Thousands Attend Passover Seders in Moscow

Following extensive and meticulous preparation, Moscow, the capital of Russia, concludes the holiday with great satisfaction regarding the success of the Passover Seders. Held on both nights of the holiday across dozens of neighborhoods in the capital, thousands of Jews gathered around beautifully arranged tables at Seders led by community rabbis and Chabad emissaries who serve the city year-round.

As is tradition every year, the largest public Seder took place in the sanctuary of the central Marina Roscha Synagogue, which was designed with spectacular elements of the Exodus from Egypt. The Seder was conducted in great magnificence and splendor until the early hours of the morning by the Chief Rabbi of Russia, the Gaon Rabbi Berel Lazar, alongside the Director of the Jewish Community, Rabbi Mordechai Weisberg. Spanning the main sanctuary and adjacent halls, over 1,200 people attended the Seder in the complex!

Simultaneously, Passover Seders were held across all of the city’s educational institutions, with hundreds of students participating, as well as warm public Seders at Chabad Houses scattered throughout the capital’s neighborhoods. Alongside the sale of Passover products in kosher stores, thousands of packages of handmade Shmura Matzah were distributed to every Jew who purchased matzah, enabling everyone to fulfill the mitzvah to the highest standard.

The highlight this year was the “Kimcha D’Pischa” campaign at the Shaarey Tzedek Jewish Chesed Center complex, which respectfully provided basic staples, meat, wine, and matzah to all those in need. In addition to the tremendous efforts in the capital, dozens of yeshiva students from Moscow traveled to remote provincial cities to organize Seders for Jews in communities lacking a permanent rabbi. Through this, with God’s help, they succeeded in reaching every corner of Russia, ensuring that local Jews could celebrate Passover properly according to Halacha.

Photo: Levi Nazarov