Passover Revenge
My paternal grandparents had six sons and one daughter. My grandfather was a rabbi and a distributor of specialty cotton fabrics. Being only a rabbi was not enough to support such a large family. My great-grandmother, who had my grandmother at thirteen, also lived with them. Tragedy struck early when the influenza epidemic took my great grandfather’s life, leaving my great grandmother a widow at twelve. Bound by the dowry she brought, she was never allowed to remarry.
My strict grandfather, Bouyi, was known for his unwavering religious beliefs. Their home was filled with children who were raised in an environment of classical music and reverence for tradition. Despite Bouyi’s plans for his son to become a rabbi, Yemma, the matriarch, ensured her grandson received an education against Bouyi’s wishes. When caught, a rift developed between father and son, leading to a rebellious act during a momentous Passover celebration.
On that fateful Passover night, as the family gathered for the Seder, my father executed a plan of revenge. He pretended to contaminate the pure setting by slyly dropping bread crumbs, enraging Bouyi and forever altering the family’s dynamics. Despite the feud, years later, familial bonds prevailed as my father reconciled with his past to attend his son’s wedding, shedding light on the complexity of family traditions and personal choices.