March is always an eventful month for Benjies Deli, filled with collegiate basketball games and St. Patrick’s Day festivities. But now that the celebrations have subsided, we are gearing up for another big event: Passover. Passover will commence on Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 and will continue for seven days. In true Jewish fashion, we will be doing our part for Passover by offering a traditional Seder meal.
The Seder is traditionally a ceremonial meal consumed on the first night of Passover. The rituals and foods of the Seder all represent something symbolic; For example, the unleavened bread represents the urgency of the Israelites having to leave Egypt. An entire process of reading passages, singing, and drinking goblets of wine usually accompanies the meal.
During April 18th-19th after 4 PM only, you can come in to Benjies Deli and enjoy a traditional Seder meal for only $14.95. Or, if you prefer to have your traditional meal at home, you can call ahead to place a to-go order for only $15.95.
There are certain foods eaten during the ritual Seder family meal served on the first two nights of Passover. Although over time, family customs may have changed the items served at the Seder, the following foods usually appear on the Seder plate:
• Matzoh: Three unleavened matzohs are layered within napkins as a reminder of how quickly the Israelites were forced to flee Egypt, leaving no time for dough to rise. Two are eaten during the service, and one (the Aftkomen), is hidden during the ceremony to be later found as a prize.
• Maror: bitter herbs, usually horseradish or romaine lettuce, used to symbolize the bitterness of slavery.
• Charoses: a mixture of apples, wine, nuts and cinnamon, as a reminder of the mortar used in building by the Jews during their slavery
• Beitzah: a roasted egg, as a symbol of life and the continuation of existence.
• Karpas: a vegetable, usually celery or boiled potato, representing hope and redemption; served with a bowl of salted water to represent the tears shed.
• Zeroah: traditionally a piece of roasted lamb shankbone, symbolizing the paschal sacrificial offering
• Wine: four glasses of wine are drunk during the service to represent the four-fold promise of redemption. A special glass is left for Elijah the prophet.
To place your order for a Seder meal, please call Benjies Deli at (714) 541-6263.
