Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men and children burn leavened items in final preparation for the Passover holiday in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish town of Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, April 22, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Oded Balilty
Some Jewish Canadians say they have complex emotions and feel more solemn than usual this Passover because of the war in Gaza and a rise in antisemitism in Canada.
The major Jewish holiday lasts seven or eight days each year and commemorates the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recounted in the Bible.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and Independent Jewish Voices Canada both say Passover, which begins at sundown tonight, will be markedly different this year due to the ongoing violence in Gaza.
Shimon Koffler Fogel, president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, says many families will be leaving empty seats at their Seder table with pictures of Israeli hostages who have been kidnapped or killed by Hamas.
Koffler Fogel says Jews across the country will be marking the occasion in fear amid a rise in antisemitic incidents at synagogues and schools in Canada.
Independent Jewish Voices Canada spokesperson Willa Holt says Passover reminds Jews of the persecution they’ve faced, which Holt says echoes the current need for the liberation of non-Jews who are experiencing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We’re thinking about Passover really as a message for all people to be freed from oppression. And that includes, especially, Palestinians.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2024.
– With files from The Associated Press.
