New York, Nu York: Passover Is Coming. I'm Trying to Get Distracted.

By ELLEN LEVITT
Updated: APRIL 6, 2017 08:04
Passover is coming shortly. There are many things that have to be done before the holidays-- cleaning, shopping, checking up on the people I invited to the seder and making sure they will be there, and many other errands. I have written at least one blog essay in the past about how I just don't have an abiding love for Pesach and all the preparation and dietary changes and hassles involved. I still do not have an abiding love for the holiday. It is much more a duty, a set of responsibilities for me. Add to that I have to finish my taxes (we had one oddball thing leftover to do) and paperwork for my older daughter's summer program applications. And my secular birthday is coming up before Passover and I would rather have fun on my birthday, and not have to deal with lots of chores (and I do have to teach a class on my birthday as well).
SIGH.
This year I am finding myself getting distracted with Other Things before Passover. Here are some examples.
On Sunday I worked from 9 to 5, teaching driving lessons. I do that occasionally during the year. The fellow who manages the school had asked me to teach at least one Sunday this month so I worked the 2nd. While waiting for a student to show up, I sat in the car and heard the local college bells play a delightful rendition of "Tomorrow" from the musical "Annie". It was precious. Who would have thought that you could hear such a nuanced rendition of "Tomorrow" played on bells? But in a rather bizarre pairing, it was followed by the chilling "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield. This is the eerie theme song to "The Exorcist." Who has the chutzpah and snarky sense of humor to send these two songs into the air in central-southern Brooklyn? Whoa.
My family and I also distracted ourselves by going to see a high school version of "The Odd Couple" performed at Edward R. Murrow High School. This was actually the female version of "The Odd Couple," with the leads all played by teenage girls. It was adorable. The main reason we saw the play was that our younger daughter M was a stage hand ("running crew") for the show. I enjoyed the performance a lot but was disappointed that no one played the oh-so-familiar theme song. Instead I kept singing it over and over for two days.
Which character is "more Jewish"? The overly fussy, highly neurotic Felix (or in this rendition, Florence)? With a surname like Unger, he/she could certainly be a Member of the Tribe. But believe me, I have known my share of slobby, casual, sports-obsessed Jewish men (and maybe a few women as well). At home we discussed this as well.
There are so many things reminding us that Passover is fast approaching. Living in a heavily Jewish , and heavily Orthodox neighborhood such as mine, one cannot help but be bombarded with Passover advertising, practically everywhere. So this year I have taken to Getting Distracted. Getting Distracted with and by Broadway shows, music, baseball opening day games (the Mets won 6-0! The Yankees lost 7-3!), news that actress/singer Doris Day is 95 and NOT 93, all kinds of other things.
And tomorrow... the sun will come out tomorrow and I will go to the supermarket to buy lots of Pesach food. Bet your bottom dollar...