Saturday, March 31, 2018 9:49 AM

In the city square on the day before Passover: Impending rain has canceled the day's music and other festivities, but two people sit on the ground playing interlocking riffs on hand-pans. A young girl hops out of her stroller, runs up to them, and dances. At the hummus joint, on the day when people no longer eat bread but do not yet eat matzah, the pita is replaced by a sweet unleavened roll. Stores have wares for the seder on tables on the street for last minute shopping. Looking inside the one with the largest display, I see that the store mostly sells clocks. I stop in at our family's spice merchant for suggestions on what to get to start a new kitchen. He scoops out blends that he has created himself and carefully tells me how to use each. They cost less than I thought.