The surviving Jews in Poland marked Passover at about 150 public seders arranged in nearly 100 cities and towns by the Jewish communities and the Zionist organization. Since most Polish Jews are without their families, who were killed by the Nazis, public Seders represented the only means of observing Passover in the traditional manner.
Most of the observances took place in Lodz, Wroclaw (Breslau), Warsav and Walbrzych. A typical Seder was that arranged by the Jewish community in the only remaining synagogue in Warsaw. Chief Rabbi David Kahane and Cantor Moshe Sfensen from Rige officiated. More than 300 persons were present, including many high of ficers of the Polish Army, government officials and soldiers and officers from the Soviet garrison. In Lublin, Lodz and Wroclaw, large groups of Jewish soldiers participated in the Seders. All Jewish military personnel were given special leaves for the holidays.
The food consumed at all the Seders was provided by the Joint Distribution Committee. The last transports of matzohs, which had been frozen in Scandinavinn harbors, arrived in Cdynia harbor just before Passover. The Polish Food Ministry released white flour to bakers in Lodz and cities in Lower Silesia, where supplies of matzchs were low. Normally, bakers are forbidden to use white flour, the milling of which involves a loss of grain.
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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.
