Beginning of Passover, Easter gatherings impacted by Manitoba spring storm

The spring storm is forcing some to rethink their plans for the start of Passover and the Easter long weekend.

After two years of COVID-19 disruptions, it’s snow that is getting in the way of gatherings this year.

“We were going to have Easter dinner with the whole family but it looks like it might just be the two of us,” said Clare Burns, who planned to visit her sister Thursday night.

Burns had planned to travel from Winnipeg to Lake of the Woods in northwestern Ontario over the weekend with family. She was digging out her car in hopes of just being able to get to smaller family gatherings within city limits.

“One of my sisters lives out of town so she won’t be coming because the road closures but maybe our parents will come,” Burns said. “We’ll see whose car is able to get out of the snow and who’s stuck.”

Cancelled flights and closed and snow-covered roads have brought most travel into and around southern Manitoba to a halt. But even within Winnipeg – which escaped the worst of the storm — all the snow has forced the Archdiocese of Winnipeg to cancel the highly anticipated return of the annual Public Way of the Cross after putting it on pause the past two years because of the pandemic.

“Now we were excited for this year that finally it will happen in person and we’re planning again and had everything ready and just before it was supposed to happen, we get the storm,” said Father Peter Nemcek of the St. Nicholas Tavelich Parish which was set to host the walk this year.

Hundreds usually come out to the event each year as different parishes walk a cross throughout the city and then back to their church.

Nemcek said it’s disappointing because it takes a lot of work to host.

“It’s not the same,” he said. “We were hoping for in-person but now it’s Zoom (Friday) at 10 o’clock.”

The storm also prompted Congregation Shaarey Zedek to close the synagogue building for the week in the lead up to the Jewish festival of Passover.

Ron Ukashi, executive director of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, said some family Passover Seders planned at the synagogue for Friday were cancelled but the congregational Seder will go ahead Saturday in person and will also be available online.

“At the very least we have the opportunity to be in person now,” Ukashi said. “And if they clear the roads – I’m confident that they can do so – if they can clear the roads between now and tomorrow, by Saturday it’ll be even less of an obstacle and people can really visit each other in their homes and have it in person.”

As a teacher, Burns is used to pivoting. Like some others she plans to make most of the snow and do what mother nature allows.

“It puts a wrench in plans but I mean it’s still some time to relax and I mean I really love the outdoors so even if I’m going out and shovelling it’s not the worst thing in the world,” Burns said.

While the Public Way of the Cross has been cancelled, many Good Friday and Easter services over the weekend will go ahead as planned, for those who can travel safely to gather again in person.