The snap of matzah, the tinkling laughter of children, the sound of a minyan singing – all sounds that could be heard in the Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota Chapel’s Fellowship Hall on April 1. Around 25 Jewish members of the Rota community, including Jewish Roteñas, gathered together to break matzah, sing prayers, and celebrate the start of the Passover holiday with the symbolic seder dinner.
This was the first seder I was able to attend in a few years, mainly due to operational conflicts. It did not disappoint. In fact, the Rota seder reminded me of childhood seders I would attend at Congregation Adat Reyim in Springfield, Virginia, but much less stuffy and longwinded. I like those qualities, which is why I declare it the quintessential seder… but not without its quirks!
Upon arrival at the Fellowship Hall, I was greeted by smiles and the smells of brisket and matzo ball soup. My synagogue growing up would never think to have any additional food besides the six symbolic foods required on the seder plate. We welcomed community members and guests alike. A family assigned to the NATO Joint Warfare Center in Stavanger, Norway visited the installation during their spring break holiday specifically to join in the festivities. It was truly a conglomeration of communities, backgrounds, and jobs, but we all had one thing in common – we all are Jewish.
The seder started late, as is customary in not only Spain, but Jewish culture as well. The seder opened with the traditional prayers, as Jews do all around the world. Then we began the celebration of the seder plate, starting with the dipping of bitter herbs, also known as maror, into the salt water. This signified the bitterness of the slavery of the Israelites in the Old Testament and the tears they wept. Now, if you think that I am about to go into a full breakdown of the Haggadah, the Passover-specific prayer book, you’d be wrong. This is where our seder diverts.
The blessing of the wine was next, and I was pleased to enjoy a Kosher tinto from La Mancha. Now, when Amanda Gipson, the Rota Jewish community leader (the community doesn’t have a rabbi), said that we would be doing the Reader’s Digest version of seder, I initially didn’t believe her. But, lo and behold, within a few moments we were halfway through the Haggadah and skipped a few seder plate items. In my conservative Northern Virginia synagogue, this would have been heresy; but, in Spain, it felt just right.
We joined in a fun Passover skit with masks, read through some fun familyfriendly stories in the Haggadah to break down the Plagues and the flight of the Israelites. Within a few moments of being hidden, the children had found the finely knit afikomen bags, holding the missing piece of traditional unleavened bread, known as matzah, eaten during Passover. Then, the eating began. The potluck was an enjoyable mix of Passover classics, including matzo ball soup, with modern Jewish cooking, such as melt-in-your-mouth brisket. The seder dinner conversations even had their own Spanish twist, as members of the community spoke about upcoming trips to Europe and of the Feria season between bites of delicious food.
With the sun just starting to hit the horizon, we began to wrap up this non-traditional, convivial seder with a couple of final prayers. I was raised in an Ashkenazi Jewish synagogue, which mainly features traditions from Eastern European Jewish people. In Spain and much of North Africa, Sephardic Judaism is the name of the game. While there are only slight differences in religious interpretation between the two sects, the primary differences come in how religious observances are conducted. One of the primary differences was the language of one of the prayers: Ladino. Ladino is a Sephardic Jewish language, mixing elements of Hebrew with Castillan Spanish. The Jews of several hundred years ago in this very land would use Ladino to sing their prayers. In that moment, I felt reconnected with my people of the past.
The Rota Jewish community is an absurd concept in a foreign land with a tiny Jewish population, but it feels warm, welcoming, and just traditional enough to bring you closer to a higher power without feeling overly stuffy. So, drop on in if you ever want to experience one of these exciting events. You can find out more on the Rota Jewish Community Facebook page or just stop by the Naval Station Rota Chapel to get in touch. Either way, you’re in for a great time… Spanish-style!
