'It’s not as joyful as usual': Manitobans mark first Passover since start of Israel-Hamas war
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has put a damper on the usual Passover festivities this year, but according to advocates in Manitoba’s Jewish community, it’s also given new meaning to the holiday.
“Passover is a holiday about freedom,” said Rena Secter Elbaze, the executive director of Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
The holiday is celebrated around the world from April 22 to April 30 this year, and celebrates the freedom of Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. It’s marked by dishes and displays and is rooted in symbolism.
“On the Seder plate, we always have an egg, the symbol of life. We have the bitter herbs with the horseradish which are a symbol of the bitterness of slavery,” Secter Elbaze said.
This year, there’s an extra seat at Secter Elbaze’s Passover table.
“There is an empty chair for the hostages who won’t be with their families because there are still hostages that haven’t been freed,” she said.
On Oct. 7, Hamas militants attacked Israel and abducted more than 250 people. According to Israel’s data, there are still over a hundred hostages that haven’t returned home.
“They’ll definitely be on the minds of everyone,” said Jewish Federation CEO Jeff Lieberman.
At the Asper Jewish Community Campus, an empty Passover table serves as a stark reminder.
“To have all of our chairs being empty it just shows how…you know, ‘Let my people go,’ how important that is and to please let our hostages go,” Lieberman said.
The rise of anti-Semitism is also on the minds of community members.
“It’s not as joyful as usual,” said Secter Elbaze. “Everything is a little bit unsettled and uneasy.”
At Bernstein’s Deli, a strong show of community and customer support is present this Passover.
“We’re seeing about the same as what we used to see before the pandemic, potentially even a bit more business,” said owner Aaron Bernstein.
Meanwhile, Secter Elbaze said she hopes that support will help set a positive tone for the holiday season.
“We hope that this Seder will be the start of new things and about a new season and a new moment for our community,” she said.
For people looking to participate in the festivities, Secter Elbaze said Congregation Shaarey Zedek will hold an interfaith Seder celebration for anyone to join. Those who are interested can contact the Synagogue directly.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre
Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Suspect arrested in theft of Porsche that was captured on video
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Recall issued for 38,000 GM vehicles in Canada over software safety glitch
Transport Canada has issued a recall for 38,000 General Motors (GM) vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, the agency reported in a notice on Wednesday.
11-year-old boy dies after subway surfing in NYC
An 11-year-old boy died Monday after subway surfing in New York City. He's the fourth person to die from subway surfing in the city this year.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Top Hezbollah commander among 12 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and other senior figures in the Lebanese movement in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday, vowing to press on with a new military campaign until it is able to secure the area around the Lebanese border.
Canadians say they fear they've been scammed out of thousands of dollars by car moving company
An Ontario man says he’s still waiting for a vehicle he purchased on Kijiji to be delivered to his home. But after more than a month, he says he’s losing hope that the car will arrive and believes that he is a victim of a scam.