Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-04-14
PASSOVER ON MONDAY
Israelites Will Observe
Feast at Synagogue Mon
day Night

Observation of Pesach or Passover,
will begin ON Monday evening, April
II, and continue for seven days by
the Reform and eight days by the
Orthodox congregations. The initial
service will be held Monday evening
at the Washington street synagogue
The Passover is the first festival
Of emancipation in the history OF
civilization. It's commemoration Isl
based on the Biblical narrative which
tells how the people of lsrae! en-
shaved in Egypt were led from bon
dage to freedom by the great leader
Moses.
The Passover festival speaks fol
the sanctity of the home as well az
for self-respect and liberty. The
Jews accordingly assemble in the!l
homes on this festival, and signaliZc
| it by solemn service in which the
story Of the ancient struggle fol
emancipation is recountcd with plous
fcrvor. This Seder, as it is called, is
UNIQUE in spirit and form. 1t is ear
nest and yet happy and its ritual:
though archaic, symbolizes the facts
# human experience in all conditions
OF life. The roasted bone reminiscent
Of the paschal lamb Of the first Pass
over: the bitter herbs calling to mind
the hard labor of the 1sraefit?sh
slaves: the unleavencd bread, known
as the dread of affliction," symbollza-
ing the hasty departure from Egypt
the roasted egg, recalling the indlvid-
ual sacrifice which was offered in the
Temple; the mixture of grated apple,
nuts and wine, suggesting the clay
from which bricks were made by the
cnslavcd people, and the parsley and
salt water, symbolic OF growth and
tho fcrtilzing freshness Of spring, in
vest the domestic ceremony with !!
real and fOrceful meaning a beautl-
flu! and most suggestive part OF the
service is the Open Door, through
which the messianic prophet Elijah
enters every home that night. Il splen-
did expression Of the great idea!
which the prophets Of Israel annOunc-
ed will become real some day whem
men will cease to hate and begin to
do justice.
1t is customary to remove all
heaven OFT cf the household III prcpu-
ration for the feast. Lcavcn is tho
Symbol Of the Sordd, and refers 70
those who arc uncmancipatcd from the
commonplace things. During the fcas;
only matzoth and rot bread, are
eaten. The distinctive spirit Of TIC
feast finds expression even in the spc-
cifc food.
! The Haggadah, the order OF the
domcsticc service. read on the nlgh,
when the family gathers about the
common table, comprises the nara
I tive OF the exodus from Egypt, the
account OF the oppression which the
ancient Israclitcs endured, and is moi
without its covert illusions to the pa
thctic story Of Israel in more recent
times in the midst of the unkind ma.
, tons. The iIaggadah also includes a
:pecial group of psalm (CXII-CNVIID
and number of Mcdiacval poems.
The Passover is the most ancient Of
the Jewish holidays and perhaps the
most ancient of all holidays in the
history of religion, and no holiday is
so near to the truth Of human life a.
it is.
The favorte book for reading dur
ing the Passover week is the ''Song
of Songs" It is the most classical!
song of love in canonizcd literature,
ard is read on this festival because.
according to the traditional view, i!
besacaks the love between God ard