prijava
SARAJEVO, April 8 (FENA) - Jews today are welcoming the holiday of Passover, the greatest Jewish holiday celebrating the liberation of its people from Egyptian slavery. But this year, synagogues will remain empty and this eight-day long holiday will be celebrated only among family members and inside their homes.
In an interview with FENA, Counselor for Culture and Religion of the Jewish Community in BiH, Eli Tauber explains that the holiday of Passover is full of symbolism and meaning, but it is also a holiday that fully characterizes, both the Jewish people and the Jewish religion.
The holiday celebration begins the evening before the first day of the holiday (Erev Hag) with a dinner at 'Seder night'. Seder is a Hebrew word meaning order, and Seder dinner is a festive, ceremonial dinner, at which prayers, reading of the Haggadah and all other customs are performed in a strictly established order.
"This year, like other religious holidays (Easter, Orthodox Easter and Ramadam), Passover comes at a very difficult time. The faithful are thus forced to spend this holiday alone at home or with their immediate family.
This also goes for the Jews, who will be celebrating this Passover in this manner given the circumstances and with all the symbolism. We decided that the prayer and the Seder night itself should be broadcast on Youtube. Our Hazzan, Igor Kožemjakin prepared everything for this evening. In addition, we have made symbolic gift packages for believers so that they can celebrate this Passover in a dignified manner," said Eli Tauber for FENA.
Passover is also the oldest recorded holiday that has been continuously celebrated in the world for over 2,500 years. The Jewish people in Bosnia and Herzegovina have celebrated it for over 450 years.
Responding to a question of whether circumstances similar to today have ever been recorded, Tauber said that the only thing that reminds him of this moment is the period of World War II, when Jews symbolically commemorated this holiday scattered in concentration camps, partisan hideouts or while actively fighting in partisan units.
(FENA) S. R.
