Thousands of years after Moses is thought to have led the Jews out of Egypt, about 20 Jewish ASU students went into the desert Tuesday to remember this part of their people's history.
The Jewish student organization Hillel sponsored their annual Seder in the Desert at Papago Park.
Seders are meals held traditionally on the first and sometimes second nights of Passover. The meals feature song, prayer, readings and foods symbolic of the Jewish struggle for freedom.
Seder is the primary celebration of Passover, said philosophy junior Ben Ricciardi, president of Hillel.
"[Passover emphasizes that] every Jew should feel that he ... was brought out of Egypt by God," he added.
Passover is an eight-day observance of Moses leading the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, as depicted in the book of Exodus. It began last Wednesday and ends at sundown Thursday.
"God gave promises of freedom to our people," Ricciardi said during the Seder.
Ricciardi said the celebration affirms the importance of freedom to all people.
"We pray for all those who are still bound, still denied their human rights," he said.
Ari Lichterman, president of the historically Jewish fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu, said there were parallels between Passover Seders and other holidays.
"It's just like any other holiday [in the sense that family members] no longer have their normal distractions," he said.
The first two nights and days and the last day are the actual holiday, Lichterman said.
"The days in between are still the holiday but ... you can still go to work [and] do your business, while observing the dietary restrictions," he added.
Many Jews, in addition to observing Kosher dietary law, will abstain from eating certain grains. Others also refuse to eat rice, corn and certain legumes.
"I've been craving cookies this whole week," said math education freshman Tamara Shamas.
Geography junior Allison McIntosh said she thinks looking at major themes, such as slavery and freedom, makes Passover and Seder universally significant.
"There's been a lot of suffering in all cultures," McIntosh said. "Everyone has a history that they can be reminded of and reminded that they overcame."
Reach the reporter at james.kindle@asu.edu.
