96: To rest on the first day of Passover

The Book of Seasons
Laws of Festival Rest
To rest on the first day of Passover (Lev. 23:7)

            a modest dining room

            a group of children (ages 8-15) sits around the table

            they all have travel bags at their feet

            as though they were ready to leave at any moment

            the table is set for a Seder that no one is focused on

            instead they all watch the news on tv

            the sound is off but we see horrific images flit across the scene

            images of bombings and fires and people in peril

            someone begins knocking at the door

            steady and insistent

            everyone watches the door with bated breath

            nobody moves

            the knocking stops

            they wait a moment

            then return to watching television

            the knocking starts up again

            again everyone watches and waits

            the knocking stops

            they wait a moment

            then go back to the television

            until finally one them says-

we should get back to it

            they all slowly bring their focus to the table

            but leave the television running in the background

            a beat

            together they all recite

THIS IS THE WATCHNIGHT OF THE ETERNAL

            in the distance we hear a bomb drop

            the television cuts out

            all the lights go out

            and the knocking starts up again

            they all wait for the knocking to stop again

            but the knocking keeps going

            and going

            and going

            END OF PLAY