by Rachel Kushner
Some look at this as “just another seder plate.”
To me, it holds meaning. It tells a story. When my father was growing up, family heirlooms were non-existent. The few remaining precious belongings of my grandmother’s were blown up in a bombing in Rotterdam during World War II.
She had sent a trunk full of precious tea towels, dishes, cloth napkins and some candlestick holders that held personal meaning. My father and his parents narrowly escaped Vienna in 1939 before arriving on Ellis Island. My dad was two years old when his parents came with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.
No toys. No food. No extra money.
They were desperate to escape and that’s all that mattered.
Leaving the “stuff” behind must have felt small in comparison to what they were up against.
Being Jewish in Vienna in 1939 had been terrifying. My grandmother worked tirelessly to get them out of the country safely.
God’s hand was upon them. I wouldn’t be writing this today otherwise.
Since my parents are now in their permanent residence, heaven, I am honored to have this special Seder plate, one of the few items that survived their escape from Vienna, in my home.
You see, I grew up in a messianic Jewish home. We understood the meaning behind the Old Testament prophecies pointing to Jesus. When John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,” our family knew we were talking about Jesus, our Passover Lamb.
Passover is special. Important. It holds deep meaning, foreshadowing and profound memories for Christians around the world.
I recall sitting around our dining room table being about ten years old watching my mom, a Gentile midwestern, godly woman, lighting the Passover candles.
She learned all the Hebrew prayers and ensured my sisters, and I learned them too. And there on our Passover table sat our beautiful seder plate holding the sweet mixture of apples and honey, the bitter herb, the shank bone of the lamb, the greens, the roasted egg and the salt water.
Each element was beautifully displayed as we retold the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea on dry land as God held the waters back for Moses as he led them into the Promised Land.
I recall watching my grandparents and father’s faces. They were proud. They didn’t just survive and escape, they were passing down their beautiful heritage to me. And to my sisters. And to my children. And to, eventually, their great-great grandchildren. They built a legacy for our family.
Rachel Kushner is the messianic maven behind Links to Messiah, a company that makes fun, educational boxes aimed at helping children see Yeshua in Jewish holiday and the Old Testament. Passover begins the evening of April 22nd. If you’d like to have a box full of games, recipe cards, crafts, music and more and share Yeshua in Passover with your family, order one here. There are less than 90 available for Passover 2024.
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