In fact, there was visible relief on some faces when there was a further interruption. It was only a matter of time really, but it was just a surprise that the person to speak at this point was my friend Jonathan, the naturalised Israeli, who had, up to then, not spoken a word.

"Last year we celebrated Pesach in a kibbutz in the Negev." he said, hesitantly.

He continued when he realised that he had their attention. Even Dave was listening, with eyes that were screwed-up, either with concentration or distrust.

"The whole kibbutz, even the volunteers and Arab workers, came along. They filled out the whole hall. It was quite wonderful, the solidarity and common purpose. Pesach is a real celebration of Zionism you know, with Zionism being, in a way, the completion of the failure of Moses. We reached the land, after all. Even Moses never got that far ...."

"Hold on, hold on, hold on", interrupted Rabbi Dave. "Moses was not a failure. His generation never reached the land because of their sins. They went against God."

"Tosh!" whispered Miriam, under her breathe.

Gerald, who was sitting opposite her, lifted his head slightly, conspirationally and she returned the gesture.

"Pardon, Miriam." retorted Dave. "If you've got something to say, speak up. Let us all benefit from your wisdom."

She cleared her throat and spoke. "I would like you, David, to give me one proof that the events of this Exodus ever happened. Frankly, to me, it's all a load of ............. tosh".

"Don't hold back, Miriam. Speak your mind", said Morry, with mock sarcasm, straining to muffle out the burning fuse before it reached the ......

Too late, because the explosion came, without a moment's delay. Dave brought his right fist down on the table. His face was twisted in rage.

"How dare you! How dare you turn your back on your heritage, our heritage .... on this of all nights! Moses was real. Our God, Baruch Ha Shem, is real. And may he have forgiveness on you, Miriam. You really are an ignorant woman!"

"Me, ignorant?" she retorted.

"Is it ignorant to question 4000 year old myths. For that's what they are. You're the ignorant one, Dave. Use your mind, your brain. How can it all be true. Come on, we're in an enlightened age. Science has disproved religion!"

Before Dave could retaliate, Gerald piped in, his spirits stirred up by Miriam, who he now saw not just as a kindred spirit, but as a fine, nay, magnificent woman. A woman such as this he could fall in love with.

"Yes. Richard Dawkins says ....."

"Richard Dawkins, Schmawkins. Who cares what Richard Dawkins says, God rot his soul!" cried an irate Dave. "I am representing and, it shames me to say, doing so alone here, the words and character of our great patriarchs, our prophets, our God, Baruch Ha Shem. We are Jews, all of us. Yet what do I see here. Disbelief. Heresy. Am I the only sane one here in a room of meshuganahs!"

Jonathan decided to speak. His timing was impeccable.

"Let's all calm down here. Dave is right you know. We are all Jews here, we shouldn't be attacking each other, whatever our beliefs. Surely if Passover means anything it's brotherhood. But, Dave, what you've got to understand is that things have moved on. Listen, in Israel, when we get together at festivals or Shabbat we know that we're a mixture. Some are fairly orthodox, some more liberal. But we're zionists first of all. We're all Jews and that's the important thing. It's what enabled us to found the Nation of Israel. It was the one thing, the only thing, that we had in common. And I reckon we've done a pretty good job of it!"

"So what you're saying is that most of you aren't even religious. You don't even believe what you're celebrating?" asked Dave, surprisingly calmly.

"Yes ..... I suppose. But we're adults, you know. We're past the age of Father Christmas, or the tooth fairy ...."

"We must have faith. Faith is important, otherwise the soul is nothing".

The voice was a quiet meek one. It was Sadie, now recovered from Dave's earlier put-down. It was a real conversation stopper because there was a silence for a full ten seconds.

Morry broke the tension with a joke.

"Silence in a group of Jews? I must be in heaven. No, I can't be, you lot are here with me."

After a few sporadic giggles, he continued.

"Joking aside, though, I think that I should make a comment or two. It's true, Miriam that I don't really know what I'm saying when I read the Hebrew. And, Dave, it's also true that I don't really, in my heart of hearts, believe what I'm saying either. But it's tradition! Tradition!"

He did his best Tevya/Topol impression, his voice booming.

"I don't have a faith like you do, Sadie. Mind you, perhaps one day you can explain what this faith of yours is, it doesn't sound very heimische to me? Yoga? Meditation? What's a nice Jewish girl ...."

She interrupted, a little more bolder than before. "Morry, where've you been? Look in the papers? Look in the J.C. for God's sake. Everybody's into the new things, aromatherapy, reflexology, meditation, yoga. It's not weirdos doing it .... it's everybody!"

There was a loud groan of "Oy!" from the other end of the table. It seems that Dave had given up, though I'm sure it was temporary.