First Hebrew

Second night of Passover was last night.

The table was singing Dayeinu and you kept coming up to your Mom and asking to sing. Of course you did not know the words. But by the end of the song, you had started to figure out the repetitive chorus and ventured a very credible try at "dayeinu."

Your first ever Hebrew.

For the record (and the non-Jews in the audience) the song lyrics:

Ilu hotsi - hotsiyanu, mimitzrayim hotsiyanu - velo asah bahem shvatim - Dayenu.

Chorus:
Dai-dai-yenu (x3) Dai-yenu, dai-yenu, dayeinu! Dai-dai-yenu (x3) Dai-yenu, dai-yenu!

Dayeinu means it would have been enough.

The real meaning of holiday

Last night was the first night of Passover. The Strauss clan gathered at Heather and Scott's for Seder -- Marcia, Barry, Heather, Scott, Mitch, Jodi, you and I.

At one point you sat on my lap, and wore a yamika. It didn't last long but it was pretty cute. It was definitely a moment. Which is interesting since Seder isn't something that really means much to me personally.

I think its further proof that holidays are really about gathering family together in a tradition. The religious or nationalistic aspects that are nominally the reason for gathering together is just the excuse. The real meaning for me comes from the gathering of family in tradition and generational continuity this creates.

On a funny note, I remember a holiday when Mitch was perhaps not much older then you are now (2ish) and he was wearing a yamika. But he also thought that his chicken nuggets needed a yamika, so he took his yamika and put it on top of the nuggets saying, "chicken hat."

That was funny.