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Home > Worship > Holiday Celebrations > Pesah (Passover)

Pesah (Passover)

Pesah (Passover) 

Passover is Zeman Heiruteinu, the Season of Our Freedom from Slavery in Egypt. The highlight of the festival is the Seder, the ritualized “retelling” of the story of the Exodus. We are guided by special songs, foods, and symbols—including matzah (unleavened bread), maror (bitter herbs), haroset (a tasty dish of apples, nuts, and wine), 4 cups of wine, and more. In preparation for the holiday, Jews take special care to clear their houses of hametz (leaven), which cannot be consumed throughout the eight–day festival. The liturgy of the first day of the holiday includes Tefilat Tal, the Prayer for Dew upon the conclusion of the rainy season in Israel. Services on the last day include the Yizkor memorial prayers, and each daily service includes a special Torah reading.

resources

Rabbinical Assembly Pesah Guide

Click here for the 2024/5784 Pesah Guide. 

Online resources

In Every Generation: A Haggadah Supplement for 5784 by Shalom Hartman Institute

Prayer for a Fifth Cup of Wine by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum

Seder Interrupted: A Post-October 7 Haggadah Supplement by Academy for Jewish Religion

Hadar's Pesach Reader for 5784

Large Print Haggadot From the Jewish Braille Institute of America

Learn about the history and structure of the Haggadah at MyJewishLearning.com. Check out these online Haggadah resources:

Traditional Haggadah by Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner. Find other Passover materials including song parodies at his site, www.jewishfreeware.org.

Make your own Haggadah at haggadot.com.

Feast of Freedom Passover Haggadah The Feast of Freedom is available in full as a free PDF. Print copies may be purchased here.

Passover Music by Cantor Josh Perlman 

Passover Parodies

service times & candlelighting

MONDAY, APRIL 22 
7:15 AM Morning Service and Siyyum Bekhorot 
10:50 AM Stop Consuming Hametz 
Burn Hametz by 11:59 AM 
First Night 
7:36 PM Candlelighting 

TUESDAY, APRIL 23 
First Day of Pesah 
9:15 AM Festival Service 
10:30 AM Matzah Brei Mania and Youth Service 
12:30 PM Minha 
6:30 PM Second Night Community Seder with Cantor Josh Perlman 
Light candles after 8:23 PM 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 
Second Day of Pesah 
9:15 AM Festival Service 
10:30 AM Tots Program and Family Minyan (Grades K-6)
12:00 PM Pesah Pizza Party during Congregational Kiddush 
7:50 PM Festival Minha & Weekday Ma’ariv  (Yom Tov ends at 8:24)

SUNDAY, APRIL 28 
Erev Yom Tov 
7:42 PM Candlelighting 
8:00 PM Festival Ma’ariv 

MONDAY, APRIL 29 
Seventh Day of Pesah 
9:00 AM Festival Service 
10:30 AM Youth Service
12:30 PM Minha 
8:00 PM Festival Ma’ariv 
Light candles after 8:30 PM 

TUESDAY, APRIL 30 
Eighth Day of Pesah 
9:00 AM Festival Service with Yizkor Prayers (11:00 AM) 
10:45 AM Tots-6th Grade Visit to Cohen-Rosen House
We are going on a field trip to visit our friends next door at the Cohen-Rosen House on Passover. Join us for songs, prayers, and stories as we walk to our neighbors for a friendly Passover visit. All children (Tots–6th Grade) must be accompanied by a parent or other grown-up.
10:45 AM Teen Candy Seder
7:50 PM Festival Minha & Weekday Ma’ariv (Yom Tov ends at 8:31)

*There will be no evening services at B’nai Israel on the seder nights, Monday, April 22, and Tuesday, April 23. Contact Cantor Josh for copies of the evening service along with CDs of the chanting if you would like to conduct the Ma’ariv service on your own in your homes. 

PROGRAMMING

Siyyum Bekhorot
Monday, April 22
8:00 AM
Participate in this annual event to exempt oneself from the "Fast of the Firstborn" on this day before Passover. The learning session will be followed by a hametz breakfast!

Matzah Brei Mania
Tuesday, April 23
10:30 AM
What would Pesach be without matzah brei? Join us in the kitchen to crumble, mix and fry the matzahs. After we eat our yummy creations, join us for a brief youth service. Open to youth of all ages.

Second Night Congregational Seder 
with Cantor Josh Perlman
Tuesday, April 23
6:30 PM
Celebrate our freedom with your B’nai Israel family at this congregational seder, led by Cantor Josh Perlman. A traditional, lively, and song-filled seder will include a delicious meal and the greatest humor of our very own Cantor Josh. Registration is now closed. 

Tots Singing with Cantor Josh and Passover Activities (for children 5 and younger)
Wednesday, April 24
10:30 AM

Family Minyan (Grades K-5)
Wednesday, April 24
10:30 AM

Pesah Pizza Party for Kiddush
Wednesday, April 24
During the Congregational Kiddush (approximately 12:00 PM)
Join us during kiddush for this annual tradition for the whole congregation. Make your own matzah pizza with your favorite toppings.

Tots–6th Grade Visit to the Cohen-Rosen House
Tuesday, April 30
10:45 AM
We are going on a field trip to visit our friends next door at the Cohen-Rosen House on Passover. Join us for songs, prayers, and stories as we walk to our neighbors for a friendly Passover visit. All children (Tots–6th Grade) must be accompanied by a parent or other grown-up.

Teen Candy Seder
Tuesday, April 30
10:45 AM

 

preparing for pesah

Mekhirat Hametz—Selling of Hametz

If one cannot completely remove all hametz from the home during Pesah, Jewish law
provides for the conditional sale of hametz to a non-Jew during Pesah. Upon the conclusion of
Pesah, the hametz reverts to its original owner. It is customary to make a contribution for
ma’ot hittin, providing Pesah food for the needy, when selling hametz. To appoint Rabbi
Berkowitz as your agent to sell your hametz by Sunday, April 21, click here to download the paper form, or click here for the online form. Hametz will revert to its original owner at the conclusion of Pesah on Tuesday evening, April 30.

B’dikat Hametz—The Search for Hametz, and Biur Hametz—Burning Hametz

The search for leavened bread takes place on Sunday evening, April 21, after sunset. Members of the family, equipped with a lighted candle, go from room to room gathering crumbs of bread to ensure that the house has been cleansed of all hametz. Many families have a custom of hiding pieces of bread in order to guarantee that something may be found. 

Special b’dikat hametz sets (including a feather, spoon, candle, and instructions) are available from the Sisterhood Judaica Shop. The last time to eat hametz is 10:50 AM on Monday, April 22. Hametz must be destroyed before 11:59 AM.

Siyyum Bekhorot

On Monday morning, April 22, all first-borns are urged to join the Siyyum Bekhorot following the 7:15 AM minyan. This observance reminds us that when the first-born of Egypt were slain during the Tenth Plague, the Israelite first-born were saved. In appreciation for this redemption, it is incumbent upon first-born Jewish males to fast on the day before Pesah. This responsibility is nullified when one celebrates the completion of text study.

At the siyyum, Rabbi Jonathan Schnitzer will share reflections on what our tradition teaches us about shalom, peace. This celebration of learning nullifies the obligation for first-borns to fast on the eve of Passover. We will conclude the siyyum with a Seudat Mitzvah, a celebratory meal provided through the generosity of Lisa and Alan Isenberg. 

passover flowers

Enhance your holiday table or send flowers to a family member or friend. A beautiful flower arrangement always complements a holiday table. Let B’nai Israel Sisterhood do the legwork so you have less to think of during your holiday preparations. 

$70 for local delivery; $75 for out-of-area delivery

Place your order before Sunday, April 14. 
Arrangements will arrive in time for the first seder. 
Click here to place your order online.
To download an order form, click here.

Questions? Contact Linda Heller.

Fri, April 26 2024 18 Nisan 5784