Weekly Quiz - Pre 2019
Ten Plagues
Many people and organizations have created new Haggadahs and supplemental readings to be used at seders. Which of the following is not an actual alternate version of the Ten Plagues?
A. The Tzedek Seder: #BlackLivesMatter Haggadah offered Ten Plagues-Ten Lives Lost, in memory of those lost to police violence:
1. Sean Bell
2. Kendrek McDade
3. Walter Scott
4. Rekia Boyd
5. Eric Garner
6. John Crawford III
7. Kimani Grey
8. Aiyana Stanley Jones
9. Tamir Rice
10. Michael Brown
B. The JQ International GLBT Haggadah offered the following list:
1. Blood: The blood shed in the Nazi death camps and in Queer-bashings.
2. Laughter: The laughter caused by our stereotyped representation in jokes and in the media.
3. Guilt: The guilt we are told is inherent in our simple existence.
4. Shame: The shame we are made to feel when we share our lives and our bodies with someone of the same gender as ourselves.
5. Despair: The despair we feel when we are told that we are evil and monstrous, that AIDS is God’s judgment upon us.
6. Fear: The fear caused by a hostile society that would cast us out if it knew what we are.
7. Pain: The physical pain of being attacked by homophobes, and the mental pain of being rejected by family and community.
8. Loneliness: The loneliness of thinking that we are the only one of our kind.
9. Darkness: The darkness of our closets, and of where many of us are forced to spend our lives: the bars, the parks, the unsafe neighborhoods.
10. Silence: The hollow silence of when we do not speak out in our own defense, the silence from one generation to another.
C. The JewBelong seder Haggadah lists the following plagues:
1. Hunger
2. War
3. Terrorism
4. Greed
5. Bigotry
6. Injustice
7. Poverty
8. Ignorance
9. Pollution of the Earth
10. Indifference to Suffering
D. Portland, Oregon based Le’Or, created the Cannabis Passover Seder with this list:
1. The criminalization of nature
2. The suppression of science and information
3. The prison-industrial complex
4. The radically undemocratic and unequal application of laws
5. The systemic violence against the poor
6. The denial of medicine to the sick and dying
7. The destruction of families
8. The isolation of stigma and shame
9. The perversion and erosion of a faithful justice system
10. The perpetuation of violence by those sworn to protect us
E. The Republican Jewish Coalition sponsored a Donald Trump-themed seder which included the following plagues:
1. Muslims
2. Rally protestors
3. Mexicans
4. Megyn Kelly
5. Univision
6. Carly Fiorina’s face
7. Kenyan birth certificates
8. Rosie O’Donnell
9. Hair-blowing strong winds
10. Small hands
John Kasich
What connection between Jews and Christians did John Kasich make while visiting a Chassidic school, shmura matzah factory, and Jewish bookstore in Borough Park, Brooklyn?
John Kasich - Caricature by DonkeyHotey is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
A. Referencing the matzah that he observed being prepared he said, “You know, I was raised Catholic, I’m now Anglican, and so all my life I’ve taken communion. The communion wafers remind me of this matzah, and the matzah reminds me of our current political season. My Jewish friends tell me that they hate the taste of matzah, and they can’t wait for Passover to end so they can go back to eating bread. And to be honest, the communion wafer’s pretty dry and difficult to swallow. What does that have to do with the presidential race? Well, my friends, think of Donald Trump as the matzah and Ted Cruz as the communion wafer. You hate the way they taste and you can’t wait to be done with them. So that is why I am running for President. Think of me as the bread that you are really longing for. Vote for me next Tuesday, while you can still eat bread, and then have a great Passover.”
B. Referencing the matzah that he observed being prepared he said, “At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, which was really unleavened bread, and blessed it, saying to his disciples ‘Take this and eat it, for this is my body.’ And the great link is, it was this unleavened bread which you are baking today, Jesus’s body, which brings together the Jewish people and all Christians. It’s a wonderful, wonderful holiday for our friends in the Jewish community, the Passover.”
C. Referencing the Jewish school he had visited, Kasich said, “When I walked into that school, I felt like I was in the Catholic school I attended as a child. I mean, your rabbis, with their side curls, look nothing like our priests. But they both dress mostly in black, and they both believe that God belongs in that classroom. As your president, I will see to it that your children can continue to study in a school with your God just as I did when I was young.”
D. Referencing the lamb’s blood placed on the doorposts of the Israelites’ houses in Egypt to save them from the plague of the slaying of the firstborn, Kasich said “The great link between the blood that was put above the lamppost, the blood of the lamb, is Jesus Christ is known as the Lamb of God. And the great link is, it was the blood of the lamb that saved the Jewish people, and in Christianity, it was the blood of the Lamb of God that saves all of us. It’s a wonderful, wonderful holiday for our friends in the Jewish community, the Passover.”
E. Addressing a large gathering of Chassidic Jews at the bookstore, Kasich said, “You know, as I stand here I am reminded that there really isn’t much difference between you people and the people of my state of Ohio. Well, not all the people of Ohio–you’d really stand out at a Cleveland Indians game. But we also have Christian people in Ohio that are just like you–the Amish. I mean, not exactly like you, but they have long beards, they don’t use electricity, and they speak a German dialect. So that’s pretty similar. And did I mention their hats? So happy Passover to you all.”
Stephen Curry
On Wednesday night, the Golden State Warriors play the Memphis Grizzlies. A win will set a new record for the most wins in a season, 73. Their record-breaking season is led by Stephen Curry, the point guard who many consider to be the greatest shooter in the history of the game. Curry has a Hebrew tattoo on his right wrist that is taken from the Bible. What does the tattoo say?
Stephen Curry/Warriors at Wizards 2/3/16 by Keith Allison is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
A. “Ani L’Dodi v’Dodi Lee,” meaning “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” from The Song of Songs, Chapter 6 Verse 3 in Ketuvim in the Hebrew Bible. His wife has a matching tattoo.
B. “Ahavah L’Olam Lo Nichshelet,” meaning “Love never fails,” from 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 Verse 8 in the New Testament. His wife has a matching tattoo.
C. “Me-Chayil El Chayil,” meaning “From strength to strength,” from The Book of Psalms Chapter 8 Verse 7 in Ketuvim in the Hebrew Bible.
D. “Hagedulah V’Hagevurah V’Hatiferet V’Hanetzach,” meaning “The greatness and the power and the glory and the victory,” from 1 Chronicles Chapter 29 Verse 11 in the New Testament.
E. “Heyn Goyim K’Mar Midli,”–meaning “Behold the nations are like a drop in a bucket,” from Isaiah Chapter 2 Verse 22 in Nevi’im in the Hebrew Bible.
Basketball Tournament
At the same time that colleges were competing in the NCAA basketball championship series, Hillel chapters from around the country were competing in the annual National Hillel Basketball Tournament, held at the University of Maryland. Yeshiva Unversity-Ammar (men’s competition) and Emory University (women’s competition) won this year’s championships. What prize did they receive?
A. The Kiddush Cup.
B. The Elijah Cup.
C. The Star of David Trophy.
D. The Yiddishe Kop.
E. The Matzah Ball Athletic Cup.