A horseradish tale
The winter of 1994 was tough on many of Europe’s root crops. A week before Passover that year, the Jewish community of Madrid found that the shipment of chrain (Yiddish for horseradish) it had ordered from Bolivia would not arrive until 10 days after Passover ended.
The community needed the chrain for its traditional seder rituals, but whomever they tried approaching among the EU suppliers gave the same reply: “Sorry. No can do.” In desperation, the rebbe phoned one of his yeshiva friends in Tel Aviv and begged him to jump into action and send a crate of Israeli horseradish roots by overnight air to Madrid.
It took some doing, but two days before Passover, a crate of grade-A, tear-jerking Israeli horseradish roots was proudly loaded at Ben Gurion Airport onto El Al flight 789 to Madrid, and all seemed to be well.
Unfortunately when the rebbe went to the Madrid airport to get the crate out of customs, he was informed that an unforeseen wildcat strike had just broken out among the members of the airport’s transport and general workers union — and no shipments would be unloaded for at least four days.
So you see, “The chrain in Spain stayed mainly on the plane.”
Take a left at the oasis
What, in your opinion, is the most reasonable explanation for the fact that Moses led the Israelites around the desert for 40 years before they finally got to the Promised Land?
a. He was being tested.
b. He wanted them to really appreciate the Promised Land when they finally got there.
c. He refused to ask directions.
Passover daffynitions
Matzilation, n. Smashing a piece of matzah to bits while trying to butter it.
Impasta, n. A Jew who starts eating leavened foods before the end of Passover.
Mamatzah balls, n. Matzah balls that are as good as your mother used to make.
Matzochist, n. Someone who derives pleasure from the bread of affliction.