Bnei Anousim women bring Seder Amenim to Colombia
Women in Colombia get ready to say Amen!
A “Seder Amenim” is an ancient tradition where Jewish women come together for a festive meal in order to recite in unison five “Amen’s” following the blessings for the five main food categories: gefen for wine or grapes, ha’adama for vegetables, ha’etz for fruit, mezonot for grain-based foods including crackers, and she’hakol for “everything else.” The Seder Amenim is often held on Rosh Hodesh, the holiday marking the first day of the Hebrew month. Perek Shirah, an ancient compilation of psalms whose recitation the medieval Jewish philosopher Joseph Albo said guarantees a place in the World to Come, sung sometimes as well.
Women from the Bnei Menashe community in India have been observing the “Seder Amenim” (literally, the order of Amen’s) for many years; now the tradition has come to Colombia. Rebbetzin Yocheved Yehoshua, wife of Shavei Israel’s emissary to the Bnei Anousim in Colombia Rabbi Shimon Yehoshua, organized Colombia’s first Seder Amenim last month for 25 women in Bogota. The meal was held at the Lancaster Hotel, owned by Colombian Jewish businessman Jack Goldstein, who donated the facility at no cost.
Here’s another picture:
The “Seder” table