For the non-Jewish world, Chanukah is probably the most familiar Jewish holiday, because it falls around the same time as Christmas. But for Jewish people, Passover is a more significant holiday. “Passover is a major holiday, and in our interfaith society, we encourage everyone to see, know, and share how we celebrate our founding as we tell the story of a nation and people,” says Rabbi Shalom Leverton of Chabad of the Windsors. “A fundamental holiday, the primary focus is on the freedom of our people — oppressed people who reclaimed their rites.”
The eight-day observance of Passover commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from Egypt during the times of the Pharaoh Ramses II; the story may be familiar to some as the story told in Cecil B. Demille’s film The Ten Commandments. The Passover holiday is observed with elaborate meals — called Seders — where the story of the exodus is told. Passover begins this year on Saturday, April 23, at sundown.
To help spread the word, Rabbi Leverton has organized a Grand Passover Wonderland, featuring a model matzoh bakery, Seder table, Judaica, and arts and crafts at McCaffrey’s in West Windsor through Tuesday, April 19, and is open to everyone. On Sunday, April 17, the event is open from 2 to 6 p.m. with a musical program featuring “Charoset and the Matzahman” at 4 p.m.
Matzoh is the ceremonial flat bread of Passover, created without yeast by the Israelites in their haste to escape Egypt. Model matzoh bakery participants will enjoy a hands-on activity using flour and water and real rolling pins. They even learn the secret of how to create the holes in the matzoh. Arts and crafts activities include sand art, creating a ceremonial cover for the hidden matzoh — known as the afikomen — and decorating a Seder plate. A model Seder is set up and the basics of the ceremonial dinner are presented in 15 minutes. Passover-themed videos will also be shown. Judaica includes giftware to bring to a Seder.
“We are required to eat matzoh to remember the past,” Rabbi Leverton says of the Passover ritual. “We live in luxury and want for nothing and are thankful and appreciative of what we have now.” A long-held custom is to have hand-baked Chmurah matzoh at the Seder table. It is available at Passover Wonderland or by calling Rabbi Leverton before April 19.
Over the years, Rabbi Leverton discovered that most people wanted to have Seders with their family and friends rather than be part of a community Seder. He offers a model Seder to learn and go through the steps, and offers himself as a contact person to match those seeking a Seder with people in the community who are inviting individuals and families to join them. Call 609-448-9369 or send E-mail to rabbileverton@comcast.com for more information.
Since the rigorous observance of Passover includes cleaning the house of any “chometz” (bread products) and hours of cooking and preparation, many choose to go to hotels during the celebration. As a young adult, Leverton spent Passover at the Concord Hotel in the Catskills where he helped supervise the kitchen where meals were prepared for 2,”000 people. “Now there are even Passover cruises,” he says.
Rabbi Leverton, and his wife, Aliza, opened Chabad of the Windsors in 2000 in East Windsor and relocated to a four-acre property on Old Trenton Road in West Windsor close to a year ago. Their three children include their daughter, Toby, 5; and their sons, Mendel, 3, and Ari, 18 months.
An affiliate of the world-wide Chabad movement, the Levertons’ goal is to guide unaffiliated Jewish people to explore their heritage without the membership requirement of the majority of synagogues in the area.
“We are dedicated to educating local Jews about their heritage and strengthening their Jewish connection. Acceptance of every individual on his or her personal level, regardless of background or prior experience is the hallmark of Chabad across the world,” says Rabbi Leverton on the Chabad of the Windsors web page: www.chabadwindsor.com.
“We welcome people to visit Passover Wonderland for 20 minutes or for two hours,” Leverton says.
— Lynn Miller
Passover Wonderland, Chabad of the Windsors, McCaffrey’s, Southfield Shopping Center, West Windsor, 609-448-9369. Sunday, April 17, 2 to 6 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday, April 18 and 19, 3 to 6 p.m.
