|
|
|
|
 |
||
|
|
PASSOVER 2004, 5764 First Seder - Night of Monday, April 5 First Day - Tuesday, April 6 Second Seder - Night of Tuesday, April 6 Second Day - Wednesday, April 7 Seventh Day - Monday, April 12 Eighth Day - Tuesday, April 13
PASSOVER IN THE PERSIAN GULF Jewish Federation-Supported Agency Provides Passover Seder Kits to Jewish Military Personnel For Jewish military men and women serving in the Persian Gulf region, observing Passover next week will be possible in the form of More than 1,500 Passover Solo Seder Kits have been shipped overseas so that Jewish military personnel can conduct their own seder despite the daily challenges they face. Kits have also been shipped throughout the United States. The seder is the traditional Passover meal marking the Jews’ passage from slavery in Egypt. The kits contain such items as a Passover pamphlet describing the holiday, a Haggadah, matzah, grape juice, gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzah balls and other kosher-for-Passover items. Cases of Passover food included in the kits have also been shipped. “This is a spiritual mission that is being undertaken for the men and women in the military, who are serving God and serving our country,” said Rabbi David Lapp, Director of the Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) Jewish Chaplains Council, an agency of the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America. “Even after Passover, we will continue on with programs that show our unwavering support and express our tremendous gratitude for their bravery.” The JWB Jewish Chaplains Council has undertaken the project with the support of United Jewish Communities (UJC), representing 156 Jewish federations throughout North America, so that Jewish military personnel can take part in the rituals, customs and traditions of the holiday though they are far from home. The kits are particularly critical for servicemen and women who are on the front lines in the Gulf, as they are constantly moving and therefore cannot attend a traditional seder, said Rabbi Lapp. The kits allow them to observe Passover no matter where they are, and provide a meaningful connection to Judaism amidst the turmoil of war. Seven Jewish chaplains have been deployed to the Gulf to help distribute the Passover Solo Seder Kits to military personnel and to meet their needs during the holiday, according to the JWB. To help provide the kits, the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council has partnered with organizations such as “If they don't have access to Passover food, in addition to not being with their families to celebrate, I figured it was our role to help them observe the best way they can,” said Jonathan Feldstein, the federation's campaign director. “They should have a joyous holiday, despite fighting a war and being in the middle of the desert. We realized that when we say that federation helps Jews around the world, this year there are thousands more, American Jews, who need our help to observe and celebrate Pesach (Passover) far from home.” There are 28 Jewish chaplains throughout the United States assigned to help Jewish military personnel in their area celebrate Passover, Rabbi Lapp said. In locations without a Jewish chaplain, Jewish military lay leaders trained and certified by the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council will be dedicated to helping servicemen and women observe the holiday. Jewish Community Centers near military bases will be inviting military personnel and their families, as well as the family members of the men and women who are overseas, to take part in Passover observances, Rabbi Lapp added. The JWB Jewish Chaplains Council is the U.S. Department of Defense's accredited agency for recruiting and endorsing rabbis to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and Reserves, as well as Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, and acts on behalf of the American Jewish community by supplying religious items to the United States military.
|
