[RoboMom]

To the 200 attendees: I will be sending out location information on Monday. Looking forward to seeing everyone. This is going to be an amazing event.


>>Students and mentors throughout the U.S. and around the world are preparing to attend the upcoming 2005 FIRST Championship event in Atlanta with great excitement and anticipation. The event promises to be challenging and stimulating for participants and spectators alike. This weekend also starts the Jewish holiday of Passover beginning Saturday evening, April 23, which is the last night of the Championship.

Passover is an eight-day religious celebration symbolizing the Jewish people's freedom from slavery and exile in Egypt in 1300 BCE. It is a celebration not just of a specific historical event, but of freedom itself. It is also a time of thanksgiving, spring renewal, and family and community solidarity. Passover is one of the most significant and widely-observed holidays on the Jewish calendar and individuals of the Jewish faith worldwide celebrate with family gatherings and traditional meals, called a Seder. One of the most important traditions of Passover is the retelling of the story of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt, using a book known as a haggadah, which contains this story, as well as songs, blessings and prayers to commemorate the occasion and to celebrate Jewish history. It is also a tradition to invite guests to join in the celebration, since freedom is enjoyed and celebrated by all. A group of FIRST mentors, led by Alisha Wallenstein who represents FIRST in Israel, is preparing to host a Seder for all FIRST participants who wish to attend, regardless of their religious affiliation.

The Seder should take no more than an hour, as we are not serving a meal. Participants can then walk next door to attend the Wrap Party, in Centennial Olympic Park.

Please contact Jenny Beatty at jbeatty@usfirst.org for updates. We look forward to the upcoming competition and to celebrating the holiday with you.