I guess I'm the Jew of the board. Feel free to make jokes. Anyway, here's to a happy passover, and I hope you guys don't have to eat to much matzah if you go to a seder, and don't have to deal with the stupidest 1st grader the world has ever known.

stupid jew j/k ^_^

Cartmen from South Park...that's all I have to say because he says so many jew jokes i don't need to say any but his name! XD

I think it's Cartman, not Cartmen, but either way he's an awesome character. Probably the best on South Park. Anyway, it's hard to explain why exactly I'm Jewish-I don't take it seriously at all, but I absolutely consider myself one. I think it's a symptom of the whole "struggling with god" stuff that Judaism generally supports.

Different characters pronounce it Cartmen or Cartman so I can't tell. He's my favorite character.

What's Passover like for your family anyways?

Most of my friends are Jewish. I wouldn't be able to survive easily on passover, because I'm already a vegetarian.

i somtimes just can't stand food at Passover

passsover is the whole not eating festival thing, like ramadan, isn't it?

Erm, Yom Kippur is somewhat like Ramadan, whilst Passover is more like Easter. It is only for one day, however, whereas Ramadan is a full month of the lunar calendar, where one eats only while the sun has set-and while the sun is up, you're supposed to keep yourself under control and be better than usual (when it's down, I dunno). Muslims are tougher at guarding their stomachs, I guess. I was good friends with a muslim girl two years ago (she moved to the West Coast because her dad was job changing) and she said it wasn't that bad. I also remember learning that it's one of the 5 pillars of the Islamic faith-I know faith, helping the poor, and taking at least one pilgramige to Mecca are also among the pillars, but I'm unsure what the last one is. However, I'm too lazy to research the religious reason for the fast, and I've never read the Qur'an, so I can't tell you much else.

As for Passover, it is not a period of fasting, but an 8 day period to commemorate the freeing of the Jews from Egypt in days long by. It can be compared to a variety of other pagan spring festivals, as it most likely drew various elements from them (like Easter). In an interesting contrast to Easter, though, the name is derived from an event-the Angel of Death passing over the doors of Jewish Slaves smeared with lambs blood-while Eater comes from a name, the goddess Eostre (spelling may be wrong).

For any who don't know, the last plague involved the Angel of Death killing all the firstborn sons of Egypt (I believe only juvenile ones though). The other nine included the river turning bloody, a great storm of hail, and a cattle sickness.

So anyway, we spend the time reflecting on the meanings of the objects on the seder plate (Lamb bone of the smears of lamb blood, egg for the Spring Season, etc), asking questions about what distinguishes the night from all others, and so on. Generally, we spend a long period of time waiting to eat-fun...

But, depending on where you go, you can get much less rigorous and annoying seders. Don't get me wrong, I like discussing biblical stuff, but holidays are usually the same thing again and again. We had a very abbreviated service, a meal, and then a very abbreviated conclusion. And the meal itself was great-generally, the Passover food I eat is no good, but whenever my parents cook it, it's really good. For instance, Gefilta fish (raw fish filet with nothing but spicy horseradish to flavor it) is normally awful, but is somehow good when my mom makes it. We had some wierder stuff too-a hazelnut espresso cake with home made syrup, bazil sorbet, etc. The main course was a rack of lamb, so I'm afraid Karn would indeed have some trouble unless he enjoys a variety of vegetables (of which there were plenty).

We then kind of "forgot" about the second part of the seder. My family is becoming fairly alienated from Judaism, so we just ended it there.. I enjoy discussing the torah with my rabbi and fellow students in our confirmation class (yes, now jews get "B'nai mitvah'ed" and confirmed if they want), but I'm a very nonspiritual person so services and the like are not my favorite thing, frankly.

ah. the whole light never went out thing?

That's Hanukkah/Chanukah.

my jewish festivals are mixed up.

umm..is it the one where you celabrate...moses?

Yes indeed, that is correct. We celebrate god talking to moses through the burning bush, mourn the occurence of the ten plagues, and hope that someday all people will be free.

oh. arent your people free now?

Yes, but while slavery is mostly over, there's a general positive regard for humanity within the Jewish religion. I don't remember the laws, but there are a few things that non-jews have to be to be considered good people by jews, and I believe the laws are fairly loose. I don't think I've ever read them though.