How are Jews celebrating Passover amid the hostage crisis and Iran's threat?

Passover, a festival commemorating the biblical story of Exodus where the ancient Hebrews left captivity in Egypt and wandered through the desert to the land of Israel, has taken on a very different meaning this year for some Jewish communities.

While past years have celebrated freedom from captivity, this year the festival falls as some 133 hostages remain captive in Gaza after having been kidnapped by Hamas over six months ago. In the face of this, and the mounting threat of Iran against both Israel and diasporic Jewry, the Conference of European Rabbis released how Jews were observing the holiday differently this year. 

Spain 

In the Spanish city of Barcelona, the conference said that the Jewish community set up a display of an empty table in the synagogue with 133 empty chairs representing a place for each one of the captives. In addition, younger members of the community read passages related to freedom and said prayers for the safety of the captives and the IDF soldiers fighting.

"It will be a great challenge to integrate these issues with the joy of the holiday, but in these challenging times, it is important to pass on messages of unity and solidarity for future generations under the concept of 'and you shall tell your children,'" The Chief Rabbi of Barcelona, Daniel Ashkenazi, said.

The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, much like in other countries, the Jewish community has experienced a dramatic increase in antisemitism, according to the conference. 

As news of Iran’s aerial attack against Israel reached the Netherlands, crowds began to celebrate. In response, the conference said the Jewish community convened in the main synagogue where they prayed for the safety of the people in Israel.

The community also collected donations and plans to hold a barbecue for soldiers who have completed their missions in the north. 

Italy

The Chief  Rabbi of Rome, Samuel Di Segni said that Iran’s attacks last Saturday had left the Jewish community sleepless and desperate for news on Israel. A number of steps were taken to ensure the community felt safe and informed about the realities of the Israel-Hamas war.

"In recent weeks, we have hosted several delegations of captive families who met with heads of state in an attempt to pressure them to release the captives. We also held an explanatory evening where we also discussed Hamas's crimes on October 7, including the sexual offenses committed on Black Saturday,” Rabbi Di Segni explained “In the Great Synagogue in Rome, we emphasize prayers for the redemption of the captives and the safe return of all the hostages and soldiers fighting in Gaza. We have a shared fate with the State of Israel. 

“For the upcoming Passover holiday, we bought matzah and supplies from Israeli companies in order to assist them with the economic challenges resulting from the war. We hold public events in the Great Synagogue and other community institutions and increase the recitation of 'Our Brothers, the People of Israel' prayer for the release of the captives."

Bulgaria

The Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria, Rabbi Yoel Ifrah, said that a decision was made to cancel a public Passover festival and the community were encouraged to observe the holiday in the privacy of their homes.

Despite the cancelation of a communal festival, the community successfully held a fundraiser where aid was collected to send to communities impacted by October 7 and the families of the hostages.

Argentina

Rabbi Eliyahu Hamra, President of the Jewish Community in Argentina and a member of the international division of the Conference of European Rabbis, said that as Iran attacked, last week, the Jewish community joined in prayer for Israel.

The President of the Conference of European Rabbis, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, summarized: "There were rabbis who called for minimal celebration on Passover eve because of the difficult situation in which Israel is now facing with war, captives and a sharp rise in anti-Semitism across Europe.

"My opinion is that in the most difficult moments for the Jewish people, as it was during the Holocaust and the concentration camps, Jews tried with all their might to preserve the memory of the holidays. Around the Passover table, we will remember and pray for the return of the captives to reunite with their families and return to the circle of life. After surviving thousands of attempts to destroy the Jewish people, and God saved us from their hands, we celebrate our freedom with even greater joy and strength with all our families."