From Dragonfly: Prepping for Passover

At sundown tonight, my official Passover week begins. Last week, a Rabbi came and spoke with us about Passover, although the conversation was short, due to our recall, I found it enlightening and was glad I chose to attend it. I don't do everything "Jewish" here for several reasons, but this specific holiday matters to me and is my favorite in the outside world. Last year, 23 people squeezed into my tiny apartment to have a Seder meal with the only three Jewish women in my PhD program. It was so much fun to have so many people experience their first Passover and it felt good to have such a tradition at my home. This year, though, many miles separate me from friends and family, so I am going to have a very unique prison Passover. I'm just so grateful that I can keep "kosher for Passover" for the week. It's about tradition, family, remembrance, and remembering that even the littlest acts "would have been enough."

Tonight, the holiday will start with a Seder. From what I can tell, there are 16 people participating. I'm not sure if all are Jewish, as we have many mezonnites here as well, but it will be a nice size group. The kitchen is preparing traditional fare - matzo brie (fried matzo to me), matzo ball soup, kosher grape juice, even charoset. We will have all the items on our Seder plate and a wonderful haggadah to follow. I'm sure it won't be like any Seder I've had in the past, but it'll be perfect nonetheless!

For the many days of Passover, we are being given special meals - made specifically kosher for Passover. I will be back to warming up my "TV type dinners" from a microwave being used only for Passover. It'll take me waiting for each person before me, as well as an additional 6 minutes at the microwave to be able to heat up and eat my meal. I've been told meals are good - much better than the kosher "sardines" or "spaghetti" I was trying to fare during my early weeks in prison. Also, I've been told that we are each receiving a box of matzo for our locker to have for snacks. I love matzo and butter, but there's no butter here, I can get some in the dining hall if I bring my matzo there. I'll buy some cream cheese at commissary this week, and spread that goodness on the matzo. It will be a great snack! I don't always do perfect with keeping kosher for Passover, but I think it will actually be easier here!

If you remember, I had put out today, April 14th, as the day I wanted to go home by. I really wanted to be home for Passover. I'd put it out to the world, but it was not to be. That's okay, at least I know I'll be home soon. Passover is about "freedom," I'm one of the few lucky ones at tonight's table. I'm going home and will be free very soon, some at the table are not so fortunate, including at least one with life in here. So, I'm going with the flow. I'm going to enjoy my Passover and remember how grateful I am that next year, I will be with my family and friends on the holiday. Perhaps I'll tell a story about Passover in Prison, perhaps not. I shall never forget, though, that I know.