Passover in Kampala

Pesach is one of my favorite holidays because it is one of the twice yearly family traditions (Thanksgiving being the other one) when my whole family gathered together. There was the big meal, good conversation, traditions and board games, surrounded by a few days of hiking, canoeing and fishing with the extended family. My mother led a large community seder with my extended family, who usually arrived late and loudly, seated at the head table. My grandfather led the family seder, at which he was allowed by my grandmother (again only twice-yearly, since he couldn't carry a tune) to sing. Traditionally the leader breaks a piece of matzah and hides half of it for the children to find, and he was a master at clever hiding despite never leaving the table. My mother prepared a traditional spread of food and everyone made their traditional contribution - one grandmother brought stuffed potatoes, the other a root of horseradish which she dug from her garden each year, placed on the table with dirt still clinging to the sides, and then took home and replaced in the earth to grow again for the next year. Wherever I have been in the world, I've tried to have a passover seder. At least one year in Switzerland, I was the only Jew at my seder - but we made the traditional foods and discussed the story with interest and enthusiasm.

This year I was grateful to be invited by new friends in Kampala to their seder. They hosted about 17 guests, most of them Jewish, and I got to bring my cousin Abby who happens to be working 6 weeks in Kampala while I'm here - what are the chances? It was a potluck and the best meal I've eaten in Africa. The set-up was beautiful, the people interesting. They distributed various different Haggadahs and we selected portions of each that seemed worthwhile (or funny). It being Africa, the power was out for the first couple hours and I think some of the plumbing as well. Due to the resulting mood lighting, the photos are not amazing, but I think they show that the set-up was definitely amazing: