This week things got a little busier in Niagara Falls! Sunset on April 22nd to nightfall on April 30th, 2016 celebrates Jewish Passover in Canada. Many people in the Jewish community take these eight days to go on vacation and spend time with their families…and Springtime brings many of the Jewish to Niagara for bonding time with their loved ones.
Many of them spend this time finding a Niagara Falls hotel or resort that meets the cleanliness and food purity standards for Passover. While observing Passover, some choose this time to study the culture under a respected Rabbi’s supervision.
History Behind Jewish Passover
Jewish Passover commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. By following the rituals of Passover, they relive the true freedom that their ancestors gained.
“After many decades of slavery to the Egyptian pharaohs, the Israelites G‑d (the spelling “God” as “G-d” is a custom that gives God’s Hebrew name a high degree of respect and reverence) saw the people’s distress and sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message: “Send forth My people, so that they may serve Me.” But despite numerous warnings, Pharaoh refused to heed G‑d’s command. G‑d then sent upon Egypt ten devastating plagues, afflicting them and destroying everything from their livestock to their crops.
At the stroke of midnight of 15 Nissan in the year 2448 from creation (1313 BCE), G‑d visited the last of the ten plagues on the Egyptians, killing all their firstborn. While doing so, G‑d spared the Children of Israel, “passing over” their homes. The Pharaoh’s resistance was broken, and he virtually chased his former slaves out of the land. The Israelites left in such a hurry that the bread they baked as provisions for the way did not have time to rise. Six hundred thousand adult males, plus many more women and children, left Egypt on that day, and began the trek to Mount Sinai and their birth as G‑d’s chosen people”. – www.chabad.org
During the first two days of Passover, and the last two days of Passover no work is permitted.
NO CHAMETZ
To commemorate the unleavened bread that the Israelites ate when they left Egypt, the Jewish will not eat or have in possession any chametz (any food that’s made of grain and water that have been allowed to ferment and “rise.”) from midday of the day before Passover until the conclusion of the holiday. This is anything that contains any trace of wheat, barley, rye, oats, or spelt, and which wasn’t guarded from leavening or fermentation. This includes bread, cake, cookies, cereal, pasta and most alcoholic beverages. Orthodox Jews of Ashkenazic background will also avoid rice, corn, peanuts, legumes (beans) and some other foods as if they were chametz.
The process of cleaning the home of all chametz is a huge task. They prepare for several weeks and spend several days scrubbing everything down. After the cleaning is completed, the morning before the seder, a formal search of the house for chametz is undertaken, and any remaining chametz is burned.
The grain product they eat during Passover is called matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, made simply from flour and water and cooked very quickly. This is the bread that the Jews made for their flight from Egypt.
On the first two nights of Passover they have a special family meal called a “seder”, which means “order”. This is because the meal is done in a certain order which takes them from slavery to freedom.
Click here to learn about the order of a seder.
For a guide to everything Jewish you need to know within the Niagara Region, please visit www.jewishniagara.com
Clifton Hill is a popular destination within Niagara Falls to take the family due to all our family fun attractions.
The Niagara SkyWheel is one of the most desirable attractions to visit, and each gondola contains enough room to hold up to 6-8 family members and friends.
Group rates are available at all of our individual attractions. Groups consist of 15 people or more.
For information on our Group Packages (which must be booked in advance), please click here or call or Group Sales Coordinator at 1-800-801-8557.
Christine Lynn
clynn@cliftonhill.com
www.cliftonhill.com
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