KlezCalendar

Why is this Passover Seder different from all other Seders?

ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, CELEBRITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN UNIQUE interpretation of the story of Passover

6:30 PM, 48 Wall Street, 212-608-0555

In its 5th year, the innovative ³Downtown Seder² will highlight the cultural connection between the arts and Jewish tradition. Michael Dorf, the founder of the Knitting Factory, has assembled a variety of artists and luminaries to participate in a live Passover Seder. Over 500 people will sit together and enjoy a full Kosher dinner complete with matzah ball soup, Empire Kosher Chicken, and traditional holiday treats. Over the course of the evening a collection of 30+ artists, musicians, comedians, actors, politicians, and performers will offer their creative interpretations of the Exodus story.

For this year event, Mr. Dorf is assembling his most diverse set of performers to date. The Seder will take place in a beautiful landmark building on Wall Street, 1 block from the New York Stock Exchange. In this classic old banking hall, performers from last year's line-up and some new additions are confirmed. They include Dan Zanes and his daughter to perform the classic 4 questions, David Krakauer, Josh Dolgin's "So Called", Frank London, Jewlia Eisenberg, Blue Fringe, Uri Caine and Margot Leverett & the Klezmer Mountain Boys. Comedy talent from Judy Gold, Eric Drysdale, and Lewis Black are scheduled. A special video will be presented of 4 more questions from Harvey Fierstein as well as last's video highlight of Al Franken performing "Go Down Moses".

Dr. Ruth Westeimer along with a number of political figures, will also help present sections of the Haggadah. Patrons will enjoy a delicious sit-down meal and all will take home a printed and bound souvenir Haggadah designed and prepared for the occasion.

During last years Seder, at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the variety of presenters included Daniel Libeskind, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, Perry Farrell, Steve Reich, Dr. Ruth, Debbie Friedman, Theodore Bikel, Jackie Hoffman, among others. Lou Reed, who has been a participant in all the previous years , also brought along members of his extended family.

"This Seder is an opportunity for the community to explore our connection to our ancestors in a fun, artistic, and intellectual evening. It is the annual chance to uniquely connect to our historic liberation from slavery, our struggles with freedom, and preservation of civil liberties through the language of culture,." said Michael Dorf, producer of the event. "It is specifically done two-days before Passover so that people can bring into their homes some of the inspiration to help make their own Seder more relevant."

Created by Michael Dorf, founder of the Knitting Factory, the Downtown Seder has become a highly anticipated "tradition" now in its fifth year. The Art Exchange is a new 1,500-person capacity Performing Art Center being developed by a team led by Michael Dorf, who left the Knitting Factory in 2003 to develop this new site expected to open in 2006. The complex, combining the comfortable seating and ambiance of a concert hall, will have superb array of amenities. This facility will help revitalize Lower Manhattan through the creation of cultural events. It is expected to bring 50,000 people a month down to the area, helping realize the vision of many of New York¹s leaders.