A Different Day, I Mean Night

President Obama will once again be answering questions tonight.

So, this is news?  What's the big deal?

Wait, let me finish.  What's your hurry?

This time his grilling will be at the hands of his daughters when they ask, "Why is tonight different from all other nights?"

Okay, get it?

For the second time in his presidency and sadly only the second time in US history a Passover Seder will be performed in the White House.  And while it may seem a bit odd to some to have the traditional questions read aloud by Sasha and Malia it is nevertheless a welcome event and one they have done before.

This nation was after all founded on tolerance and freedom.  We are a melting pot of nationalities and religions and ideas and beliefs.  We embrace all and respect all, most of the time.

The Passover Seder which celebrates or rather commemorates the exodus from Egypt of the newly freed Israeli slaves usually ends with the declaration and desire to meet, 'next year in Jerusalem.'  But like the Brooklyn Dodgers the wait till next year thing didn't happen all that quickly.  The tribes of Israel spent forty years in the desert before finally crossing the River Jordan and entering the land of milk and honey.

While a very religious Seder may seem to last about that long luckily it takes slightly less time than that for our President to fly for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

And that makes this seder a most intriguing one as only time will tell what Jerusalem will look like next year, and who will be there.  Hopefully it will be a peaceful place.

But what are you doing going off an a tangent already?  You always do that!
Get back to the story.

Alright, sorry, relax.

So tonight the spirits of the President, his family, staff and close friends will rise even if the bread does not.  The atmosphere should be calm and the wine sweet (grape juice for the first children please.)

So to those at the White House Seder I say, may your parsley be crisp, and your shmaltz be tasty and don't forget to leave a plate for the Salahis, I mean Elijah.

And Mr. President, may I suggest a couple of prunes for dessert.  I'm just sayin...