I have the best Jewish friends. They’re not strict Jewish, they adapt a lot of the traditions to suit themselves. For example any of the food heavy holiday’s they invite their non-Jewish friends over but do most of the religious stuff before we show up. So for me, I get to visit with friends, eat pretty good food (I’ve learned what to avoid like the unleavened bread), and help them celebrate something that’s important to them. They make no expectation for us to actually participate, just respect that they are. It’s a good time.
I feel for their kids though, they have to do the 10 hour thing.
Yep. Half my family is Jewish, half is Catholic. My dad (Jewish atheist) made me sit through a really long seder once and afterward said he forgot how boring they are. And also didn’t warn me about the bitter herbs lol. Next time we went to a seder it was wayyy more streamlined.
You can use parsley as ‘bitter herbs,’ which is what we did. Not the most pleasant thing to eat, but not exactly unpalatable. I’ve heard of some people using celery. That feels like cheating.
I think that may be what the idea was, but they definitely meant just regular celery because the conversation, which had happened a couple of times with guests when I was a kid, was along the lines of “why are you using parsley? Celery is so much nicer!”
I agree. Unfortunately, with Jewish holidays, you have to sit through what feels like about 10 hours of prayers in Hebrew before you get to the food.
Which especially sucks when you’re a hungry kid who doesn’t understand Hebrew.
I have the best Jewish friends. They’re not strict Jewish, they adapt a lot of the traditions to suit themselves. For example any of the food heavy holiday’s they invite their non-Jewish friends over but do most of the religious stuff before we show up. So for me, I get to visit with friends, eat pretty good food (I’ve learned what to avoid like the unleavened bread), and help them celebrate something that’s important to them. They make no expectation for us to actually participate, just respect that they are. It’s a good time.
I feel for their kids though, they have to do the 10 hour thing.
Damn, lucky you not having to sit through the boring shit. Because yeah, the food is great!
Yep. Half my family is Jewish, half is Catholic. My dad (Jewish atheist) made me sit through a really long seder once and afterward said he forgot how boring they are. And also didn’t warn me about the bitter herbs lol. Next time we went to a seder it was wayyy more streamlined.
You can use parsley as ‘bitter herbs,’ which is what we did. Not the most pleasant thing to eat, but not exactly unpalatable. I’ve heard of some people using celery. That feels like cheating.
If fish isn’t meat to the Catholics then why shouldn’t celery be a bitter herb
Beaver, armadillo, alligator and capybara are all also fish according to the Catholic church.
https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2023/02/20/whats-seafood-for-lent-alligator-beaver-and-armadillo-make-the-cut/69922902007/
So yeah, Jews definitely don’t have the monopoly on this stuff.
Celery leaves specifically would probably be what they meant. You can actually use them as a substitute for parsley in cooking!
I think that may be what the idea was, but they definitely meant just regular celery because the conversation, which had happened a couple of times with guests when I was a kid, was along the lines of “why are you using parsley? Celery is so much nicer!”