The Peisach Family Pesach Tent

April 5, 2024 | People in Our Neighborhood

By Guest Contributor

In this interview, Diana Peisach Solomon shares her family’s cherished Passover traditions, highlighting their unique Pesach (Passover) “tent” gatherings filled with interactive elements and delicious food. Over time, traditions have evolved to accommodate a growing family, with a special emphasis on engaging the younger generation.

 

Tell us about your family Passover traditions:

Growing up in the Peisach Family, Passover was a big deal and always included large family Passover Seders. For years, my Aunt Darlene has hosted our family’s Passover seder and always found ways to go above and beyond to make our seders fun, interactive, and unique. For many years, this was done through her Passover “tent,” my favorite family tradition. She would create a tent in her basement using tapestries on the ceiling, floors, and walls and filled it with sofas and pillows – mimicking a Bedouin style tent the Hebrews may have dwelled in while wandering the desert. With 30+ family members and friends gathered in the tent, we would have our Passover seder using an original Haggadah created by my aunt, personalized with supplemental readings, games, and songs that fit our family. Then, of course, Seder would be followed by a huge family dinner and even larger desert. Each year I look forward to the tent or whatever unique Passover experience my aunt has created for our growing family. No matter what seder looked like we knew it would be filled with lots of family, fun, and food.

How have these traditions changed over time? 

As our family has grown over the years, first with significant others and now with the next generation of grandkids (currently up to 10 under 6), our Passover traditions have shifted and adapted, and our tent has grown. When I was a child, we retold the story of the Exodus using puppets and a script where we each played a part, and as we grew older, our Haggadah developed with us. Now with teams of toddlers running around, my aunt is again finding new ways to engage them in her Seder and help make the experience age appropriate and interactive for them.

What is your favorite Passover memory?

One of my favorite Passover memories was in 2022, the first year we hosted a full, extended family Passover seder after the COVID-19 pandemic… outside. It was a beautiful, warm day in April and instead of sitting in my aunts tent, we sat outside on her driveway. I look back with a smile as it just brought me so much joy for our entire family to be able to gather again for our favorite Jewish holiday after missing so many significant holidays and moments together during the pandemic. Not only that, it was also my daughter Laine’s first full Peisach family Passover. It was still a special time together that I will always remember.

Now that you are rising a family of your own, how have your family traditions and memories inspired or informed the Jewish traditions you are creating for your family?

I am so inspired by the Jewish experiences and traditions my family created for us growing up. In our family, it was so important that holidays were filled with both food and fun, and also connection to our history and to one another. Now as a parent myself, it’s so important that my children learn to love Judaism and holiday traditions as I did. Whether it’s cooking matzo ball soup together or understanding the story of Passover through crafts or songs, I want my girls to love Jewish traditions and culture and never feel obligated or, dare I say, bored engaging in holiday customs.

What advice would you give to someone looking to add more fun to their upcoming Passover celebrations?

I would encourage parents to think about ways they can engage their kids in the stories and traditions of any holiday at age appropriate levels for their children. How can traditional customs like the Seder be innovated to grab and keep their attention- from where you do it (try outside if it’s nice or in a tent), to how you do it (REALLY get into the reclining and create a pillow bed on the floor), to what you incorporate (puppets, skits, instruments with songs, crafts/toys representing each plague), or how you prepare (let them help you decorate the table). Don’t be afraid to be silly and stray from the traditional Haggadah, especially in the early years, until your kids can really sit and appreciate the full Seder. It made a huge difference for me as a child, getting excited for Passover Seders rather than dreading it as a long, boring ritual, and I hope I’m doing the same for my girls.