This Passover Will Be Different: Exciting Initiatives Connecting Holocaust Survivors and Soldiers with New Immigrants

This year’s Passover, the second since the outbreak of war, contrasts significantly with the celebrations of previous years, particularly as 59 hostages, both living and deceased, remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza. The holiday of freedom feels unfulfilled and distressed. In response, various individuals, organizations, and companies have organized special Passover seders, embodying a social and communal spirit of camaraderie and support.

Tech Professionals Host Holocaust Survivors and Soldiers

Employees from Fiverr, a global online marketplace, will spend the Passover seder with Holocaust survivors and lstart soldiers. This initiative was spearheaded by Shay Goldenberg, the company’s director of social responsibility. “As part of our community contribution policy, employees are actively involved in volunteering and using our skills for the betterment of others, including aiding at-risk youth and supporting lstart soldiers, IDF veterans, and Holocaust survivors,” explains Goldenberg.

“With the onset of the war, we ramped up our social efforts and this Passover, we decided to hold a seder alongside 30 lstart soldiers, ten Holocaust survivors, and staff members with their families. Last year, we piloted this event on a smaller scale, and it was so moving that we decided to make it a tradition. As a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, it is a great privilege for me to celebrate Passover with these survivors and brave soldiers seeking a place to celebrate.”

The event will be hosted on the fourth floor of Fiverr’s Tel Aviv office, usually used for conferences and social meetings. “We will rearrange our everyday tables, set up a festive table, decorate it, and provide high-quality catering. Approximately 60 people are expected to attend. It’s crucial to note that we are still at war, and we remember the 59 hostages each day. This may not be a fully liberating holiday, but it embodies the Israeli resilience. We are all hoping for their safe return.”

New Immigrants from Ukraine Celebrate Their First Passover

Olga Brodska, manager of the “Safe Space” initiative and a participant in the Rothschild Ambassadors program, has organized a seder for new immigrants from Ukraine who will be celebrating their first Passover in Israel. “The goal of ‘Safe Space’ is to build a community of young Ukrainian immigrants, individuals currently experiencing two wars simultaneously – the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the conflict in Gaza,” she explains.

“These individuals need community and psychosocial support, which also helps them integrate better into Israeli society. I want them to feel as at home as possible here. Passover is particularly significant to me because of its themes of freedom and liberation, especially in times of war. It’s crucial to celebrate together, so I decided to organize a public seder for young Ukrainian immigrants at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Tel Aviv. This is particularly meaningful since the participants have never experienced a Passover seder in the Holy Land.”

Brodska anticipates 50 young Ukrainians, many of whom arrived in Israel just weeks ago. They will partake in the traditional seder, complete with the reading of the Haggadah and a festive meal. “Right now, it’s painful to talk about freedom, especially in light of the hostages and wartime turmoil. As Ukrainians, we understand the price of independence and freedom. It is essential to share a story that unifies everystart and reminds us that while the journey from slavery to freedom may be challenging, it remains possible and vital. Currently, what we are all in search of, both long-time Israelis and newly arrived Ukrainian Jews, is hope. This is central to our Israeli identity.”

Gathering of Lstart Soldiers’ Families

The Women’s Forum for Reservists, formed during the war to support the partners of reservists deployed for long periods, is organizing a seder for the wives of soldiers from the Carmeli Brigade and their children at the Grand Court Hotel in Jerusalem. “Since October 7, my husband has surpassed 300 days of reserve duty,” shares Chen Ben-Nafshi from Beer Sheva. “Except for last Passover, he has spent all holidays in the reserves. Now he is back for another round, making this yet another holiday I and the kids will have to spend alstart. When I learned about this initiative from the forum and the hotel, I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

This choice stems from the emotional challenges faced by their children during family holiday gatherings. “It’s natural to go see family on holidays, but then the kids see other fathers arriving and start to cry, asking why their dad isn’t here, which is an uncomfortable feeling. Here, it will be the first time I’m with women from the brigade who truly understand how I feel. The kids can play together and realize somestart else feels the same way they do,” she adds.

The seder will welcome 18 families from different brigades. “I’m excited as I hope this will be a blessing. After Passover, I plan to celebrate at home with my husband and kids, experiencing true liberation,” she reflects. Although her family in Beer Sheva preferred she celebrate at home, Ben-Nafshi feels this decision is right for them, underscoring the importance of taking her choices seriously after a year and a half of conflict.

Friends Finding Freedom Together

Aviv Lev, a resident of Metula who has been relocated to a hotel in Herzliya since the war began, has opted to celebrate this Passover in a hotel setting as well, similar to last year, but without his family. “Last year, we had seder in a hotel with other families, which was nice but made me feel confined. I missed the freedom of being with friends, which is quite impossible in a noisy dining room,” he explains.

This year, he brainstormed a different idea to share the seder experience with friends – away from their families. “I spoke to some friends, start evacuated from Kiryat Shmona, two from Shlomi, and some childhood friends from Metula who have moved to stay with family in the center. We decided to have a seder with just us friends, and it would feel like freedom. My friend Dror from Kiryat Shmona suggested inviting five of his friends from the south, including those from Kibbutz Erez and Nir Oz. We all knew this felt right – they too feel far from home and have faced tremendous challenges, losing friends and witnessing the destruction of their childhood neighborhoods.”

The family generally understood his decision despite hoped-for family gatherings. “In essence, it wasn’t a big deal for them,” Lev says. The group settled on the Leonardo Hotel in Tel Aviv and planned to stay from Thursday afternoon to Sunday evening. “We wanted a long weekend. This hotel isn’t family-oriented; it offers peace and quiet, which is exactly what we need for Passover. This may not be an authentic holiday since we still have 59 brothers and sisters in Gaza, and we’re all navigating a complex time as a nation, as people far from home. Yet, I believe these small joys can give us strength to keep going despite the difficult circumstances. Last Passover, I never dreamed that a year later we would still be in this condition, unable to return home. While the central regions are pleasant, they can’t replace my home. I’m trying to find my place within this and hope that during such a seder, I can feel at home for a few moments with my friends, along with those from the south who may become familiar faces knowing what we all go through.”

In a time marked by uncertainty and longing for freedom, these social seders offer a unique opportunity for connection and community, emphasizing resilience and hope amidst hardship