JFS Helps Others Celebrate Passover

What is Passover?
Passover, which begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 8th, is often referred to as the festival of freedom. Of all the Jewish holidays, it is the most recognizable by both Jews and non-Jews. The holiday of Passover commemorates not only the release of the Jews from their Egyptian captors, but the freedom to accept God’s laws and to live by those laws.

The holiday begins with a story, read from a special book, the Haggadah, in which all Jews are instructed to see themselves as active participants in this flight from slavery to freedom. The story is told with symbolic food and actions. At the conclusion of the story a festive meal is served, followed by blessings, songs and a prayer to be able to celebrate Passover the following year, in Jerusalem.

How is JFS helping others celebrate Passover?

JFS helps others celebrate Passover in two ways:

The Passover Food Project

The Synagogue Council of Greater Denver and the Weinberg Food Pantry at JFS are collaborating again this year to provide families in need in our community with the foods needed for a complete Passover Seder. This includes a kosher chicken as well as other necessary (and Kosher for Passover) items such as matzo, matzo meal, gefilte fish, candles, eggs, and fresh produce.

This program is designed to help those families who would normally prepare a Seder for themselves, but at the present time do not have the resources to do so. In light of the current economic circumstances, this number is higher than it has been in recent years.

Volunteers helped pack the Passover food boxes last night. This weekend, those who are able to pick up the boxes will do so at JFS and volunteers will deliver other boxes to homebound families. Thank you to the Allied Jewish Federation for its support of this project.

Passover Seders for the Socially Isolated

The Nursing Home Outreach Program at JFS is hosting more than 20 Passover services for socially isolated Jewish community members during of the month of April throughout metro Denver and Boulder. Services, which help isolated community members reconnect with their spiritual roots, are planned for Jewish residents of non-Jewish long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, a mental health center, and several correctional institutions.

And for your Passover enjoyment, check out this funny Facebook Haggadah!

--Kari Alpen and Alaina Green, JFS Marketing Department