"Where should I go for a Seder this year," you wonder as you carouse the travel pages. "There are Passover travel packages on every continent. Should I crunch Matzah in an African Safari, or on top of the Alps?"

For adventure and daring, Laurie Zimmet topped them all, with a memorable and inspiring Seder in Bahrain!

What’s a Nice Jewish Girl doing in Bahrain? Since when does the Bahrain Bazaar carry Manishewitz?

It’s a long way from Laurie’s hometown of LA to the Persian Gulf. As a Navy reservist, Laurie went overseas in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Her tour started with the "Welcome Aboard" interview that assessed her skills. This articulate woman had an impressive background in Public Affairs as manager for the well-known speaker and columnist Dennis Prager.

Assigned to a Counter-Terrorism unit, she gleaned information on possible threats to Sailors and Marines in the theatre of operation. Laurie documented agents’ efforts with written reports and photographs of their overt and covert operations, her documents ending up in the decision-making bodies of Congress. Laurie was right there with her camera for overt ops, while she was far away with a long-distance lens for covert jobs.

Her second week of service found her in Kuwait on a convoy into Iraq. Laurie passionately applauds American efforts as heroic and vital in the War on Terror. "I saw it first hand." She was then stationed in Djibouti, Africa, which is vital because of its proximity to Yemen, a terrorist hotbed.

Laurie dismisses accolades for her service. "The Marines and foot soldiers are the heroes." She now travels widely, sharing her unique experiences as a Jewish woman.

There’s an historic echo to her saga. In a Muslim country where Jews are unwelcome infidels, Laurie felt the fear of the Marranos of Spain and the Russian Jews under Stalin. She kept Shabbos and celebrated Purim and Pesach as a clandestine Jew.

Laurie was staying in a Bahrain hotel filled with Saudis. "Shabbos was traumatic," she relates. "I never really understood why rabbinical supervision is required on wine. Now I got it. How could I sanctify the Sabbath with wine made by those who want your family dead!"

Not used to caution, Laurie lit her Shabbos candles in an open window. "Saudis looked in, and they’re not dumb. Who would be lighting candles on a Friday night? I moved heavy furniture in front of my door that night and slept uneasily." She hid the valuables that would place her most at risk. "Each room had a safe. I didn’t lock up my computer or jewelry, but I DID lock my Siddur and Haggadah.”

Far from home, her appreciation of community intensified, drawing strength from fellow Jews. "They sent me so much Purim nosh! I distributed the Israeli candy with Hebrew letters around the base. It was cathartic to have that candy amid the boycott of products sold to Israel. Rabbi Bryski of Chabad of Conejo California, constantly called to check up on me and make sure I was ok."

Before Passover, Laurie considered organizing a Seder on her base. "Though the major fighting was over, this was hard to do. There was nowhere on base, and we were not supposed to congregate off base. It was not a hospitable environment– the front page of the Saudi paper was your classic blood libel, about Jews using Muslim blood to bake Matzah!"

Laurie persevered and organized a small unpublicized Seder, invitation by word of mouth only. "It was exciting, the only Seder around. One Marine told me it was the first time he ever read through the whole Haggadah. Another said it was the first time he had a Seder. The irony of Jews helping to free an Arab people from their oppression enhanced our experience. Chabad sent us Shmura Matzah, and a Lieutenant was able to get Kedem wine and grape juice."

"I was on a Jewish high all the time I was there–in fact, I still am," she muses. "Whatever Jewish thing you could do there felt incredible– like light in darkness. I’m not ‘Orthodox’- just trying my best. America is a blessed country, and I felt connected to G-d."

"I never saw the troops’ low morale, as claimed by the press. The American soldier isn’t as stupid as the media portrays. When you’re in Iraq and see the torture chambers, the starving people, you realize the value of our mission."

So what’s on the horizon for this red, white and blue Jew? She’s now a Naval Reserves Public Affairs officer, and would like to be an active duty Public Affairs officer when a position opens. Perhaps resume teaching in an elementary school. And if an upright, proud, patriotic Jewish Mr. Right shows up, Laurie may sign up for active duty raising a dynamic brood of future leaders to sit at her Shabbos and Passover table.