Chief Rabbi Yehudah Leib Levin of Moscow has told his congregation that the state-operated bakeries will not bake any matzoh for Passover use this year, according to reports from Moscow published in the London press today. In past years, matzoh has been available at some bakeries in Moscow and Jews also baked matzoh privately for sale. The latter practice was prohibited as a form of private enterprise.
Chief Rabbi Levin, who reportedly made the announcement at services last Saturday, told the congregation that because of the Government ban, the worshippers could not be held to the strict observance of Passover dietary regulations this year.
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.