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Streaming Seders, Zoom-inyans, and Lamb Shanks to Go
How the Jewish community is using tech to celebrate Passover under lockdown
“Why is this night different from all other nights?” It’s one of the central questions underlying the Seder meal, which marks the start of the Jewish holiday of Pesach (Passover). This year, it’s distressingly easy to answer.
The world has never seemed more different. As the COVID-19 coronavirus spreads worldwide, more than 95% of the United States is under some form of lockdown or shelter-in-place order. All but essential travel is restricted in most jurisdictions, and gatherings of all sizes have been banned.
In the Jewish community, we’ve had to get creative to celebrate Passover during the pandemic. And in many cases, this has meant turning to tech — adapting tools for online food orders, streaming content and working from home to the task of holding services and celebrating the holiday remotely.
Our community is quickly becoming acquainted with the limitations of these technologies— and their possibilities. The lessons we’re learning can apply to other religious communities, but also to anyone trying to conduct business, engage with family, or build a community while physically dispersed and isolated.
