Dateline Jerusalem — It has been two weeks since I last wrote, but it is that time of year again when Jews from all over the world celebrate Passover (Pesach), and our homes must be chametz (see below)-free. Needless to say, I had practically no time for anything but ridding my home of chametz — any food made of grain or grain derivatives such as bread, cereal, cookies, pizza, pasta, anything leavened or allowed to ferment and rise. The word food incorporates crumbs! That means checking ingredients in foods, putting away non-Passover foods, bringing out Passover dishes, pots and pans, sweeping and mopping floors, vacuuming chairs, sofas, beds, wiping down kitchen cabinets, cleaning the oven, taking everything out of the refrigerator and cleaning the shelves, checking anywhere I may have eaten. Then I line everything with aluminum foil. I am exhausted just writing about it.
Although Passover only lasts only one week, it takes several weeks to get ready. I now know where the words “spring cleaning” come from…preparation for Passover! But the cleaning was well worth the effort. Though, I must admit that it was so taxing preparing for the holiday, I almost fell asleep during the Passover seder. I did not get home until 1:30 a.m., and I was up early in the morning for services at my synagogue. The night before the seder, the festive meal where family and friends gather and tell the story of the exodus from Egypt, I put out pieces of pita bread (chametz) that I then “searched” for with a candle, feather, and spoon. The next morning I took this chametz to the massive bonfire on the next block. I live in an apartment-house neighborhood. It is unusual to see a bonfire across the street from apartment buildings. This was one of the few days windows must be closed because of all the smoke. In the States, I used to burn it in my backyard. Allegedly Passover is the most observed holiday for Jews, whether secular or religious, even more so than the high holy days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
The holiday began last weekend. In Israel, we observe for seven days, but Jews outside of Israel observe it for eight days. (In Los Angeles, Passover will end at 8:06 Saturday night.) Also, in Israel we say at our seder tables, “Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt.” The rest of the world says “Next year in Jerusalem.” Why the difference? Traditionally, before Israel became a state, “next year in Jerusalem” was a wish for Jews to be able to return to the homeland of our ancestors. Now, though, it is a reality to be able to live in Jerusalem, to live in Israel. Those who live abroad can travel here, and they often do so during the Passover holiday. Those of us already living in Jerusalem do not have to say “next year in Jerusalem” since we are here. “Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt” refers to the rebuilding of the Jewish Holy Temple, spiritual redemption and the coming of Moshiach (Messiah).
The story told at each Passover seder table reminds every generation of Jews to feel as though we personally come out of Egypt, as Passover commemorates the exodus from slavery in Egypt over 3300 years ago to freedom in the land of Israel.Passover often is called “the season of our freedom.” Living in Israel is definitely the fulfillment of freedom for me. Where else could a woman walk home alone at 1:30 after the seder and not be afraid of being attacked, robbed, or molested? Where else could I worship as a proud Jew and not fear anti-Semitism? There is something so wonderful when an entire country spends weeks before and during Passover wishing strangers on the street a “chag sameach (happy holiday).”
Why We Were Thankful
This year during Passover we were especially thankful to G-d. Last summer during the war with Hamas in Gaza, the harvesting of wheat for Passover matzos (unleavened bread) saved a kibbutz on the border and Israel from being infiltrated by Hamas terrorists. Usually harvesting is done during the summer because the heat dries the wheat which is then stored until production starts for baking matzos. But the rain fell late in the season. So the wheat was sown later than usual. Because of the war, and the fact that the harvesters were working near Gaza, the harvesters sped up the harvesting so they could quickly leave the area. Then a miracle happened. A terror tunnel from Gaza had been built with the exit opening onto a wheat field in Israel near the late harvesting kibbutz. The terrorists thought they would exit the tunnel and hide in the wheat fields until night and then infiltrate Israel. Since the wheat was cut down in just a couple of days, though, because the harvesters were afraid of the war, the terrorists were unaware that the tall wheat that was to camouflage them was gone when they exited the terror tunnel early the next morning. They were easily seen by the Israeli Army who opened fire on them. This was definitely a Passover- related miracle, one of the many miracles during the war. Had it not been for the late rainfall, the wheat being sown later than usual and the harvesters working overtime to get the wheat cut, there would have been a terror catastrophe in Israel.
Chag sameach.
L’hitraot. Shachar