Bible Updates
Nitzan and Shaul Barakan had to come all the way from Israel to the United States to learn words like "afikoman" and "seder plate."
"We had huge Passover seders every single year, with 1,000 participants in the kibbutz dinning hall" recalled Nitzan, a Hebrew teacher. "Every class performed a song, but those were not necessarily the songs from the haggadah, but spring songs. Last year, for the first time ever, Shirly Brener didn't celebrate Passover.
Born in Israel, Brener immigrated to the United States with her mother when she was 15, and she has fond memories of Passover seders in Israel.
"Passover in Israel is nothing like Passover here. People celebrate at home with their families."
When Brener was 10, her parents divorced, and she started splitting the seder nights between two homes.
Passover was a very important holiday for both grandmothers. "When we got to the meal part in the haggadah, we usually stopped reading altogether and stuffed ourselves with food. For me, Passover was always a family holiday, a time when all the family gathered together to celebrate," Brener said. Brener said that she not only misses the family gathering around the seder table, but also all the preparation beforehand. Passover at Parviz Nazarian's home in Beverly Hills is a big event, with 70 family members and friends gathered around the table.
"We have Jewish friends as well as non- Jewish friends that we invite to the seder, so they can learn about our tradition" said Nazarian, founder of CECI (Citizen Empowerment Center in Israel).
In Iran, the family often invited guests who didn't have anywhere to celebrate the seder. Here, the Nazarian family keeps up tradition and will celebrate both nights of Passover with dozens of guests.
Nazarian insists on reading the haggadah to the end, and each guest is invited to read a portion.
"We read the haggadah in Hebrew and in English, so everybody will understand," Nazarian said. The Millo seders were always grand affairs. "I remember Passovers in London, were my father was stationed in 1976. It was our family tradition, which I still keep."
His father's work took the family to New York, Turkey and Italy.
"For me, Passover always has a connection to the embassy, because I mostly celebrated Passover there," he said. "There were times however, when we celebrated with my family in Israel. This year, they will celebrate their last Passover in Los Angeles before returning to Israel. "Our whole family and friends from Israel are planning to come and celebrate with us in Los Angeles.
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