Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-03-31
THE HEBREW PASSOVER.

u
Passover, the feast of unleavened
bread, is one of the most important Jew
ish festivals of the whole year. Ii falls
this year upon April 10, and will be
observed more extensively than ever be-
fore by the nearly 700. 900 Jews in New
York city.
For few weeks previous to Passover
the pushcart men CT the ghetto make
harvest. In the streets of the lower
East Side their carts, which line the
curhs, make the ihoroughfares almost
impassable. Table ornaments, crockery,
laces, ribbons, pictures, lamps, baskets,
oilcloth, clothing, groceries, meats and,
In fact, almost all the needs OF the East
Slider are supplied from the pushcarls.
MANY in this seasOn buy entire new out
fits OF clothing in order that everything
they have on their bodies may be abso-
lutely clean, and it is the ambition OF
every Jewish housewife to have as many
new furnishings in her home on this oc-
casion as her purse can buy.
Houses are swept and scrubbed from
top to bottom, every sign of dirt is re-
moved, and new furniture and cooking
utensils are bought to replace anything
of the kind that shows signs of being
unsanitary. For those who are too poor
to buy new plates, there is the law
of "kashering." A hole is dug IN
the ground, stone or large piece
of solid lsetal, which has been
brought to white heat, is placed within,
and those things which are 10 be "kash-
ered' are placed on top. Boiling water
is then poured over this, and the things
are not removed until all steam has dis
appeared. After being rinsed they are
dried and put away ready for use.
One quaint and interesting custom
which is observed by strictly orthodox
families is "BilPkss Chumetz," search
ing for leaven, which begins twenty four
hours before the Passover. Then in the
strictest silence the whole house is thor
oughly searched, every closet snd corner
is looked into to see that no ''chumetz'
or leaven is left in the building; for
every orthodox Jew deems it his solemn
duty to see that everything containing
leayen is removed from the house. The
head of the house, with large wooden
spoon and a feather 10 one hand and a
wax taper in the other, followed by the
rest of the family, searches the house
thoroughly from top to bottom. lfaDy
crumbs of leaven should be found they
are brushed into the spoon with the
feather, then the feather is placed
on top and the two tied together
with q string. On the following morn
ing the whole thing is burned, the
house is declared clean, and prepara-
tiOus are Immediately begun for the great
feast on the following day.
There is also some peculiar, though
brief, ceremony attending every meal
that is eaten in course of the Passover
festival. The first meal at the "Seder"
table is eaten on the first night OF "Pes-
ach," when a solemn ceremony takes
place at the breaking of the bread. At
the head of the table, on plate called
the "Seder" dish, are placed three un-
broken "matzoth," separated by nap
kins, and representing three divisions OF
Israel, Cohen (he priesO, Levi (the
Levite) and Israel (the Israeite) Among
the wealthy families the "Seder' dish
is of gold and silver. All the dishes
served at the meal are significant of some
symbol of the Passover. One is made
of paste composed of grated apples
almonds, honey and cinnamon moistenet
with raisin wine, and is intended Il
remind the people of the Egyptian linn
and mortar. A small lamb BON
and an egg baked in ashes repre-
sent the "iestive sacrifice" offered II
Jerusalem. "Kiddish," " or the bene
diction over the wine, takes place at th'
end of the meal, alter which spray q
parsley is dipped into salt water or vine
gar, and every one at the table takes
small portion of it. 1t is supposed I
remind them of the bitter life OF SLAYER
to the Egyptians. After the meal is hn
ished, the head OF the family reads in
monotone a part of the history G
"Pesach" from the "Hagadah,
prayer book, and then chants the follow
ing benediction.
Blessed art hou. o Lord our God,
King of the uqiyerse,
Who has sancti6ed us with Thy command
ments
I Aud commanded US to eat unleavensd brea'
During the entire meal the door
left sjar so that Elijah, the prophet, ma
visit them during their service, and a
! extra seat at table and cup Of wiz
are set for him. The door is also lie
open ss an invitation TO the Christia
/ TO come in and see that no blood is use
! in the observance of the Passover, an
y to disproye the old superstition that Il
q Hebrews murdered Christian children
sacrifices for their feast.
Only uuleavened bread, or "matzoth,
" is allowed to be eaten in Passover wee
and every family lays in supply. w
N ~