Tag Archive for Passover

IDF Major tells of her return to Ethiopian birthplace for spiritual Passover Seder

 

In an emotional letter, Maj. Yaros Shigot shares her unique experience as an IDF soldier who, for the first time, returned to her birthplace in Ethiopia where she read the Haggadah with the Jewish community on Passover night.

By Maj. Yaros Shigot

 

This is the story of a most exciting and unique Passover Seder for Ethiopian-born Maj. Yaros (Yerushalem) Shigot, who returned to Ethiopia this week for the first time since immigrating to Israel.The following moving letter, which was written to Yedioth Ahronoth by Shigot, who serves in the IDF’s Education Corps, contains the recordings of her journey, in which she shares her family history of their arduous journey to Israel, and explains why she shed tears while reading the Haggadah with the Jewish community in Addis Ababa. Continue Reading »

Shocking proclamation by Egyptian archaeologist: Jewish claims Pharaoh was Egyptian are untrue

 

Mustafa Waziri, Director General of Luxor’s Antiquities, declared king Pharaoh was a foreigner, belonging to the Hyksos dynasty that invaded Egypt in the 15th century BCE, and not the “false thesis promoted by the Jews to stick false accusations on ancient Egyptians.”

By MAAYAN GROISMAN

 

In an unprecedented declaration that challenges the story told in the Passover Haggadah, a senior Egyptian archaeologist said that ancient king Pharaoh was not Egyptian, as claimed in the ancient Jewish text.

A worker shows to media a replica of a golden death mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. – Photo: REUTERS

In an interview with the Egyptian daily newspaper al-Youm al-Sabih, the director-general of Luxor’s Antiquities, Mustafa Waziri, surprisingly argued that king Pharaoh belonged to the foreign Hyksos dynasty that invaded Egypt in the 15th century BCE and ruled northern Egypt. Continue Reading »

Palestinian terror suspects held overnight by Israel Police

 

As Passover holiday attracts masses of tourists to Jerusalem, Israel police reinforces Holy sites, and possibly thwarted catastrophe with Israel security services detaining 3 Palestinians after they said they intended to carry out an attack on Israelis.

By Yoav Zitun

 

Counterterrorism forces and the Shin Bet arrested three Palestinians in Jabel Mukaber in East Jerusalem Monday night. The three suspects, from Nablus, were taken in for questioning for having expressed their intention to carry out a terror attack on Israelis.

Temple Mount area – Photo AFP

None of the suspects had a background posing a security risk or any association with a terror organization. Continue Reading »

PLO Wishes Happy Passover to Israelis, Infuriating Hate-Fed Palestinians

 

As some Palestinian leaders want normalization, and send holiday wishes, other Palestinians, that have sadly been breastfed & raised on the indoctrination of hatred from PA-TV, schools and social media, ardently opposed any ‘Holliday Blessings to Jews.’

By Israel Today Staff

 

A senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the ruling Fatah faction (and therefore of the Palestinian Authority) extended Passover greetings to Israelis on Sunday, sparking a wave of angry reactions by Palestinians.

160418_passover.jpg

Mohammed al-Madani is head of the Palestinian Committee for Interaction with Israeli Society, so it is his job to issue such statements.

But a growing number of Palestinians don’t want normalization and friendly relations with Israel, and so view al-Madani and his overtures as traitorous to the Palestinian cause. Continue Reading »

WATCH: Israel’s demolition team raze terrorist’s house

Israel destroys house of Hamas convicted murderer Ziad Awad, who after being released is charged with the killing of Baruch Mizrahi who was on his way to Passover seder with his family.

By , , and

 

Israeli security forces were engaged in clashes Wednesday with about 250 Palestinians gathered in the West Bank village of Idna to protest Israel’s demolition early in the day of the home of the Hamas operative suspected of killing a senior police officer on his way to the seder on Passover eve.

IDF demolition

IDF’s demolition of terrorist’s home – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s office

The army said Isareli forces were attempting to disperse the protest with rubber bullets and tear gas and that Palestinian protesters were throwing firebombs and stones.

Continue Reading »

Palestinians Livid With Their Minister’s Condemnation of Terror Attack

 

 

PA Religious Affairs Minister faces serious backlash after publicly expressing sorrow over terrorist murder of Jewish man on Passover Eve

By Israel Today Staff

 

A senior Palestinian Authority (PA) government official is facing a fierce public backlash after condemning last week’s terrorist murder of 47-year-old Baruch Mizrahi as he was driving to the Passover Seder with his family.

PA Endowments Minister Mahmoud El Habash told a reporter with Israel’s Army Radio that he was “pained” by the slaying of Mizrahi and the wounding of his pregnant wife and young son.

“We condemn the killing of all people irrespective of their background,” El Habash went on to say. Continue Reading »

Putin sends Passover greeting saying Russian Jews make huge contribution

Putin praises the Jewish community’s  work to ‘preserve stability & consensus in the general public and actively participates in the education of the younger generation as well as charity & humanitarian endeavors.’

By JTA

 

Russian Jews are making an enormous contribution to strengthening Russian society’s cohesion, President Vladimir Putin wrote in a holiday greeting to the Jewish community.

Rabbi Berel Lazar, a chief rabbi of Russia, at the Kremlin in Moscow.

Putin meets with Rabbi Berel Lazar, a chief rabbi of Russia, at the Kremlin in Moscow. – Photo: Shturem.net

Putin sent the greeting on Monday, the news site shturem.net reported Thursday, after meeting Rabbi Berel Lazar, a chief rabbi of Russia, at the Kremlin in Moscow.

Continue Reading »

IN PHOTOS: Passover Seder held by the Jews of Kaifeng, China

 

The Kaifeng Jews according to some, are direct descendants of Sephardi Jewish traders who settled in China during the 8th or 9th century.


The community of Kaifeng held one of the first Seder meals to be held by indigenous Chinese Jews in generations this week.

Kaifeng

Kaifeng Jews, Burning of unleavened bread (Chametz). 
There are around 1,000 residents of Jewish descent in the city, one of China’s former imperial capitals. The Seder, was organized by Jerusalem-based Shavei Israel.Burning of the unleavened bread (Chametz).

The Shavei Israel organization aims at helping people of Jewish descent to “rediscover or renew their link with the people of Israel.”

Continue Reading »

When was the Passover Haggadah written?

Different Rabbis composed different portions during different periods, for instance, the ancient ‘Four Questions’ was modified when Jews gave up sacrifices.

 

After the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE, the Jewish religion faced one of its greatest challenges: adapting to this new reality, in which a central focus of religious observance was suddenly and brutally gone.

Dayenu in the  the Birds' Head Haggadah manuscript, South Germany. c.1300

Dayenu in the the Birds’ Head Haggadah manuscript, South Germany. c.- 1300 Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Sodabottle

The Jewish leadership reestablished the Sanhedrin, the Jewish legal council recognized by the Romans, in the city of Yavne. Handed the daunting task of leading the Jewish people down a new road was Rabban Gamaliel II, who resided over the Sanhedrin assembly as Nasi.

Continue Reading »

Despite Chief Rabbinate’s disapproval, kosher cigarettes for Passover

Israel’s Chief Rabbinate says life-threatening practices like smoking have no place on any kosher list, and not just during Passover.

 

Observant Jews in Israel craving a smoke during the week-long Passover holiday that started at sundown Monday can now enjoy a rabbi-approved puff.

A man smoking a cigarette.

A man smoking a cigarette – Photo: Bloomberg

It’s the first time cigarettes have joined the long list of goods stringently checked to ensure they comply with Passover rules on what items are allowed, or kosher for the holiday – meaning they have not come in contact with grains or other forbidden ingredients. Continue Reading »

Entry from the PA Areas Closed by IDF until Tuesday Midnight

Defense Minister imposed a general closure from PA-assigned areas ahead of the Passover holiday. Closure remains in effect until Tuesday at 11:59 p.m.

By Elad Benari

 

The IDF imposed a general closure on the Palestinian Authority-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria ahead of the holiday of Passover. The closure went into effect as of 11:59 p.m. on Sunday evening, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced.

The decision on the closure was made by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon following an assessment of the current situation. It will be removed on Tuesday at 11:59 p.m., pending another assessment of the situation.

During the closure, entry from the PA into Israel will be allowed only in humanitarian, medical and other exceptional cases, all subject to the approval of the Civil Administration. Continue Reading »

Portuguese island to hold its 1st Seder in decades

Jews from Morocco arrived in Madeira in 1819 and set themselves up in the cloth trade. A synagogue and cemeteries were built on the island but were abandoned decades ago.

By JTA

 

Descendants of Jews forcibly converted to Catholicism centuries ago will attend the first seder in decades on the Portuguese island of Madeira off the coast of Africa.

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies in the north Atlantic Ocean

Thirteen Jews — some of them Bnei Anousim, the descendants of Portuguese Jews targeted for conversion during the Inquisition — will gather in Funchal, the capital of the archipelago, on Passover eve, according to Shavei Israel, an organization devoted to bringing so-called lost Jews back to Judaism. Continue Reading »

Report: Once again, Shi’ite terrorist network targeting Israelis overseas

NSC counter-terrorism bureau warns ahead of the Passover holiday that Iranian Quds Force & their proxy the Hezbollah, are plotting attacks against Israelis/Jews.

A global Shi’ite terrorism network made up of Iranian Quds Force operatives and Hezbollah continues to target Israelis overseas, the National Security Council’s counterterrorism bureau warned on Wednesday, ahead of the Passover vacation season.

Iran revolutionary guards

Iran revolutionary guards – Photo: Raheb Homavandi/Reuters

Twenty-seven countries have been designated by the bureau as being under a travel alert of varying severity.

The Sinai Peninsula is designated as a place with a very high, concrete threat level, and the bureau is urging Israelis to stay away from the area due to a plethora of intelligence leads pointing to kidnapping plots and terrorist threats.

Continue Reading »