Courtesy Photo | A gathering of Soldiers listen as Rabbi (Col.) Bonnie Koppell, of Mesa, Ariz., reads a...... read more read more
Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, Iraq - Soldiers from the 101st Sustainment Brigade and 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery Regiment attended a traditional Jewish Passover supper April 17 here.
Rabbi (Col.) Bonnie Koppell, of Mesa, Ariz., led the seder, a traditional family Passover ritual meal.
Passover, or Pesach, is an annual observance to remember the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. The celebration lasts for one week, and the seder is celebrated on the first night.
In addition to the traditional sequence of the seder, Koppell stopped many times to explain the meaning of each part of the ritual to the Soldiers, none of whom were Jewish.
"The word "rabbi" literally translates into "my teacher." So teaching is what I do," said Koppell, who is on a temporary tour of duty in country under the auspices of Combined Forces Land Component Command.
Koppell welcomed the group, which included two chaplains and two chaplain assistants, encouraging the Soldiers to participate and ask questions.
Asking questions is a ritual part of the seder, explained Koppell. At one point during the meal, the Soldiers sang a song, which told the story of a man who had four sons.
In the song, each son asked the father a question about Passover, and the father's answers explained another aspect of why they commemorate the event.
"Literally, every day a Jew is commanded to remember," said Koppell. Each part of the meal represents something to remember.
The only bread Jews are allowed to eat during Passover is unleavened bread, or matza. Koppell asked if anyone knew why this was.
During the ancient Hebrews" escape from Egypt, there was no time to allow the bread to rise, so the people had to eat flat bread.
"We're in a hurry, we've got to move out!" said Maj. Randy Mosteller, 101st Brigade Troops Battalion chaplain.
During the seder, participants also eat green vegetables, signifying that Passover is a spring festival, according to Koppell. Participants dip the herbs in salt water, commemorating the tears of the Hebrews in slavery.
Bitter herbs, in this case, packets of horseradish, remind the participants of the bitterness of slavery.
"It was a bitter experience, being a slave," said Koppell.
Throughout the seder, Koppell led the Soldiers in different songs, some traditional, and some set to modern tunes. One song, Dayenu, was a song of thankfulness. Another song, "There's No Seder Like Our Seder" opened the meal.
The Soldiers followed the service with the haggadah, a book which contains the text of the seder. "Haggadah" comes from a word which means 'to tell," said Koppell.
Koppell has led services at several bases in country including FOB Speicher and LSA Diamondback. After visiting Q-West, she headed for FOB Warhorse to commemorate once again the exodus from slavery to freedom.
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2006 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 6200 |
| Location: | QAYYARAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 70 |
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