Pesach (first days and Chol Hamoed Shabbat)

Day 1: Gandel Besen; Day 2: Chabad Glen Eira; Shabbat: Caulfield Shule

Ahead of my overseas adventure, I arranged to go out for all meals of the first three days of Pesach, not just the Seders, but Friday night and all the day meals as well. As such, I re-visited shules that I have been to before because those are the shules where I met my hosts.

Pesach in general has always been my favourite festival. Though I am not the biggest fan of Matzah, I don’t mind it – unlike some people – and I have no issue putting up with it for a week. I do however find the lengths that some people go to in order to make their homes Kosher for Passover somewhat tedious, but more than anything I love the Seder. If it were up to me, there would be one day of Yom Tov even amongst the orthodox even in the Diaspora, but there would be at least three Seders. I always leave Seder wanting more, even though I go to two of them each year. There is so much to unpack in the Seder and so many interpretations and commentaries that I think most people miss, especially if they only read the words in the Haggadah. Each time I go to a Seder I learn or experience something new, as was the case this year, but I also know there is so much more to learn.

Though three consecutive days of Yom Tov is a bit much, going to three different shules and going out for all the meals was actually a lovely experience, with great hosts, wonderful food and even better conversations. Now I feel energised for my trip to Berlin, Poland and Israel – the latter two for March of the Living. I am sure the end of Pesach in Germany will be an altogether different experience, but one that I am nonetheless looking forward to immensely. Shabbat in Krakow ahead of the program will be equally interesting no doubt, and then I am sure the program itself will be exhilarating, exhausting and fascinating.

So for now, I am signing off from Australia after three days of walking, eating, talking and praying, and look forward to the next instalment from abroad.

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