Traditional Passover (pesach) plate
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On a Seabourn Encore "Crafts & Cherry Blossoms" sailing around Japan earlier this month, 30 guests gathered around two long tables in the ship’s main dining room to celebrate the Seder, the ritual meal that marks the beginning of the 7-day Passover holiday.
A tradition passed down from generation to generation, the holiday meal includes symbolic foods, songs, and readings from the Haggadah, a guidebook written in Hebrew and English that provides the “script” for the dinner.
The ritual commemorates the Jews escape from slavery in ancient Egypt. While most observant Jewish families celebrate the holiday surrounded by extended family at home, these travelers found a way to maintain tradition while 6,000 miles away.
The 600-passenger Seabourn Encore
Seabourn Cruise Line/Mike Louagie
Planning a cruise or any trip that falls on a major religious or secular holiday—such as Easter, Christmas, or Thanksgiving—always entails special considerations. Many travelers view holiday getaways as a welcome respite from the responsibilities of cleaning, cooking, and hosting. Others, however, hesitate at the prospect of missing cherished traditions with loved ones.
Marshall Pasternack, a retired attorney from Miami, was booked to sail on a Seabourn cruise, the dates of which happened to coincide with Passover.
"When I first realized my wife, Shelly Rubin, and I would be on the ship for Passover, my initial inclination was to try to re-book the trip for the following year," he said. Although the couple wanted to experience Japan during cherry blossom season, they were hesitant about leaving their family, including their 7- and 9-year-old granddaughters, behind.
“The countervailing consideration was that Shelly and I would be sailing with our closest friends, my college roommate, Steve Edwards, and his wife Debbie, of Santa Rosa, California,” he said.
Marshall Pasternack and Steve Edwards (and wives) reconnect on Seabourn Encore in Japan
Courtesy Marshall Pasternack
The two men have been friends for over 50 years. During the course of this cruise, Steve would be celebrating both his 72nd birthday and the fourth anniversary of his successful bone marrow transplant for leukemia (his “transplant-aversary”). This convinced Pasternack to move forward with the trip; it would be the first Seder the two families would share together.
I met Pasternack on board Seabourn Encore, the man who was the driving force behind a Seder that proved memorable for all who attended.
How did it happen? “I wanted to arrange the dinner because as long as I live, I will attend a Seder,” said Pasternack, mentioning the Hebrew phrase, L'dor Vador, which translates to “from generation to generation.”
Even though this was the Pasternacks’ 12th cruise with the line, he wasn't initially sure about how to broach the idea of requesting a formal Seder. However, while researching, he discovered that Mark Tamis, President of Seabourn, also lived in Miami and that the two shared a mutual acquaintance. Several months before the cruise, Pasternack reached out to Tamis via email.
“Two days later, I received a response from a member of his team letting me know that arrangements would be made for a Seder on the ship,” he said. “They confirmed I didn’t need to travel with a shank bone [a traditional item for the Seder plate] and said they would have a Seder menu—but I had no idea what the details might be.”
Executive Chef Andrew McQueen received accolades from guests after preparing his first Seder
Irene S. Levine
During the sailing, notice of the Seder was placed in The Seabourn Herald, the ship’s daily newsletter. Anyone on the cruise who signed up received an invitation to meet in a private room an hour before the Seder dinner.
When the group arrived, they found copies of the Haggadah placed at a long table alongside candles, matzoh, charoset, bitter herbs, red wine, and a ceremonial Seder plate. After introductions and sharing remembrances of past Passovers, Mr. Pasternack presided over an abbreviated service.
The group was then led to two assigned tables in The Restaurant, the ship’s formal dining room. There, they were treated to a special seven-course menu prepared by Executive Chef de Cuisine Andrew McQueen and his team.
The meal featured traditional holiday dishes: hard-cooked eggs dipped in salt water, gefilte fish with horseradish, matzoh ball soup, and roast spring chicken with carrot kugel and asparagus. The evening concluded with grape sorbet, desserts, and Kosher wines.
“I never expected the quality of the menu or the service, where all plates were delivered and uncovered at the same time. It was a first-class dining experience which far exceeded any reasonable expectation,” said Pasternack.
“We always say, when wondering whether we can do X or Y on a Seabourn cruise, the answer is always, ‘Yes, it’s Seabourn.’ The Seder experience was a prime example.”
Alan Neff and Jan Finkelstein at Bamboo Forest in Kyoto, Japan
Courtesy Alan Neff
Jan Finkelstein and Alan Neff of Prescott, Arizona, were also guests on the Seabourn Encore cherry blossom cruise. After agreeing to host a Signature Travel Network group, they realized they would be missing Passover with their families for the first time in a decade
Mr. Neff said they felt connected despite the distance: “Looking around, we recognized (metaphorically) the faces of several fellow travelers who felt like family. Even though we were almost 6,000 miles from home, we felt perfectly at home.”
He noted that the Seder experience proved it possible to preserve one's heritage and traditions while exploring the world. "We met new friends and excelled at the timeless game of ‘Jewish geography,’" Neff added. "Because, after all, we’re all connected."
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