Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of the Jewish holiday of Passover, also called Pesach.
Passover
The Latest
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Community This is not our first seder in isolation
Jews are no strangers to seders in isolation. The first seder which ever took place was in the ancient land of Egypt (Mitzrayim), that narrow and constrained space. “None of you shall go outside the door of their house until morning.” These are not words from the health department’s recent report; they are words from…
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Culture How ‘A Rugrats Passover’ became an iconic holiday special
In 1995, Nickelodeon's popular cartoon series debuted its most Jewish episode
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Israel News Israeli TV will air Seders for viewers isolated by Passover lockdown
Next year in Jerusalem. But this year, on television. Israeli networks are hosting televised Seders so that nobody has to celebrate alone, despite the pandemic that has put a halt to family gatherings. The country’s most-watched TV station, Keshet 12, will start its star-studded event at 7:30 p.m., Israel time, Wednesday night. Billed as “The…
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Fast Forward Some Orthodox rabbis permit phone use on holidays, citing pandemic’s mental health risks
Some Orthodox Jewish rabbis have issued rulings allowing technology usage on Shabbat and holidays to assist those dealing with mental health issues in quarantine. Orthodox Judaism bans the use of electricity, including modern technology like phones, on Shabbat and on the first two and last two days of Passover. But it also allows for an…
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Life I can lead the seder. I just need someone to teach the 90-year-olds Zoom.
Of course we’re going to have a seder. Our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents all had seders despite world wars and pogroms. A pandemic won’t stop us. Because we have Zoom. We’re all Zooming, right? Zoom work meetings. Zoom cocktails with friends. Zoom gym sessions. Zoom meditation. Our family favorite is our new tradition of…
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Culture Passover in the time of the plague
My daughter just saw her first rainbow. We stood between the sun and the drizzle and I pronounced the words of the blessing: “Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who remembers the covenant, and is faithful to His covenant, and keeps His promise.” I’d always been puzzled by the language —…
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Fast Forward Orthodox groups now say no shared Passover seders should take place
NEW YORK (JTA) — Leading Orthodox Jewish groups have come out firmly against shared Passover meals, two days before the holiday begins and two weeks after the groups left open the possibility of communal seders under narrow circumstances. “Everyone must plan to celebrate Pesach where they are currently,” reads the guidance issued Monday by a…
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News Orthodox family ‘fallen through cracks’ in fight to get experimental drug
Michael Goldsmith, 34, is the person everyone always called to shlep something heavy, like a piece of furniture. An IT consultant, he’s always been robustly healthy, but on March 11, he started showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus. He had no underlying conditions, and his family has no idea how he caught it. Yet he’s…
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