Leah Watson (left) waits for Richard Haas to open a bottle of wine while his granddaughter, Jennifer Haas, reaches for the Seder tray. The tray includes six food items that symbolize the Passover story. van View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Celebrating faith, freedom

The Haas family observes Passover with family, friends and strangers

By JESSICA ALLEN

Date published: 4/8/2004

Passover brings Jews together at Seder table

Quincy Martin was treated like a member of the family Monday night when she had dinner at the Haas home.

But the 22-year-old Marine lieutenant, who had never met the North Stafford family before, didn't expect anything less.

They are connected by the Jewish faith, which has united their people for centuries.

So when Martin, who's from Maryland, needed a place to celebrate the first night of Passover, the Haas family welcomed her into their home and hearts.

Mike Haas, a volunteer Jewish lay leader at Quantico Marine Corps Base, said he would not have had it any other way.

In addition to Martin, he and his wife, Lisa, opened their home to two other Marines this week along with family and friends.

"If a Jew can't make it home for Passover they are always welcomed in another Jew's home," he said.

Millions of Jews around the world are celebrating this week Passover or Pesach. The eight-day holiday commemorates the liberation of the Israelites who were slaves in Egypt for over 400 years.

According to the Torah, the Hebrew Bible, God brought 10 plagues to Egypt. With the last one, God arranged for the Angel of Death to destroy the first-born males of the Egyptians. The houses of the Israelites were passed over because they were instructed to mark their door posts with lamb's blood.

Afterward, they left Egypt in a great haste forcing the bread to be unleavened.

Passover is observed with a Seder or a gathering where Jewish families on the first two nights of the holiday use the Haggadah book to retell the story.

The Seder tray has six food items including an egg, bitter herbs, vegetables, a shank bone and charoset--a mixture of chopped apples, walnuts and cinnamon moistened with wine. Each item symbolizes an element of the Passover story.

Many families, including the Haases, rid their home of any leavened bread before the holiday and instead eat matzo, or unleavened bread, during Passover in memory of their ancestors.

Since the holiday is considered a family event--parents are commanded in the Torah to retell the story to their children--the Haases held the Seder at their home with their two children Jennifer, 20, and Alexander, 14.

Some out-of-state family members and friends--Jews and non-Jews--also participated in the event.

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Date published: 4/8/2004