Shalom, my loyal readers! Are you all preparing for Pesach? I know I am. Jewish tradition dictates that before the holiday begins, we should all do a bedikat chametz, or checking for chametz, in our homes with a candle and feather. I just did mine. It went something like this.
(Open cabinet)
“You still chametz?”
(no answer)
“Cool.”
(Close door)
Hey, nobody ever said being Jewish was easy. I’ve barely begun my shopping yet aside from buying a double-box of matza for 30 shekels. Wow. Thirty shekels for crappy Saltines. Shopping for Jewish holidays completely throw the economic laws of supply and demand out of whack. A jar of gefilte fish for $184? Yeah, that seems fair. Even if we’re demanding it, does anybody really want it? Seems I could spend 30 shekels and make my own matza. If these thoughts aren’t coming out as intended, I unintentionally woke up at 6:30 this morning and am strongly considering my second cup of nes (instant coffee) already before 8 AM.
Here’s a fun Pesach video I took part in on behalf of Ayeka who offers “Adult Education for the Soul”, directed by the talented Micah Smith (who also directed the ubiquitous Google Exodus video also linked below.) The other actors were hilarious, a blast to work with. For new ideas from Ayeka for running your Seder, just look here.
Fortunately, my family’s Seders were never like this.
The following is still probably my favorite Passover video. As I recently discussed with my friend and fellow blogger/writer/different hat-wearer Esther, I’m not a huge fan of the preponderance of new Jewish holiday videos (Jpost article about the trend here.) American sorry* to be the Jewish Grinch but is there a strong correlation between Jewiness and dorkiness in holiday Youtube videos? The majority of them (like “Best Seder in the U.S.A.”) are sopping with the same old Manischewitz references and whatnot (“whatnot” meaning more Manischewitz references). Maybe pop/rap music and Orthodox Judaism just don’t go together well. Then again, many of them get lots of hits so I guess they’re accomplishing their goals. Or maybe I just don’t like Miley Cyrus. Don’t be offended, Orthodox Jewish “Weird Al” wannabes, but 15 seconds of a “Tik-Tok” parody with the predictable “brush my teeth with a bottle of wine” is about 15 seconds too much for me. And, yes, I just watched a Ke$ha Passover knock-off and it wasn’t the first. Good intentions, good people, just not enjoyable for me generally speaking. (I cut kids a lot more slack. “Just Had Chametz” was cute although that’s probably related to the original itself being funny and these guys not taking themselves so seriously. Or maybe that’s it: people taking themselves too seriously. You’re Jews singing about the shank bone to the tune of “I’ve Gotta Feeling.” Crack a smile.)
Anyway, the video below is completely original (is that redundant?) and musically catchy as well.
And if you’re in Jerusalem, check out Hahafuch at the Stage One English Theater Festival on April 20th and 21st. I’ll be making people laugh elsewhere but that’s no reason not to go.
*”American sorry” explained
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