Local families host university students for Jewish holiday

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat Ron Evans (center) breaks the top piece of matzah before it is passed around the table while Barry Spinke read the prayer that accompanies this part of the Seder. Through the Hillel Foundation, the Evanses open their home to Jewish students who want to take part in the traditional Passover dinner.

But a Hillel Foundation program that places University of Arizona students into local homes for traditional Passover dinners called Seders can lessen the homesickness.

Lee Cohen, an administrative assistant at Hillel, said 21 students participated in the program this year. She said 21 is a relatively small number compared with other years.

"Since it's the weekend, so many students are going home," said Cohen, referring to the thousands of UA students who live within driving distance or rounded up money for a plane ticket.

Michelle Blumenberg, Hillel's director, said when the first night of Passover falls during the week, more students participate in the program. The holiday began Friday night, and continues until this Friday.

"We've placed up to 50 or 60 students if it's during the week," Blumenberg said.

Hillel started the program six years ago, and Cohen said that on average, 25 families will call her office to say they have saved seats at their Seder for UA students.

She said families and students always have positive experiences.

"A lot of the families invite the students back again for a Friday night (Shabbat) meal or other Jewish holidays," Cohen said.

Families generally have a religious meal on the first or second night of Passover at which they pray from a book called the Haggadah and eat foods including unleavened bread called matzah.

Throughout the Seder, participants eat foods that remind them of the struggle of the ancient Jews, including bitter horseradish and parsley dipped in salt water.

Ron and Marilyn Evans have a Seder in their east-Tucson home every year.

For the last three years, they have invited students to dine with them on Passover.

Marilyn Evans, who said she is a conservative Jew, and Ron Evans, who is not Jewish, said they enjoy meeting different people of different cultures. They always invite non-Jewish friends to share the Seder with them.

Some may question why the Evanses would invite total strangers into their home.

Barry Spinke, a friend of the Evanses who came to the Seder, said he enjoys meeting the different people.

"This way, you get more people of diversity mixing and blending with each other and I think it's great," Spinke said.

The Evanses had their Seder in a room that Ron Evans was remodeling, and on the table sat homemade Seder plates designed by their children.

Thirteen people were at the Seder, including the Evanses' children and grandchildren.

While Marilyn Evans made everything from matzoh ball soup to deviled eggs, Ron Evans sat in the family room and talked about the yearly phone call he and his wife make to Hillel.

"We call every year and say we're having a Seder, and we ask if they have any students who need a home," Ron Evans said.

The Evanses have hosted exchange students from all over the nation and the world, forging relationships with perfect strangers.

"We enjoy other cultures," Ron Evans said. "I sit down and get to know them so they are no longer strangers."