Pesach Exodus Experience Rocks Toronto

TORONTO, Canada [CHI] — Moses, Pharaoh, Pyramids and Plagues have landed in Toronto for the Exodus Experience. From March 12 to March 31, visitors will be transported back 3,300 years to ancient Egypt, where an interactive re-enactment of the Passover story is brought to life.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

The Traveling Exodus production, created by Rabbi Shmuly Gutnick of Chabad Youth Network of Florida and hosted by Tzivos Hashem Toronto, is the most recent installment of a decade-old concept that has toured the world. Audiences from Australia to South Africa and California to Florida have been wowed by the engaging experience.

The Exodus Experience occurred in New York City to the delight of more than 18,000 men, women, and children, who were immersed in their ancient ancestors’ legendary experience.

“People are crazy about it,” remarked Rabbi Yonah Vilenkin, of Tzivos Hashem Toronto. For the Toronto iteration, sets have been constructed in partitioned rooms within a former military hangar at Downsview Park. The audience is literally led through the Pesach story beginning with the enslavement of the Jews, through Moses’ demands to Pharaoh to let his people – in this case, the audience – go, all the way to the splitting of the Red Sea and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

The sets are remarkably detailed and exceed expectations of what one might encounter in such a setting. The acting is professional, the sets are elaborate and lighting and audio arrangements augment the experience. Although it ostensibly may be geared towards a younger crowd, the show has a great deal of tongue-in-cheek humour clearly inserted for the accompanying parents.

“I think it’s great,” said Daniel Delman, a parent at the Experience’s March 12 debut. “The most I ever had was the story at school and watching the Ten Commandments. This takes Passover to a whole new level.” By the looks and sounds of it, the kids loved it too.

The Exodus Experience is highly interactive and children constantly jeered Pharaoh and cheered Moses as they engaged in their frustrating and comedic back-and-forth. As there is no obvious ‘seating’ area, the audience is immersed right in the set of each scene.

At the end of the journey children are invited to participate in the Model Matzah bakery where they learn the intricate process involved in Matzah making. They thresh wheat, knead dough, and bake Matzah in the same way it has been done for thousands of years.

Special Thanks to the actors and people that made it happen Rafi Andrusier, Naftoli Goldshmid, Sruli Richler, Sholom Ber Ginburg, yisroel Wilansky, Mendy Hildersaim, shmuly Gotfryd, Eli Simpson, Mendel Gutnick, Yehudah Cowan, Mayer New, Rabbi Yonah Vilenkin Rabbi Yosef Yarmush & Rabbi Shmuly Gutnick.