Olim celebrate 1st Passover in Israel

Some 5,500 new immigrants from Ethiopia take part in communal Seder organized by Jewish Agency, IFCJ in absorption centers across country

Ynetnews|Published: 04.18.11 , 09:37

This Passover, 5,500 Olim from Ethiopia are celebrating the holiday at Seders organized by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews at 16 absorption centers across Israel.

The Fellowship Passover Seder Project, now in its second year, is mobilizing absorption centers nationwide to provide communal Seders as part of the Israeli government’s decision to bring the remaining Falash Mura community to Israel, a project organized and carried out by the Jewish Agency.

Chag Sameach!

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Ynet

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This year's festivities began on Thursday at the Jewish Agency’s Mevasseret Zion Absorption Center with a special ceremony and model Seder recognizing the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and its president, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, for his tremendous efforts in leading the Ethiopian Olim Passover Seder initiative and numerous other projects.

Dignitaries at the event included Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver, Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein and Director-General of the Jewish Agency’s Aliyah Department Eli Cohen.

Children sang the traditional “Four Questions” and a rabbi led the Seder and provided explanations on rituals and texts, which were distributed in both Hebrew and Amharic in order to ensure the full participation of all attendees.

The event provided an opportunity for many of the olim to learn more about the Seder prior to the actual holiday, a special milestone for new olim celebrating their first holiday in the Jewish state following a long wait in Ethiopia for their aliyah to Israel.