Almost ready for Pessach

B”H

I still have some rice and need to finish it this week. Until Sunday afternoon, I will definitely be ready for Pessach and, later on, for Bedikat Chametz.

It is hard for me seeing many Sepharadim eating Kidniyot (peas, beans, corn, certain spices or ingredients) and rice (not all Sephardic Jews actually eat rice during Pessach !) and we Ashkenazim are so limited. No rice and no Kidniyot although it is only a custom. I will make sure buying enough potatoes and eggs.

On Monday, when I was in Jerusalem, I bought a package Mazza Shemura as every year. I cannot stand the cheap dry Mazzot in the gigantic package. Shemura Mazza has a much better taste although it is slightly more expensive.

I keep different chassidic customs as not eating GEBROCHTS on Pessach. Meaning, no Mazza Knaidelach soup, as the Litvish and national religious eat at the Seder. 

So far, there is no real Pessach feeling in Tel Aviv. People wish each other “Chag Sameach – A great Holiday – Yom Tov” but it is not Jerusalem. Nevertheless, many groceries have their Mazzot out and even the formerly non – kosher Tel Aviv supermarket chain AM:PM (open 24 hours a day incl. Shabbat) has its Mazza products out on the shelves.

In Israel Pessach is a huge business because people buy presents for their friends, relatives and children. Its an extremely expensive holiday and thousands of Israelis, including plenty of haredi families, are receiving special food packages in order to be able to celebrate the Seder.