Why Do we do it?

Why do we do it? Why do we scrub our kitchens, our stoves, and countertops... Why do we change our dishes, spices, sponges, and towels... Why do we make ourselves crazy with cleaning and shopping and prepping... It's exhausting......Every friend that I spoke to after the seders said the same thing: " I am so tired!" Yet, you know that we are going to do it all again next. Truthfully, Passover is one of my favorites, and it is all about the traditions. I am blessed with a large, loving family. At this point, the younger generation outnumbers my generation, and I love it. I cook for the masses, and I love that too. The visiting children overrun the house, and I love it all. The furniture in the family room has to be moved out, and the tables and chairs for the seder moved in. The tables need to be set, and the seder plates need to be filled. I watch as the whole family jumps in to help, it is organized, wonderful chaos. The traditional Passover food is warming in the ovens, as well as the newer gluten-free vegan dishes prepared for the seder. The family loves my farfel stuffed chicken

breasts (recipe given to me by my mother-in-law), and this year I added a whole tray of chicken stuffed with gluten-free farfel. Keep the traditional food but adapt to your guests!

I asked my 89-year-old father why he thinks we do it all, and he said " it defines who we are as a people. When I asked what he meant by that, he said, "Tradition." We do it all because we should and we can. We get to do this. We get to carry on with the traditions passed down by the generations before us. We say to ourselves and the world, we are here, we are free, and we continue to be the strong Jewish people. Silver Linings Cooking hopes that you had a wonderful Passover holiday with your family and friends. Thank you to everyone who ordered from us, and we hope that our food brought comfort and joy to your seder table. We look forward to doing it all again next year!