Passover preparations underway during tumultuous time
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) As the war rages on in Iran, members of the local Jewish community don't all agree on what is happening in Israel and Middle East, but they do plan to come together for Passover that beings Wednesday at sunset.
"It really is about holding onto hope in difficult moments," said Samantha Silverman at the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara.
Silverman is the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center.
"The message is freedom after bitterness after slavery, it is about navigating those narrow parts the really difficult dark moments in our lives and persevering and having hope as a community united together," said Silverman.
The chef and workers at Etty's Deli, named after a contributing community member, has been preparing dishes for the occasion.
"We will be celebrating Passover in several different ways tomorrow, we will be giving out multiple meals we have a wonderful deli that people will be ordering catering items through, so we will be doing brisket, charoset, tzimmes, lots of delicious traditional Jewish flavors for the holiday table that people will be picking up all day tomorrow and then the following day we will have our Seder," said Silverman.
The tradition included unleavened breads and treats.
The first day of Passover has fallen on Easter before due to the lunar calendar and this time it falls on April Fools' Day. They don't mind.
Silverman chose not to share all the details of their community celebration.
There is a sense of heightened awareness and there is enhanced security at the center and local synagogues preparing for the major Jewish holiday.
Canter Mark Childs at Congregation B'nai B'rith in Santa Barbara is warming up his vocal cords.
Local Jewish leaders believe the traditions are soothing at a time of fighting in the middle east.
"I think rituals are always a source of comfort in tumultuous times," said Child," to have that ritual that we can really sit back at the familiar story that we tell every year, that is sort of a comfort. "
People will hear their Passover story.
"We still celebrate the same story that takes us from slavery to liberation, degradation to freedom and it is a story about that journey and it is a story about compassion, we think about the Egyptians who died so we can be free," said Childs.
The Seder includes wine.
"We actually take drops of wine out of a cup, wine is a symbol of joy in our tradition, we remove a bit of joy from our celebration in recognition of the suffering of Egyptians, so not only do we have compassion for our ancestors who were slaves, we also have compassion for those who suffered for out freedom.," said Childs.
It is a celebration of Spring.
"Happy Passover to every and happy holiday to everyone who celebrated this time of year, Springtime is a time of renewal," said Childs.
For more information visit https://cbbsb.org or https://jewishsantabarbara.org
