Havi Wolfson-Hall lights candles with her daughter Ellie before the Passover Seder at Ron and Susie Wolfson’s home in Encino. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Ron and Susie Wolfson host a Passover Seder in Encino.
Susie and Ron Wolfson hug at the start of their Seder, attended by members of four generations of their family. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Ron Wolfson, second from left, a professor of education at American Jewish University, describes the Seder as “a talk-feast.” Passover celebrates the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Mark Spiegler wears a skullcap patterned to look like matzo, the unleavened bread integral to this Jewish holiday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Seder attendees -- Bob Wolfson, standing, and, from left, Laurie Spiegler, Doug Wolfson and Avi Wolfson -- tie their hands and tape their mouths shut to simulate the oppression the Israelites felt as slaves.
[For the record, 4:10 p.m. April 19: An earlier version of this caption incorrectly spelled Laurie Spiegler’s first name as Lori and gave Avi Wolfson’s first name as Ari.](Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
The family acts out the 10 plagues that, according to the Bible, preceded the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
The Passover Seder features storytelling, prayer, food and song. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Matzo ball soup waits to be served. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Ron and Susie Wolfson’s 1-year-old grandson Gabe Hall is the youngest Seder guest. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
Avi Wolfson, left, and his father, Doug, open the door to welcome Elijah the prophet, a harbinger of the messiah they hope will heal the brokenness in the world. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
After the meal, the Seder hosts and guests open fortune cookies made of matzo. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
