Pope Francis died last week at the age of 88, after serving as the leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years. He was the first Jesuit to serve as Pope, and the first Pope who was born in the Americas. Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and he became a priest, eventually being named the Archbishop. He was an advocate of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and he signed the Vatican’s first treaty with Palestine. He visited Israel in 2014, where he was the first Pope to visit the gravesite of Theodor Herzl, while also visiting Yad Vashem and the Western Wall. More recently, Pope Francis condemned the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, while also criticizing Israel for its actions in the subsequent Gaza War. While serving as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio developed a close relationship with Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a prominent leader in the local Jewish community. The two clerics held a series of inter-religious talks on such topics as God, atheists, homosexuality, and capitalism. What was the circumstance that led Archbishop Bergoglio to say to Rabbi Skorka, “I guess this year we are going to eat chicken soup.”?

Pope Francis Korea Haemi Castle 19.jpg is licensed under CC by 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

A. In 1996, Rabbi Skorka attended an Easter celebration at the home of Archbishop Bergoglio. The next year, the Rabbi invited the Archbishop to attend the Passover seder at his home, leading to Bergoglio’s remarks.

B. Archbishop Bergoglio ended up in the hospital during Lent in 1995 because of a respiratory infection. Rabbi Skorka paid him a visit there, where he noted that “our people have the perfect cure for your ailment, chicken soup.” The archbishop replied jokingly that, “though it is Lent, I guess this year we are going to eat chicken soup.”

C. The two clerics were attending the annual Buenos Aires Clergy Council dinner. While the menu usually includes locro, the traditional Argentinian stew which includes veal, pork and chorizo, that year’s dinner took place at the rabbi’s Benei Tikva Synagogue, with a kosher menu.

D. As part of the annual Buenos Aires Carnival Street Fair celebration, the Clerical Council of Argentina sponsored an event where different faith groups would cook their favorite recipes to sell as a charity fundraiser. The Archbishop made that comment when he came upon Rabbi Skorka at the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (Argentine Jewish Community Center) table.

E. The Archbishop was a fan of the championship San Lorenzo soccer team and the Rabbi was a fan of the lowly River Plate team, whose fans were known as “gallinas,” which means chickens, leading to the Archbishop’s remarks in a soccer discussion with the Rabbi.

Click here for the answer.

✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family celebrated the first night of Passover with a seder at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. He, his wife Lori, and their children finally went to sleep around 1:00am, only to be awakened an hour later when a state trooper assigned to security woke everyone and rushed them out of the house because of a fire. Thankfully no one was hurt, as it was discovered that the fire resulted from an arson attack. The attacker referenced Palestinians as a motive for his assault on the residence of the Jewish governor, saying that Shapiro needed to know that the attacker “will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.” Shapiro was raised in an observant Jewish home and attended Jewish day schools. His family celebrated Shabbat dinners together, a tradition he carries on with his family in the Governor’s Residence, where the Shapiros arranged for the kitchen to be kosher. Shapiro, who was on Kamala Harris’s short list for a running mate, is a strong supporter of Israel, and he says that his Jewish upbringing guides him in his life, noting that “I think we all have a responsibility to do tikkun olam and to do our part, and that’s what my faith has taught me.” Last year Donald Trump referred to Shapiro as “the highly overrated Jewish Governor of the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” to which Shapiro responded, “He’s someone who has routinely peddled antisemitic tropes like this.” Where did Josh Shapiro propose to his wife, who he first met in 9th grade at Akiba Hebrew Academy (now known as Barrack Hebrew Academy)?

Josh Shapiro Official Portrait is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal via Wikimedia Commons

A. He proposed to her by the Montefiore Windmill in Jerusalem.

B. He proposed to her at Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael, the kibbutz where they lived during their high school trip to Israel in 1989.

C. He proposed to her in the chapel at Barrack Hebrew Academy.

D. He proposed to her at the Western Wall, specifically at the Egalitarian Plaza.

E. He proposed to her as he ran up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to where she stood, as he yelled, “Yo Lori, Marry Me!”

Click here for the answer.

✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡

The White Lotus completed its third season of storytelling about the wealthy guests at beautiful resorts, focusing as always on their pettiness, their self-centeredness, their air of superiority, and their despicable behavior. Season 3 took place in Thailand, featuring characters including actress Jaclyn and her childhood friends Kate and Laurie, wealthy (but crooked) businessman Timothy Ratliff and his family, and troubled Rick Hatchett and his girlfriend Chelsea, plus Belinda, the masseuse returning from Season 1. While there have been no Jewish characters among the guests at the resorts over the past three seasons, Season 3 did feature a Hebrew song during one episode. What was that song?

The White Lotus logo is in the public domain via Wikimedia Commons

A. Mi Shebairach, played when Rick Hatchett was meeting with Dr. Amrita, the spiritual counselor.

B. A-ba-ni-bi, played while Timothy Ratliff and his family, as well as other resort guests, were sailing on a giant yacht off the coast of the hotel.

C. Horschat Ha-Ekaliptus, played during a scene where the camera panned through the forest and focused on the monkeys in the trees.

D. Erev Shel Shoshanim, the music which accompanied Mook as she performed a traditional Thai dance one evening as part of the guest entertainment.

E. Hava Nagila, when Jaclyn, Kate and Laurie were bumping and grinding on a night club dance floor with the Russians.

Click here for the answer.

✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡

Passover begins on Saturday night, April 12. Jews worldwide are beginning to shop, change over their dishes, and cook and bake in preparation for the seders and week-long holiday where only Kosher-for-Passover certified foods are traditionally eaten. Because of the tariffs President Trump imposed on Canadian goods earlier this year, Canada retaliated by banning imports from the United States. This has resulted in a Canadian shortage of Manischewitz sweet Passover wine, which can no longer be imported from the Manischewitz Company in New York. Remaining stocks of the wine have been snatched off the shelves as there are no locally made alternatives. Meanwhile, food manufacturers continue to expand their selection of Kosher-for-Passover certified items. For example, Manischewitz is now offering frozen gluten-free knishes while Tuscanini is now selling Passover savory tomato jam and Italian chocolate truffles. Gefen has introduced hot honey, and Heaven and Earth now offers a grain-free pasta line for the first time. What marijuana product, certified Kosher-for-Passover by Rabbi Yaakov Cohen and Whole Kosher Services, is being offered for the first time in 2025?

Manischewitz! by infowidget is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr

A. Chad Ganja ice pops.

B. In Haggadah da weed-a soda.

C. Tokin’ Chews gummies.

D. Arba Esrim flourless brownies.

E. Yidle-diddle-didle-Doobie mon popcorn.

Click here for the answer.

✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡