The Last Things to be Done Before Passover

Since Passover starts Saturday night immediately following the end of the sabbath, the last efforts to rid the home of leaven are underway throughout the country. Most people have been cleaning their homes for the last several days, and the last ritual is to gather the final bit of leaven and take it outside to be burned. In the first photo below, you can see the bread that our neighbors were burning.


Interestingly, while some are getting rid of the last bits of their leaven, others are busy getting their last bites of leaven for the next 8 days. Business at bakeries and pizza shops has been booming this week, and today, it is really booming.

Below, you can see the crowd in our favorite pizza shop, Sababa Pizza. In order to service the rush, they brought in a few extra tables and had a man clearing the tables as soon as someone appeared to be finished. For those that haven't dined out in Israel, that is unusual. Normally, diners are allowed to sit as long as they want without any hint that they should make room for those waiting, regardless of how many people are waiting. Not today.


Once upon a time, pizza shops closed during Passover. But that has changed in the last few years. Starting Sunday night, Sababa and other pizza shops will serve pizza on potato bread pizza dough, which doesn't contain leaven. Most hamburger chains have followed suit, though not too long ago, hamburgers were served between matza crackers during Passover.

Happy Passover.