A long-anticipated culinary event scheduled for Temple Judea was titled “Soup’s On” and featured Rabbi Todd Chizner and his wife, Lauren Chizner using their culinary skills to teach congregants the art of making matzoh ball soup in the large kitchen located in the Temple.
It was an event looked forward to eagerly by all. Then COVID-19 arrived which threatened to quash the whole enterprise. The Temple was now closed for an undetermined amount of time.
Not to be discouraged by the unexpected and unwelcome situation, rabbi turned a disappointment into an exciting group experience.
By following the prescribed ”shelter in place” dictum, Rabbi Chizner set up a “live streaming” experience.
Together he and his wife, Lauren made their famous matzoh ball soup in their own kitchen with many congregants, also “sheltered in place”, but each in their own homes, watching and participating together through the magic of technology.
The only thing missing from this experience was the fragrance of the cooking soup.
But the fun and excitement of the occasion more than made up for it. Many of the participants contributed some of their own ideas to the matzoh-ball soup enterprise, making the experience a shared and much- enjoyed event.
The Passover Seder which is often the occasion for large family gatherings, and of course would include matzoh ball soup, will unfortunately not take place in the same way as in past years.
Perhaps through “live streaming,” Seders which have traditionally been shared by large groups of families and friends, can now be enjoyed “together,” each enjoying the holiday projected on screens in their own homes.
