Some 15,000 Israelis and tourists participated here today in one of the most colorful phases of Israel’s Passover celebration, when they marched to joyful music from the Jerusalem railway station to Mount Zion.
The parade started at the depot, where special trains had brought many pilgrims from all parts of Israel. As youth bands struck up the music, bearded old men wearing the traditional hassidic garb mingled with young boys and girls in sports club gear, while tourists joined, clad in their usual gay costumes. The parade led up Mount Zion, where all looked across the Jordanian lines for a glimpse of the distant Wailing Wall, in the Old section of Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, the Mandelbaum Gate, crossing point from Jerusalem into the Old City under Jordanian jurisdiction, was the scene of other activities. Hundreds of Christians crossed into the Old City to celebrate Easter.
In other parts of Israel, in all Arab towns and villages, a third celebration was under way. For the first time in eight years, the Day of Nebi Musa–birthday of Mohammed–fell on Easter Sunday during the Hebrew Passover. Thus, three major religious communities in Israel were celebrating their holidays simultaneously. At the same time, the Greek Orthodox community marked today as Palm Sunday. All of Israel, of all faiths, was in holiday mood, despite a sudden change in the weather which blanketed virtually the entire country, from the Negev to Galilee, in wet, foggy atmosphere.
Private sedorim were held in homes everywhere. Improvised festivals were held in kibbutzim and other collectives which were hosts to many of the thousands of visitors who streamed into Israel for the holiday, as well as to foreign diplomats stationed in Israel.
MANY FOREIGN ENVOYS GUESTS AT SEDORIM; MATZOH SHORTAGES PROBED
The Ghanaian Ambassador and his embassy staff were guests at Kibbutz Einat near Petach Tikvah. Visitors and officials from Niger, the Ivory Coast, France and Tanganyika were guests of Deputy Defense Minister Shimon Peres at Kibbutz Alumot.
Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Isar Y. Untermann, who officiated at the ZOA House, set aside a special matzoh for the Jews of the Soviet Union. Prayers for Russian Jewry, barred by Soviet officials from being able to purchase matzoh this year, were included in Passover eve services in many synagogues attended by thousands of worshipers. A special additional plate of matzoh also was set at the Second Seder at Hamlin House, with Isaac Hamlin presiding, as well as at other sedorim, as a mark of sympathy for Russian Jewry.
The Army had its sedorim at various places. The central seder was held with Army Chief Chaplain Shlomo Goren officiating. Chief of Staff Zvi Tsur and other officers, as well as hundreds of servicemen, took part. Children of the officers asked the “four questions” and received gifts.
Authorities meanwhile opened an investigation to determine the reasons for a sudden shortage of matzoh, developing on the eve of the holiday. A Commerce Ministry spokesman said that demand had been lagging until shoppers suddenly swamped stores with a last-minute rush to buy. The Chief Rabbinate gave special permission to bakeries to operate during the intermediate days of the holiday, to provide sufficient additional matzoh for the remainder of Passover.
The key question under investigation will be whether distribution of matzoh is more effective when bakers are organized in a combine, to assure nationwide planned production. Such a combine was approved last year, but this year the matzoh bakers withdrew their request for authorization to set up such a combine for this Passover.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
