Passover and Easter are intertwined. Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations when the events of Easter occurred. In this article, Jemima Hoffman talks about how for her being Jewish centres around family traditions and foods.
There’s a rhythm to Jewish life and customs that are important to Jemima Hoffman.
‘I grew up in a very Jewish home. As with many communities how traditional or observant you may be varies, but I consider myself very connected to my Jewish identity.
Jemima explained that while she is not particularly observant, she would call herself ‘culturally Jewish’.
Food plays an important part in the rhythm of family life.
‘In all aspects of Jewish life there is always food. But it’s not just the food itself but the way we eat. ‘Every Friday night my family get together for Shabbat dinner.’
WEEKLY GET-TOGETHER
Jemima said this weekly act of eating together – cousins and grandparents included – from a young age built tightknit families and communities. She said there was definitely a tradition of welcoming the stranger in your midst.
Jemima makes a point of celebrating Shabbat dinner with the family. ‘It is second nature to me. The family dinners, rhythm and traditions are something I really appreciate. As you grow up, it keeps you grounded.’
Shabbat (the Sabbath) lasts from sundown on the Friday to sundown on the Saturday.
FOOD INFLUENCES
‘Often what I talk about as Jewish food is not food for all Jews. It just depends on where your family came from. My family are Ashkenazi from Eastern Europe so the traditional foods are just what we ate in Poland.’
Other Jewish food influences are Spanish/Portugese (Shephardic) and Middle Eastern and North African (Mizrahi).
Friday night dinners begin with a blessing on the candles by the women. ‘My dad often sings other prayers.
Jemima said the challah, which is a ‘delicious, sweet eggy bread, more cake than bread’ and the wine are blessed. Challah is braided and eaten on occasions such as Shabbat and other major Jewish holidays.
‘Because we are Ashkenazi the food is very Eastern European – chicken soup with dumplings, matzah ball soup and chopped liver for grandma. It’s very Polish, and not great for vegetarians.’
Different holidays have different food traditions. Rosh Hashanah, which is the Jewish New Year, and occurs around September of October features honey cakes, or honey and apples for a sweet New Year. ‘There’s always a big family dinner.’
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) occurs about 10 days after Rosh Hashanah. ‘It’s a day of fasting so no food or drink from sundown to sundown. However, after Synagogue honey cakes are passed around and it’s the “food of the Gods”, though that may be because we’ve been so hungry.’
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Hanukkah the festival of the lights occurs in December. ‘It gets a lot of attention possibly because it happens around Christmas time but it’s not as important as the high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.’
For Pesach (Passover) no yeast breads are permitted, so there is no challah. Rather, crisp flat breads (matzos) are served as a reminder that those who fled had no time to bake breads.
Jemima tries to keep kosher – that is, not to eat milk and meat together, to only eat fish with scales, and not eating ham or pork. ‘I like that [keeping kosher] because it makes me think about being Jewish on a day-to-day basis.’ l
Potato latkes (served at Passover)
Ingredients
- 3 large baking potatoes
- 2 onions (grated)
- 4 tbsp matzo meal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Oil for shallow frying
- Sour cream, to serve
Method
- Finely grate the potatoes.
Put in a strainer and push out as much of the liquid as possible.
- Transfer the potato to a bowl and combine with the onions, matzo meal, baking powder, eggs, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a pan to a depth of 1cm. Test for heat by adding a small bit of batter. When it sizzles you are ready to fry.
- Fry spoonfuls of the batter for 3-4 minutes until brown and crisp. Turn and fry the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.
Feast of Passover
(Pesach in Hebrew)
This year Passover will begin in the evening of Wednesday 8 April and end in the evening of Thursday 16 April.
Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) to commemorate the liberation of the Israelites who were led out of Egypt by Moses (Exodus 3:19-20).
In Israel Passover lasts seven days while outside Israel Passover lasts eight days.
The highlight of Passover observance takes place on the first two nights when friends and family gather for seder meals. During seder it is traditional for the youngest person present to ask four questions, usually of the father or oldest male.
Why do we eat unleavened bread? Unleavened bread or matzo is eaten to remember the Exodus when the Israelites fled Egypt with the bread to which they had yet to add yeast.
Why do we eat bitter herbs? They represent the bitterness of slavery.
Why do we dip our food in liquid? To recall the tears the Jews shed as slaves.
Why do we eat in a reclining position? Only free people could recline on sofas as they ate, in contrast to slavery.
Image: Latkes, Getty Images