It was so great to be back there.
I had not been in Israel for a while, so arriving just in time to join the entire country switching over from chametz to Pesach was a real adventure. I had almost forgotten what it felt like.
The whole country is in on it together all the good Pesach neurosis.
In the US, as the holiday gets closer and closer, little kosher establishments in each community are lined with chametz eating Jews who were kicked out for dinner from their already kosher for Passover homes.
In Jerusalem, that involves, well, basically the entire city, so the streets are literally filled with hundreds of Jews waiting in line for their falafels. There is this intimate feeling like you are all getting ready for Pesach together in one big house we all share.
Even in neighborhoods not known for being all that religious, in the week before Pesach I passed countless children who had clearly gotten the car cleaning job, with all the contents of the car piled high on the sidewalk, and the kids scrubbing and vacuuming away.
Seeing the sidewalks set up with huge medal structures with steam billowing from them and men women and even children in line with pots and pans in hand for kashering, was especially nice.
The rest of this article is available in the IJN’s print edition only. Contact Carol to order your copy at (303) 861-2234 or email carol@ijn.com.
