Passover

and all its forms

For a few years the wonderful photographer Matthew Septimus and I

collaborated on visual prayer poems for On Being. You can see them

here https://onbeing.org/author/esther-cohen/ (We continue our work together.

Even today)

For all the nights of Passover, we photographed and wrote. Knowing

how unexpected life can be, and how holidays interpretations take infinite forms.

Here’s a description of one from a few years ago. We were with friends.

The Baal Shem Tov, holy man
with a sense of humor (wouldn’t you
like to hear those jokes) said a special meal
should happen. Right now. Another rabbi
Shalom Dov Ber added another
four cups of wine. So we met for dinner
in a  restaurant. And although that might not be
what the Baal Shem Tov had in mind,
we celebrated each other in a Somali restaurant,
then went to an old Harlem
jazz club called Paris Blues.  Woman at the door,
beautiful Dominican named Esther sat with us a while.
Once married to an Israeli who died
(married again. An African husband now) she hugged us
goodbye. Chag Pesach Sameyach she said.And then:
Next Year in a place where everyone sings.