By Mark D. Zimmerman
MELVILLE, New York — Jews worldwide celebrated Passover this weekend. Many held family seders, some joined with friends, and others participated in larger events with their synagogues or other Jewish organizations. Some Jews are celebrating the holiday in more luxurious ways, such as at Magical Passover in Orlando, the Luxury Pesach at Paradisus Isla Mujeres in Cancun, and Amazing Pesach Spain Olam. At what Passover event was it once noted in the press that “It was estimated that the diamonds worn… were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars”?
A. A community Passover seder held at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles in 1961 which was attended by, among others, Samuel Goldwyn, David Sarnoff, Adolph Zukor and Laurence Tisch.
B. A Passover seder hosted in 1953 by Dorothy Schiff at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Schiff, granddaughter of financier Jacob Schiff, was the owner and publisher of the New York Post. Guests included Caroline and Harry Frank Guggenheim, Marian and Jacob Javits, and actress Shelly Winters.
C. A community dinner held at Congregation Beth Sholom in Long Island’s Lawrence, New York in 1967. The Orthodox synagogue held the event a couple of weeks before Passover to raise money for Tomchei Shabbos of the Five Towns which provided free matzah and other Passover food for needy residents.
D. Comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish is half-Jewish through her father, an Eritrean Jew. In 2019 she celebrated her bat mitzvah prior to the release of her Netflix special, Black Mitzvah. Last week Haddish held a pre-Passover seder, including her Girls Trip co-stars Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith.
E. The news story was about the annual Lower East Side Passover Parade, in this case specifically referencing the 1904 event which some said outshone New York’s 5th Avenue Easter Parade.