Jewish Residents Across Tri-State Prepare Ahead Of Passover Holiday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- In just a few days, Jews across the Tri-State area and around the world will observe Passover, and the rituals passed down through the ages.
As CBS2's Scott Rapoport reported, everyone is gearing up for the holiday in both big and small ways.
At Beth El Synagogue Center in New Rochelle, the nursery school children are learning about and preparing for Passover.
"(What do you like about Passover?) I like everything," said one young nursery school student.
"Because you remember about the old days," said little Benjamin Croog.
Passover commemorates the liberation of the Jews from slavery in ancient Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.
On this day, they are holding a model Seder -- a ceremonial dinner where the story is retold in song and word. The children indulge in edible traditions such as gefilte fish and matzo -- unleavened bread.
"The significance of the matzo is the Jews had to leave Egypt very quickly, and they didn't have time for the bread to rise, so they had matzo," explained teacher Jonina Steiner.
Over at Streit's Matzo Company on the Lower East Side, they know all about the Passover staple. They've been making Passover matzo at the same location since 1925.
"(How much matzo do you make for Passover?) For Passover, for the holiday we're going to make 3.5 million pounds of matzo; about 20,000 pounds a day," said Executive Vice President Aaron Gross.
But this will be Streit's last Passover on the Lower East Side. The company is relocating to somewhere in the New York-Metropolitan area, marking an end to an era for New York City.
But the old world ways of matzo making for Passover will always be there.
"For Passover matzo, you have to produce it within 18 minutes from the time the flower and the water touch," Gross said.
Back at Beth El Synagogue Center, children gather for the tradition of burning any unleavened bread, cereal and grain left in their home.
"It's because we're really making our way into Passover, and we're not allowed to eat bread on Passover. So we burn it so we are all done with it," Steiner said.
Passover begins at sundown on Friday night and lasts for eight days.
