Grieving Daughter-in-Law Inviting 2,000 Guests To Passover Seder

Marnie Fienberg is channeling her grief in losing her mother-in-law, Joyce Fienberg, to encouraging folks to invite two non-Jewish guests to Passover Seder. Her movement is called 2forseder.org.

Marnie Fienberg couldn’t imagine Passover Seder this year without her beloved mother-in-law so she’s setting out to make the world a better place, “pushing back on anti-semitism with love and matzah.”

Marnie Fienberg has such warm memories of Passover Seder with her beloved mother-in-law, Joyce Feinberg.

She told The Washington Post Joyce always had Jewish and non-Jewish guests at her seders.

She told Washington Jewish Week that Joyce had a special recipe for Passover popovers. Nobody else could replicate the recipe perfectly. Nobody is quite sure what Joyce Fienberg’s secret was.

Marnie Fienberg has created 2ForSeder.org to encourage families to invite two non-Jewish guests to their Passover Seder. Credit: Washington Post.

Joyce Fienberg was one of the 11 people shot dead at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last October. She was 75. Her family was hit hard by the loss, and as Passover came closer, Marnie realized that she needed todo something to honor mother-in-law’s memory.

Something big.

Something to counter the hate and anti-semitism that inspired the gunman to create so much pain.

Joyce Fienberg was one of 11 people shot and killed at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Synagogue. She is remembered as a caring soul who always had guests at her Passover Seder dinners. — Joyce Fienberg was one of 11 people shot and killed at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue. She is remembered as a caring soul who always had guests at her Passover Seder dinners.

In the spirit of “the more you know, the less you hate,” Fienberg made it her goal to be like Joyce, to get as many non-Jews as possible invited to a Seder dinner.

She called her program “2 for Seder,” inviting Jewish households across North America to include at least two new non-Jewish guests at their ritual meal.

They already have about 900 families signed up.

Families who are participating get a free kit which includes a special welcome to your guests, questions to lead meaningful discussion, and a tip sheet on how to talk to kids about anti-semitism and hate.

Learn more here.

Marnie writes on her website, “Opening your Seder to newcomers directly addresses biased attitudes and general ignorance – the seed of all anti-semitism. Start a dialogue and create a ripple-effect to enrich our shared American and Canadian experience.”

What a beautiful way to honor her incredible mother-in-law, taking her family’s pain and loss and channeling them to make the world a better, kinder place.

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