Amid the evening rush, commuters boarding an uptown 6 train were met with an unusual sight: tables set up inside a subway car, passengers singing Hebrew prayers and sharing matzo ball soup, matzo and grape juice.
It was a traditional Passover dinner — a seder — unfolding in one of the least traditional places imaginable.
“There’s nothing traditional about this,” one rider said.
What You Need To Know
A rapper known as Kosha Dillz started hosting pop-up Passover seders on subway trains three years ago
The moving celebration brings together riders of different backgrounds, including some attending their first seder
Organizers say the quick, unconventional format is designed for people who might otherwise skip the holiday
Participants say the experience is both meaningful and uniquely New York
At a typical seder, participants recline as they eat, retelling the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. On a moving train, that proved difficult.
But for some riders, the unconventional setting offered something more important: a chance to take part in a holiday they might otherwise miss.
“I’m too scared to fly home to my parents so this is the next best thing,” one participant said.
The subway seder also featured a man dressed as Moses. Under the beard was Rami Even-Esh, a rapper known as Kosha Dillz, who started the tradition three years ago.
“It started out in Coachella, we started out with ‘Matzo-Chella.’ We had this thing called a 10-minute seder. We made it for people who are in a rush and not going to do it anyway,” he said.
The concept has since made its way to New York City’s transit system, where the seder moves as quickly as the train itself — this one running from Union Square to Hunts Point.
Along the way, it brought together people of different backgrounds, many experiencing a seder for the first time.
For others, the experience carried deeper meaning.
“I thought it was beautiful, so uplifting. I just thought it was a wonderful experience. It was truly a wonderful experience. I can’t wait to do it again next year,” said Elizabeth Weinstein, a participant.
“I thought it was a lot of fun, and it really just felt like a really nice community event,” said Rose Golden, another participant.
And for some, the subway setting made the celebration uniquely fitting.
“It is very different from all the other seders I’ve been to. But I feel like it’s a very New York thing,” said David Castro.