Seventy celebrate Passover in Kamloops

NEWS — About 70 members of the Kamloops and area Jewish community celebrated Passover Monday night with a traditional seder and dinner.

The word “seder” means “order” and the evening included traditional prayers and readings celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from captivity in Egypt.

For this year’s seder, a new Sagebrush Haggadah (or Passover text) was compiled that included readings — both ancient and contemporary — that marked the spring season and the age-old struggle for freedom for all peoples.

Like similar Passover celebrations around the world, the local event included the singing of Passover songs, the children’s search for the hidden afikomen (the Passover matza) and the drinking of four cups of wine.

“It was wonderful to see both young — from three months’ old — and older enjoying participating in this important event in the Jewish calendar,” said Tom Friedman.

He credited Heidi Coleman, the Jewish Community Centre of Kamloops president, the JCCK executive as well as Melissa Svendsen for putting together the text.