Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Maot Chitim: Delivering the Passover Spirit With Matzo Ball Soup (Donations Help, Too)


One of the first themes of the Haggadah that we read at the Passover seder is All who are hungry, let them come and eat.

These days, it's unusual for most families to have the hungry streaming into their dining rooms as the seder begins. But that's why it's an age-old Jewish tradition to contribute to a Ma'ot Chitim (literally "money for wheat") fund administered by a local organization that will distribute money to the needy to buy provisions for the holiday.

The Federations of North America have produced a short (2 minute) video to bring this concept home without even one spoken word. It's been picked up by many local Federations as a way to help people fulfill this important mitzvah. They've also created a web site, www.thispassover.org, to facilitate contributions at the local level.

An extra benefit of this web site is a collection of Passover recipes and hands-on videos on preparing everything from matzo ball soup and brisket to a variety of desserts. Enjoy!

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