It’s going to tank from here, I thought. It’s all downhill now

By Dr. Avi Horwitz, as told to his brother, Shlomo Horwitz

MY wife and I were looking forward to celebrating Leil HaSeder in Jerusalem together with our children and a number of young grandchildren. I’d spoken with our rav asking for ideas on presenting the Hagaddah to the kids in a way they would appreciate, and he’d shared some basic ideas that he said had gone over well with his grandchildren, who spanned a range of ages.

We were going to be hosting quite a crowd; my children and their kids, my mother, and a giyores who wanted to experience a multigenerational Seder. My wife worked tirelessly to prepare a sumptuous Yom Tov meal and designed special props, including a model of Kri’as Yam Suf.

I was excited to share my rav’s insights with the grandchildren, but I saw right away that things weren’t going to go as planned. When I asked my grandson to say the Four Questions, he just gave me a look and said, “Batata (sweet potato).”

It’s going to tank from here, I thought. It’s all downhill now.