The Chabad House will prepare 1,000 seder meals for seven community Passover seders.

Submitted by Rabbi Shaya Gopin, Chabad House of Greater Hartford 

Few Jewish holidays evoke the same warm sentiments as Passover. Memories of family and friends gathered as the four cups of wine are poured, the four questions asked and the Matzah served, all contribute to Passover’s popularity in the Jewish community. Bringing the warmth and tradition of this festival to the West Hartford Community, Chabad will be holding no less than seven Passover seders in Greater Hartford area!

West Hartford’s Chabad House kitchen has been completely transformed into a fully Kosher for Passover cooking facility, where meals for over 1000 people will be cooked and prepared for all local Chabad Seders. All food is prepared with strict adherence to the numerous Passover laws and traditions, keeping all Chametz (leavened bread) locked up, ensuring that not a single crumb finds itself anywhere near the Passover preparations.

Chabad’s Seders cater to diverse groups of people from all walks of life. Seders will be held in Glastonbury, Simsbury, Litchfield, U-Conn, University of Hartford and two in West Hartford – one for the Russian speaking community in the Alfred Plant Senior Building on Farmington Ave., and a second, of course, in the Chabad House itself.

West Hartford’s Chabad House, located at 2352 Albany Ave., is inviting all residents to participate in community Seders to be held on Friday night, April 3, and again on Saturday night, April 4, both at 8 p.m.

Friday night’s Seder (April 3), will include a special Children’s Program with interactive games and activities. This special program will be geared towards families with children, ages four through eleven and will be entirely themed around the Passover Holiday and its significance.

The Seders take participants through the wondrous liberation of our ancestors from Egyptian bondage, while sharing the relevance and beauty of the age old festival in our modern lives. Included in the Seder will be a delectable catered dinner paired with a variety of fine imported wines and handmade round ‘Shmurah’ Matzah.

“Passover is not simply a celebration of the historic liberation of an ancient people,” said Rabbi Joseph Gopin, Director of Chabad in the Greater Hartford. “Passover is about our own personal liberation – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Passover inspires us to break free from the shackles restraining us from reaching new heights – in our lives, relationships and connection with G-d.”

All are welcome to join the Community Seder, regardless of Jewish affiliation or background. Reservations can be made online at www.ChabadHartford.com/Seder.

What is the holiday of Passover?

The eight-day festival of Passover is celebrated this year from sundown on Friday, April 3 until after nightfall on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and will be celebrated with festive “Seder” dinners on April 3 and 4, 2015. Other holiday observances include restricting the consumption of leavened products such as bread and pasta, instead eating unleavened matzah. Additional information about the Passover holiday is available at www.ChabadHartford.com/Passover.

About the Sponsoring Organization

Chabad House offers Jewish education, outreach and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information, call us at 860.232.1116 or visit online at www.ChabadHartford.com.

Seder Schedules:

West Hartford: Chabad House of Greater Hartford: 2352 Albany Ave, West Hartford, April 3 and April 4 at 8 p.m.

Russian Seder: Alfred E. Plant Building: 759 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, April 3 & April 4 at 7:30 p.m.

UConn: Student Union: Room 304, AB, April 3 at 7 p.m.

UHart: Rohr Chabad House: 100 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, April 3 at 7 p.m. and April 4 at 8 p.m.

Glastonbury: Chabad: 25 Harris Rd, Glastonbury, April 3 at 6:15 p.m.

Simsbury: Chabad of Farmington Valley:141 Hopmeadow St, Weatogue, April 3 at 7:45 p.m. and April 4 at 8 p.m.

Litchfield: Litchfield Inn Ballroom: 432 Bantam Rd, Litchfield, April 3 and April 4 at 7 p.m.