Click here to watch the Presentation of Matzah-Baking for Pesach 

March 26, 2012 / 3 Nissan 5772

Baking matzah in preparation for this Pesach got off to a good start on 13 March 2012, in Ethiopia.  The chair of The Jewish Agency’s delegation in Ethiopia, and Israel Embassy Counsel in Ethiopia, Asher Fenthoun Seyum, reported:

“At a good and blessed hour, we began, yesterday, baking matzot for Pesach. A large, skilled and unified team is busy at work. The baking will be supervised by two guardians. We have a Judiasm supervisor, Agro Kase ensuring the halachic aspect under the auspices of Rabbi Waldman. The logistical aspect is supervised by Aseret Almihu; and the volunteers and teachers make up the rest of the team.” 

Seyum reported, additionally, that The Jewish Agency’s delegation in Ethiopia is issuing certificates to our immigration candidates. According to the certificates they will participate in the Seder night at the Jewish Agency camp. 

Background
The Jews of Ethiopia, according to research, for hundreds of years celebrated the festivals of Israel. One of the central festivals that was celebrated was Pesach. Their tradition included baking matzot and serving the paschal lamb. 

Rabbi Eliyahu Birnbaum writes: “Other holy days were kept by this ethnic group. Beita Yisrael celebrated the festival of Pesach (Pesikah), ate matzot (kitah), sacrificed a paschal lamb, and did not partake in leaven for seven days. Shavuot – HaMa’arar – was kept differently from our customs: the festival was marked 50 days after the last day of Pesach (the day after Shabbat was the day after the last day of Pesach). Ethiopian Jews started preparing for this day three days before – in accordance with what the Children of Israel did for the three days at Mount Sinai.”