Search Results for: blog why and how do we clean for pesach

Passover 101

Posted on by

Those who are not Jewish might have some difficulty trying to understand what Passover is. It seemed like a good idea to put together a quick “Passover 101” that people can easily share with confused (but well meaning) friends and neighbors. Instead of explaining it over and over again, you can simply send them the link to this simplified description. Passover is an eight-day festival that is celebrated in early spring. It begins on the 15th and ends on the 22nd day of the Hebrew month of Nissan. The coinciding secular dates will not be the same every year. There … Continue reading →

Jewish Cemeteries of Massachusetts

When I lived in Massachusetts as a teenager, I had the good fortune of getting a great first job at a wonderful place. The Worcester Jewish Community Center was not only a great place to work; it was a place where I made many friends during the ten years that I worked there and a place where I learned a great deal about Judaism. Massachusetts has quite a few large Jewish communities, and as a result, quite a few Jewish cemeteries. Today I decided to learn a little bit about the Jewish cemeteries of Massachusetts. The first Jewish cemetery was … Continue reading →

Not Ready for Passover? That’s Great!

It seems no matter how far ahead I plan, no matter how many late nights I clean and plan, and no matter how early I get up to cook for the seder, I never feel that going into Passover is so smooth. Some years it is easier than others, and certainly it is better to be organized than to be frantic, but there is always that corner that can be cleaned more carefully, the horseradish always seems to have a thicker peel on it, or something unexpected happens, or I need to have another salad. I am beginning to think … Continue reading →

Why and How Do We Clean for Passover?

I’m just taking a break from my yearly Pesach cleaning to write a blog about …what else? Pesach cleaning. When people see Jews clean out their homes in the weeks and days before Passover, much of what we do can be mistaken for spring cleaning. But calling all Balabustas (Jewish homemakers) Pesach cleaning is NOT Spring cleaning! Because if you treat Pesach cleaning like spring cleaning, it is just too much! We can’t remove every crumb from the bedroom, nor are we required to. Every year I try to review notes from a very sane lecture on Pesach Cleaning given … Continue reading →