Chabad of Orange County, directed by Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston, will be hosting two community Seders at the Chabad House in Monroe, which promises to be interactive, family friendly, and complete with a gourmet catered dinner, fine kosher wines and hand-made “Shmurah” matzah. Chabad welcomes families of all affiliations and backgrounds, and will incorporate creative programming to keep all ages engaged.
Chabad also offers resources on their free educational website, www.ChabadOrange.com/MyPesach. Passover resources include: “Seder Survival Kit” to help community members have what they need to make a Passover Seder at home. Gift boxes of Shmurah Matzah, a unique handmade Matzah, are being distributed complimentary throughout the County.
In preparation for Passover, youth at Chabad Hebrew School designed beautiful Seder Plates, and also decorated matzah bags.
“Don’t Pass-over Passover!” says Rabbi Pesach in jest. “The message of Passover is as relevant today as ever,” he explains. “Passover celebrates liberation from all forms of enslavement, limitations and attacks and oppression against our people. It offers hope and a freedom mentality.”
This year, Chabad will be adding a seat at the Seder table to honor and remember the hostages still in Gaza. “In addition to leaving an empty seat to remember them,” says Chana Burston, “we’d love to fill an extra seat to honor them! So if you have not yet attended a Seder, or were not planning to on your own, we encourage you to attend a Seder this year in honor of the hostages, may they all be freed.”
What is the holiday of Passover?
The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated This year, Passover starts before sundown on Monday, April 22, and concludes after nightfall on April 30. Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and will be celebrated with festive “Seder” dinners on April 22 and 23. Other holiday observances include restricting the consumption of leavened products such as bread and pasta, instead eating unleavened matzah. Additional information about the Passover holiday is available at www.ChabadOrange.com/MyPesach
For online Passover resources, visit www.ChabadOrange.com, call 845-782-2770 or write rabbi@chabadorange.com.
