Keeping kosher in college is not easy; keeping kosher for Passover is even harder. Pizza, bread, eggs, fruits, veggies, and desserts are my go-to dorm foods. While mentally preparing for Passover, I realized many of the main staples of my already restricted diet were no longer options, and that was daunting. No more opening the pantry or fridge at home to find pre-stocked/cooked kosher for Passover food. I soon came to the decision that I would eat only eggs, fruits, and veggies from the dining hall and bring back matzah and hopefully some baked goods from home, since I was luckily going to be home for the Seders.
My time at home for the Sedarim came and went, and when it was time to go back to school, I tried figuring out what and how much extra kosher for Passover food I could take back. I eventually realized refrigerated foods were not an option due to the length of the drive back. As I had originally planned, I left the house with some matzah and one bag of cookies and macaroons. The following day, a friend drove me to the grocery store, but they had no refrigerated kosher for Passover foods, and minimal pantry items. Due to this unforeseen problem, I decided I would use the little travel-sized cream cheese containers from the dining hall, and put that on my matzah, since I could not think of any other options for condiments. Breakfast was eggs and fruit, and lunch was salad. When I got back to my dorm room later in the afternoon, I ate matzah with cream cheese, and then more salad and fruit for dinner. Hunger between afternoon classes, and in the evening, often set in.
Come late Tuesday afternoon, while eating matzah and reflecting on my Passover journey thus far, I came to an interesting realization and connection: When the Israelites were fleeing Egypt, all they had time to bring was matzah and maybe a few other foods. While traveling on this new journey, the Israelites were not going to have the comfort or ease of having food freshly made or collected from their day’s labor; no market from which they could buy food. When leaving my house to go back to school, and once at school, trying to figure out what I could eat, I was one of those Israelites. While yes, I was at least going to be able to eat veggies, fruits, and eggs from the dining hall, my usual commodities, much like the Israelites, were going to be nonexistent for a little while. The Israelites left a land from which they were slaves and embarked on a journey towards freedom. We honor and remember their Exodus from Egypt by retelling the story and ceasing from eating chametz, leavened foods. Not being able to enjoy the luxuries of pizza and other chametz, and then being further restricted due to living/community restrictions (i.e. being a college student with minimal access to nicer kosher for Passover food) is humbling. Embarking on a new journey with limited food resources made me feel, understand, and connect more with the Israelites when they had to leave the comfort—which I say lightly—the familiarity, and resources of their home, to start off on a new, uncharted journey.
Dealing with these challenges and coming to these realizations as a freshman is a little intimidating, but also inspiring and exciting. As a young adult who strives to keep learning, growing, and staying connected to my Judaism while in college, the challenges of being a minority within a minority (observant Jews are not common here at N.C. State), is hard and can feel restricting or alienating, similarly to how the Israelites struggled before they reached freedom and a better, more fulfilling life. Even with the hardships I face in following through with some of my decisions on how I want to live a Jewish life, I look forward to these moments of enlightenment, and what the future holds for me as a Jewish adult. I encourage you, for next year, to similarly challenge yourself during Passover. Take this change as an opportunity to connect with your ancestors and yourself. Experiencing Passover like this in college is a journey worth taking.
Miriam Roochvarg is a student at North Carolina State University.
