I'm very sorry to read that you don't like Pesach. It's always been my favorite holiday. The food, family, and community feeling all are wonderful to me. I love the songs. I love that the entire ritual is done in the home -- the most "family minded" holiday of the year.

I love the predictability, but also love the room for new. I love that my mother makes the same joke every year about the section of "how many plauges?" I love that it is a mitzvah to expand on the writ and add to the evening. I love singing dyenu, especially with a crowd who doesn't know the song at the beginning and is singing with all their energy at the end.

I love watching children tear around the house looking for the afikoymen. I love opening the door for Elijah (especially since we are always wondering who will walk in -- a stray cat joined us one year).

Most of all I'm sorry that you care so consumed with your idea that Pesach "sucks" that you can't see the beauty of the day, and the joy of a familiar, comforting ritual that has been the same for all these generations.

I certainly hope that whoever is hosting the seder you attend hasn't seen this article though. I can only imagine how sad I would be to find out that one of my guests detested the celebration I put so much time and energy into.

rebecca@k2p2.net