The Jews of Israel completed today most of their preparations for Passover tomorrow night which will include hundreds of public first seders for tourists as well as in scores of military camps throughout the country.
Supplies for the observance were both abundant and varied but an unprecedentedly demand for matzot brought stocks to such a low point that bakers asked the Chief Rabbinate for permission to bake matzot during the Chol Hamoed period next week.
Thousands of tourists arrived to participate in Israel’s observance with more expected in the next 48 hours. On Saturday night, a second seder will be held in most hotels for tourists and visitors. Among the non-Jewish dignitaries planning to attend public seders were former French Premier Edgar Faure and the Congo’s Finance Minister, Pascal Nkai, who is in Israel with an economic delegation.
One of the interesting aspects of the preparations this year is that much fewer kitchen utensils have been cleaned for the observance. Many observant housewives have purchased inexpensive and abundant plastic ware for Passover instead of going through the annual cleansing chore. Field kitchens in military camps received a special scrubbing under the supervision of the military rabbinate.
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