big shows; the ensembles included up to 28 artists on stage at one point.

Jew-ish: What will you be working on in the near future?

Idan: In May, we will be recording with India Arie for Universal Records’ Open Door Project. We will have a bunch of summer concerts in Israel, in beautiful venues, particularly on the [1st Century desert fortress] mountain of Masada. Then we will tour with Vieux in Europe.

Jew-ish: How can we connect with you during the tour?

Idan: One good way for everyone to connect is on Twitter and on Facebook. We will be posting updates and news about the tour. If you are not familiar with the music, you can get four of our songs to download for free by emailing us. Another way is to show up! [Idan Raichel Project] has become a kind of a movement, with people bringing their instruments after writing to me [online]. There was a Malian singer who joined us onstage in New York, another saxophone player in Paris played with us. People keep joining this movement and I welcome the readers to join us too. 

The Touré-Raichel Collective featuring Vieux Farka Touré, Idan Raichel, Souleymane Kane and Amit Carmeli // Saturday, April 28 6:30 p.m. (all ages) and 9:30 p.m. (21+) // tickets $45 in advance, $47 at the door // tickets can be purchased on the Triple Door’s website

Things have been getting a little out of control as of late. My list of school-related to-dos and extracurricular pursuits is getting to be a little bit overwhelming. And I know what everyone I encounter seems to be thinking: I should be working on my dissertation. Nonetheless, I’m writing this column instead because a person can’t get by on dissertation writing alone. Likewise, for my other pursuits, it literally has come down to writing a list of “priorities” and determining what can be put on hold for a while and what should stay for now. Some of the choices have been easy – dissertation writing, trying to eat healthy and exercise regularly, making time for friends. But some are less obvious – in particular, my intellectual journey into the world of Jewish philosophy.

My investigations into Jewish philosophy began about six months ago. I had been struggling for months, maybe even on some level for years, trying to come to terms with my take on Judaism, figuring out where I fall in the spectrum of Jewish belief and practice. And the only thing that I came up with was that I didn’t fit in to the structures around me.  I didn’t want to have a debate about halachah, and attending prayer services left me feeling more alienated and alone than ever. It seemed like I was the only one who felt this way – wanting to feel this spiritual connection and not feeling one at all. And it didn’t feel like there were any readily available answers.

And so began my quest. I got some book recommendations and started reading. It’s been slow – I am, after all, supposed to be focusing on my dissertation – but it’s also been a real delight. Because what I found in my reading was that other people have struggled with the same issues, have asked the same questions that I have and been able to address these questions in an intellectual way. Perhaps I won’t come to the same conclusions they did, having a framework to arrive at answers, or at least more questions, is invaluable.

It would be easier to not ask the questions, and really, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with going on that way. Like scrambled eggs, it would be perfectly fine: We just beat an egg, fry it up, and enjoy. It’s enough to get by on, but not really exhilarating, fulfilling or challenging. And sometimes that’s all we need, all we want or all we have time for. But the beauty of a soufflé is that it really is simply an egg, deconstructed and put back together. For a soufflé, we must separate the egg, whip the whites, make a custard with the yolks and then reunite the two. It’s a lot more work. But the thought and effort of creating the soufflé lead to a meal with more depth and intrigue. Perhaps we even achieve a greater understanding of how incredible and versatile a simple egg can be. 

So I’m choosing to make a Jewish philosophy soufflé: take it apart, come to appreciate it for what it is, and put it all back together again. I still have my equivalent scrambled egg moments, but it’s nice to know that there’s a recipe to be had for when I’m up for the challenge. In any case, no matter how you like your eggs or your Judaism, I hope you find both enjoyable and fulfilling.

In a study released by the Economist Intelligence Unit last June, Seattle ranked fourth “greenest” city in the United States and Canada. Seattleites often pride themselves in being forward thinking and environmentally friendly. So, as Jews, what is our obligation towards a day, first observed over 40 years ago, which calls Americans to environmental action?

There are many ways to see Earth Day as a Jewish celebration. The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life calls attention to the fact that “Judaism provides us with a lot of traditional holidays in which to appreciate our connection as Adam (humankind) to Adamah (Earth). Earth Day is also a time to consider Jewish environmental values by celebrating the human connection to the natural world and placing a powerful emphasis on protecting and preserving it.”

The COEJL gives an overview the Jewish approach to Earth Day, offering a comprehensive list of ways (incorporating Judaism) we can make changes in our own lives to be greener and promote sustainable living.

There are many ways you can get involved locally on Earth Day to show your support for reducing your carbon footprint. The Seattle Times has an events listing including some of the activities going on around the Puget Sound. Additionally, I recommend reminding Jewish organizations you are affiliated with that Earth Day is important not only to the larger community, but also to the Jewish community. While we sometimes see Tu b’Shvat as our own Jewish version of this holiday, we can take this opportunity to make a special second effort in the year to celebrate and appreciate the planet we live on.

Protecting our precious resources regardless if we believe they were put on this earth by a higher power or not is part of our responsibility as both humans and Jews. Often we get caught up in the past paced and consumptive reality of life, but these larger reminders – days which “force” us to pay attention and act – can often remind us how we connect on a higher level to the planet which sustains us.

Like other holidays that have a larger message that should theoretically resonate throughout the year (such as Passover), Earth Day is on our calendar to remind us that one day is not enough to make a lasting impact. However you decide to spend your day this Sunday, April 22, think about ways in which to treat our environment with the concept of tikkun olam (repair the world) in mind.

Your future In-laws
Wine: Pacifica Meritage (red)
Price range: $35-40

If you get invited to your sweetie’s parents place, you are going to have to look beyond the Trader Joe’s wine aisle for an appropriate hostess gift. You want to bring a wine that whispers “I respect you and want your approval” but does not scream “I think you’re a huge snob so I brought the most expensive kosher wine I could find.” Enter Pacifica Meritage. Not only is this quite possibly the best kosher wine available for sale in Seattle, it is also the Swiss Army Knife of alcohol, able to please a variety of palates (the Manischewitz purists notwithstanding) and lending itself well to a variety of entrees from brisket to matzoh lasagna.

Bonus: This is the first kosher wine from Washington State’s famed Columbia Valley. This little tidbit will be sure to fill at least three minutes of uncomfortable silence.

Your Rabbi
Wine: Binyamina Special Reserve Chardonnay (white)
Price: $20-23
Getting invited to your rabbi’s table is a huge honor, but it can also be a little nerve-wracking. You will want to bring a wine that is delicious but unpretentious; thus, I suggest this smooth crisp Chardonnay. This wine has the distinction of being the only white wine that got above a 6 from me at the JTNews’ Passover wine tasting, and for good reason. If you are the super nervous type, take comfort that this delicious white will not stain your host’s tablecloth if you get a little too comfortable.

Drake
Wine: Bartenura Moscato (white or rosé)
Price: $11-16
Lucky you: You got invited to the best Jewish rapper’s (sorry Matisyahu!) table. Before you pawn your Civic to buy a magnum of Krystal (it’s not even KLP, dummy, and it’s so 2004) head to grocery stores and pick up a lovely blue bottle of Moscato (now featuring a festive cloth cover). Not only does our favorite Canadian MOT extol the virtues of this sweet white wine in his music, but it’s experiencing an upswing with his colleagues (betcha never thought a kosher wine would take out full page ads in Vibe) and is also quite affordable, so you really have no excuse to show up with anything less than a case.
PS: If you are not going to Drizzy’s, this wine will also be a hit with most people born prior to 1950.

If for some reason your host is not one of the above three people (can’t imagine why) I also suggest these K-L-P wines in a pinch - and they’re are less than $20:

Ramon Cardova Rioja (red)
Herzog Selection Chateneuf (white)
Golan Sion Creek Red (red)

Jew-ish will be talking with Mark more in depth pretty soon, but for now, have a cookie.

- Emily

The recipe is from Ashley and can be viewed on their blog too.

Mark has been asking me to make something for Passover nonstop for the past week. So tonight was the night! If you couldn’t already tell, I have a mega-sweet tooth going so I decided to make a flourless cookie. While trying to find the best recipe in the world, I ran across Smitten Kitchen. The pictures are what lured me in.

It was 9:30 p.m. and knowing we didn’t have eggs, I asked Mark to “check the fridge” to see if we had everything. I was hoping he would discover the 1 egg and immediately offer to go to Saveway to pick some up. But after his hemming and hawing I gave in and decided to accompany him on the wild Saveway adventure. Pretty tame tonight…we got our eggs, dried figs (my recipe addition) and a Real Change paper.

So here is what you need:

2-3 cups walnuts, halved
1 cup dried figs, chopped
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large egg whites
1 Tbs vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spread the walnuts evenly over one of the baking sheets and pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes until the walnuts are golden.  Let them cool and then chop them up!

In a bowl, whisk the sugar, cocoa powder and salt…then add the walnuts and figs.  While whisking add the egg whites and vanilla until all the batter is moistened. It is important not to over mix as the mixture will stiffen. 

Arrange the oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven and reduce the heat to 320.

Spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in even mounds and bake for 15-17 minutes, until the tops are glossy but cracked. Make sure to shift the sheets halfway through!

Slide the parchment paper and cookies onto 2 wire racks and let them completely cool before enjoying.

Made it? Loved it? Suggestions? Comment below!

It is only a week (okay, eight days). Have you ever been on a diet? You know, a period of time where you deprived yourself of the omnipresent unhealthy processed foods in favor of healthy whole foods? Most Americans have. Most people can go a week without cake or other simple carbs, so why should this week be any different? Why do we pay $6 for a KLP pancake mix that will barely feed three people and is full of artificial and processed ingredients? You know what makes a great breakfast on Passover? A bowl of fresh fruit, plan yogurt (with honey if you like) and almonds. Warm quinoa served with coconut, fresh fruit and a little bit of almond milk is an amazing hot breakfast that is filling and healthy. And let’s not forget the humble grapefruit.

I have a vision of a Pesach where people do not gain five pounds, but rather lose five pounds with a diet based on lean proteins (chicken breasts, fish and grass-fed beef), lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (olive oil and nuts) and of course quinoa. Yom tov afternoons should be spent taking in the cherry blossoms or the baby ducks in Seward Park or Green Lake with friends and family, not in a matzoh lasagna coma. 

I am well known as a cupcake fiend, but I recognize that not only are KLP cupcakes not going to taste very good, but they are going to cost double the price of what a decent cupcakes should to produce. Furthermore, is it really in the spirit of the holiday to go to such crazy extents (e.g., loading your system full of matzoh meal and cotton seed oil) to poorly replicate the food that we deprive ourselves in order to observe the holiday? The Pesach Industrial Complex does not want you to think you should or can. Before Purim, the Passover displays creep into the stores whipping up a frenzy in their wake. The threat of scarcity (remember that lack of KLP Coca Cola in Seattle?) has led many a typical thrifty shopper to spend a month’s grocery budget on a shopping cart (not so) full of condiments and frozen KLP onion rings. The Pesach Industrial Complex has finally taken notice of consumers’ preferences for healthier foods and has started to introduce new “healthy” offerings.  But organic matzoh meal is still matzoh meal and a KLP pasta that now has a “gluten free” label is still going to taste horrible and no one with celiac would ever buy it the other 51 weeks a year.

I know I am offering an idealist vision in an imperfect world. Next year in Jerusalem (and in our skinny jeans).

I’ve always felt a certain affinity for Passover, and for the past three years I’ve hosted a second night seder. It’s something about the idea of bringing together people of diverse backgrounds to share not just a meal together, but to reflect on the past year - our challenges and triumphs - together. 

As I reflect on the past year, I recall all the narrow places I have been. The trips to the ER, the grad school frustration, and one dating fiasco after another. As I look ahead to the coming year, I think about where I’d like to be and how I plan to get there. No matter what that journey might look like, there’s no choice but to move forward – because while we may never reach the Promised Land, if we don’t leave Egypt, we’ll certainly never make it there.

But it’s important to remember that there isn’t one road out of Egypt – the journey could take months or years, could be twisting or straight, strenuous or easy. There may be no way to know what the road will be like before trying it or which one is the *right* path. And while anyone can tell you what they think is the best path for you, or really, what was the best path for them or the one they wish they could take, only you can know where you are and where you want to be.

And so, as my head spins thinking about the past and the future, I think I’ll just focus on the task at hand: my seder menu. I’ve got the traditional brisket, the trendy quinoa, the springy green salad – the same foods that will probably grace many other seder tables worldwide. But while the dishes may sound familiar, I’ll also be bringing to the table something that is uniquely me. I’m not talking about food here – I am talking about the person I am, the community I make and am a part of. OK, you’ve found me out; I’m also talking about my secret charoset recipe. And I know, now that I’ve told you I have a secret recipe, the cat has to come out of the bag. So, without further ado, I will let you in on my recipe – it’s neither really Ashkenazi nor really Sephardic; it’s just…me.

Gastronomist Economist Charoset

Ingredients

*Apples, chopped (I think to use sweeter ones and keep the skins on)
*Lemon juice, for apples
*Pistachio meats (or shelled pistachios), chopped
*Dried apricots, chopped
*Other dried fruits such as cherries, cranberries, blueberries, or hibiscus flowers
*A little honey
*A splash or two of red wine

Preparation

Toss chopped apples with lesson juice in a large bowl. Add chopped pistachio meats and dried fruits and toss with honey and red wine. Let sit for at least a half hour or so for flavors to come together. That’s it! Will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

I hope this year your seder is meaningful. And I hope that this Passover can be a time for freedom and rebirth, a time when we can all leave our narrow places in search of broader ones on the paths that are the right ones for us. Chag sameach.

Hillel at University of Washington plans a handful of fun community events for JConnecters (20–30 somethings) where you can enjoy low-key activities throughout the week of Passover. Kicking things off this year is the pre-Passover Pizza and Beer event, coming up on Thursday, April 5 (the night before Passover begins) where you can consume plenty of doughy pizza and yeasty beer until you’ve had your fill to tide you over (hopefully) for the next 10 days. The following night, Jconnect will host a first night seder at Hillel, which will be a great opportunity for those who would like the tradition of going to a seder with a fun environment and young crowd. We recommend the Hillel seder if you are not interested in preparing a seder yourself or want to meet others in the community that may not have Jewish family nearby. This is a great way to expand your Jewish circle and avoid fussing over matzoh ball soup.

If you are interested in making Passover dinner at home for friends, there are some great suggestions we’ve come up with to maybe make your Passover more fun and give it a little “Seattle” flavor. First, rather than just go with a traditional seder, come up with a theme for your seder that might be both topical (i.e., have some connection to the story of Passover) and also personalizes the celebration. Maybe you can figure out a way to make Star Wars relevant to Passover. After all, Darth Vader is speculated to have a Jewish connection. Depending on how much effort you’re willing to put into the preparation, you can DIY some haggadot with your theme interwoven in the story and make your seder unique and entertaining.

Some people are turned off by the traditional foods that are part of the Passover seder, such as the gefilte fish or horseradish from the jar. But it’s not difficult to make these dishes yourself and they taste so much better if you do. A simple recipe for DIY marror (typically horseradish) is quick, tasty and a thousand times more appetizing than the bright pink stuff you buy at the store. In fact, if you want to take your Passover experience even further, growing your own horseradish is quite simple, and though you’ll have to wait to harvest it for next year’s seder, you may want to consider this DIY idea for future years.

Our last tip for the upcoming weekend is buying a brisket. Brisket is the cornerstone of many Passover dinners, and regardless of whether you are preparing a traditional or more avant-garde recipe, you’ll need to know where to order and purchase your meat. There are many local grocery stores that either carry brisket regularly or can order it for you. If kashrut is an issue, the grocery outlets carrying kosher brisket in Seattle are Albertsons on Mercer Island, QFC in University Village and PCC Seward Park (which is actually having a kosher for Passover sale Sunday, April 1) and View Ridge. We recommend calling first to be sure and to order the appropriate weight for your dinner.

Remember, Passover doesn’t have to be all Manischewitz products (oof, especially the wine) or feeling homesick for your family on the holiday. There are plenty of opportunities here in Seattle to either gather with new and old friends or create unique traditions for your own seder. Whatever you decide for the upcoming chag, enjoy the spirit of the Passover and make it special. Lechaim!

Bubby’s Bread is taking online orders for delivery the week prior to Shabbat on April 16. Pickup spots are at the Bubby’s preparation facility in Kirkland on Tues., and Wed., April 13 and 14, and at the Pike Place Market in Seattle on Thurs., April 15. Visit www.bubbysbread.com for further information.

Some additional simple ways to reduce the stress of Passover prep:
Involve the children as much as possible
Stay focused on one task at a time
Write down everything you need to do
Keep a list of accomplishments
Take 10-minute breaks
Don’t expect to make everyone happy
Refuse to compare yourself with other people
Laugh!
Listen to music
Change your usual responses to challenging family members
Avoid bringing up past mistakes or failures – both yours and others’
Don’t expect people to change
Adjust your perceptions to include peace, compassion, forgiveness and gratitude