Israel’s Army Chaplain Services, including all chaplain accredited by the defense forces, regular and reserve, were under total mobilization today in “Operation Passover, ” called out to aid Israel’s servicemen and women to celebrate the Passover, which begins at sundown Wednesday.
Units of chaplains were dispatched this morning to every camp and garrison in the country. Their first task was to see to it that all kitchens and all mess-hall equipment and utensils had been placed in kosher condition for the Passover. The chaplains carried with them matzoth, sacramental wines, haggadoth, ceremonial plates and other holiday paraphernalia.
Several hundred chaplains will remain at their posts of duty at least for the first two nights of Passover, to conduct the seders. A gala seder will be held at an airforce base, where the army’s senior chaplain. Col. Shlomo Goren, will officiate.
Special Passover messages were issued here today by the two Chief Rabbis. Dr. Itzhak Halevi Herzog. of the Ashkenazic community, and Dr. Itzhak Nissim, of the Sephardic community. Former U.S. Senator Herbert H. Lehman, accompanied by his wife, arrived here yesterday to celebrate the Passover seder at the Weizmann Institute. Mr. Lehman is also scheduled to visit with Prime Minister David Ben Gurion at the latter’s home at Sde Boker.
Thirty Samaritans, representing almost the entire membership in Israel of this ancient sect, today entered Jordan to spend the Passover week camping on holy Mount Gerizim, near the city of Shchem (Nablus). The group was met at the Mandelbaum Gate by representatives of the 200 Samaritans now living in Jordan. The Samaritans, headed by their High Priest, Zedaka, will begin their Passover celebration by offering the traditional sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb.
The holiday spirit was marred by an accident last night, in which four agricultural school pupils were killed. The pupils were on their way from Ein Geddi to Beersheba, to spend Passover home, when the truck in which they were riding overturned. In addition to the four dead, 30 others were injured.
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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.
