We enjoyed gathering at Judy Schmidt's home and shared a Seder meal. Judy had information on the different dishes being served and their meaning. We also enjoyed a tea party of green tea chai and assorted cookies, all served on Judy's beautiful floral tea set. It was perfect for today as the sun was out and spring is finally sharing its abundant flowers.
We discussed our read, "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks. It is a historical novel of the Sarajevo Haggada, one of the "oldest surviving Jewish illuminated texts" (Wikipedia). It is a good lesson in cultural history, moving back through time as this rare manuscript, created with Orthodox icons, Islamic calligraphy and Catholic pages was lost and found, being passed to many individuals who kept it safe. The narrator of this story is Hannah, a book conservator hired to restore the Haggada. During the restoration, Hannah finds clues of its past, taking us back through time to experience life at several key moments. This story shows that "what united us was more than what divided us. That to be a human being matters more than to be a Jew or a Muslim, Catholic or Orthodox."
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