Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-04-14
JEWISH FEAST
OF THE PASSOVER
BEGINS TONIGHT
Special Services to Mark Big
Religious Event in He
brew Synagogucs

The Jewish Feast of the Passover
be celebrated in synaEoEues of tho
city beginning tonight when specat
services WI be held i'm Obey Sholom
Temple at 6 O'Clock, Services will
also be held tomorrow morning in
tho same temple nj 1890 O'Clock,
and the festival will also he OBJ
served in other synagoguCs of the
city.
The Jcw.st Feast OF Passover falls
falls on the 18th day or Nissan, CORE
spending this year with Tuesday,
April 10. The celebration begins this
evening with sundown. The manner
of its observance was determined
largely by the Biblical ordinances
concerning this feast. 1t is to be OBJ
served fo ra period of seven days.
Those who cherish customs that
originated after Bible times will
keep the feast eight days.
The ceremonials are such as are
calculated TO bring home the his
torical event which the feast COM
mem crates, namely the newborn
freedom Vouchsafed to Israel after
the long period of oppression en-
dured under Egyptian tyranny. The
eating of unleavened bread is en-
joined n number of times in the
Biblical regulations touching the OBJ
servance of the Passover feast. I'm
heavened bread is characterized as
the bread of aflliction," and is also
referred to in the Bible as the bread
that was unleavened because of the
enforced hasty departure from
Egypt. In post biblical times the
earnest desire to keep the injunc-
tons most scrupulou3ly led the
teachers of Israel to enact laws,
such as the use of special dishes
that had been guarded from contact
with leaVen and reserved only for
the Passover season.
A charming and effective feature
in the celebration of the feast is the
special Seder service around the
festive family board on the first
evening of the feast to which the
Orthodox add second evening. At
this family service a special ritual
known as the "Haggadah" is read.
This ritual contains the story of the
redemption from servitude, certain
reflections inspired by the memories
of old and certain psalms. This ii;
followed by the festal meal after
which Grace is recited. The serv-
ice , concludes with the reading of
additional psalms, the recitation of
prayers ana the singing OF tlme-
honored hymns. To this home serV-
ice stranger and homeless are cor
daily invited. ON the table in front
of him who presides over the meal
are placed objects reminiscent of the
ancient service and servitude, such
as bitter herbs, reminder of the bit
ter lot of those who toiled in Egypt;
a roast bone. calling to mind the an
c!ent paschal lamb; n roasted egg.
memorial of the free will Offering
that was brought in addition to the
paschal lamb parsley and the bowl
of salt water symboliZing the hyssop
and its use in the first Passover OBJ
served in Egypt, and confection of
nuts and apples to represent the
clay which Israel worked into bricks.
The Passover falling at the begin
ming of spring, had originally pas
toral and agricultural character,
which in time was overshadowed
by the historical event associated
later with the feast Freedom and
its obligation is the keynote of the
celebration. The Reform synagogues
hold special services only on the first
and seventh days, while the Ortho-
doX observe also the second day
and an additional eighth day.