On Wednesday, the Jews of Sarajevo began the celebration of the largest Jewish holiday, Passover, in memory of the salvation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery, with a special prayer and a Seder dinner.
At the festive Seder evening, prayers are read, the Haggadah and all customs are carried out according to a strictly established order.
This year, Pesach lasts from April 1 to 9.
One of the fundamental rules during Passover is the prohibition of the consumption of leavened bread and leavened dough products. Instead, unleavened bread, matzah, is eaten, which symbolizes the departure from Egypt when there was no time to rise the dough. In the beginning, it was celebrated for seven days, but due to the inaccuracy of the old Jewish calendar, the custom was adopted to celebrate eight days in the Diaspora countries, from Nisan 15 to 22 every year, with the first and last two days being full holidays, and the other four half holidays.
In a statement for Fena, Cultural Advisor in the Jewish Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Eli Tauber pointed out that Passover is a holiday of unleavened bread that marks the exit of Jews from Egyptian slavery. It also reminds of the moment when Moses brought them the tablets with God’s 10 commandments.
“The message of Passover is to return to the basic human values that God gave us and determined through the 10 commandments how we should live,” emphasized Tauber.
