WORD ON THE STREET

Do You Have an Interesting Pesach Minhag?

We are Syrian and in our family we have this tradition to walk around the table with matzah on our backs and say, “Misharotam tzerurot b’simlotam al shichman.”  The head of the house then asks in Arabic, “From where are you coming?” We all answer, “Miztrayim.”  Then he asks, “Where are you going?” To which we all respond, “Yerushalayim.” We then all sing  “L’Shana Haba b’ Yerushalayim!” 

Leah Abadi

We have a minhag to refrain from eating black olives the whole month of Nissan. 

M.G.

We walk around the table and hit each other’s backs with leeks or scallions to recreate the Egyptians hitting the Jews.  

Shalom N. 

My grandmother always put all her jewelry on the table. This was done to remember how the Yidden got gold and silver from the Mitzriyim in Parshas Shemos. 

A. Oberlander

My wife, a”h, was from Salonika, Greece. Her family would not eat potatoes or rice on Pesach. Interestingly enough, peas were allowed, but only if they were freshly shelled. 

Barry Ganas

I wouldn’t call this a minhag, per se, but we eat borsht with potatoes every Pesach. I like to think it is to commemorate the plague of blood, but in reality I think it just makes my Russian parents happy and reminds them of home. 

Alex Kishinevsky

My father was a Rav and he had a minhag to not “mish” on Pesach. Meaning, we were not allowed to eat in anyone’s house, even if it was pre-packaged food or water.

Eli C.

We keep the lulav from Sukkos and burn it together with the chometz. 

Bella S.

We are Bucharian and Pesach is a holiday rich in culture for us. At the Seder the men and women wear the jomah, a special Bucharian robe with gold embroidery and bold colors.  We serve special dishes like a yummy soup called Oshi Mazozgoshak, which consists of egg, matzah, and meat.

Yelena Yusupov