Matzah, Maror and No Stress as FC Helps with Passover

Preparations for the second Passover during the COVID-19 pandemic were made easier by Friendship Circle’s distribution of nearly 400 Seder-to-Go kits. Recipients shared rave reviews for the Passover kits, which contained all the special foods for the Seder, including charoset, maror, and shmurah matzah, the special, handmade, round matzah used at the seder.

“The patients were blown away by all the resources they contained, and how carefully and thoughtfully they were packaged,” said Anne Laurent, Jewish chaplain for Atlantic Health. “They reminded all the patients who were feeling lonely and isolated that they are part of a community and that they are not forgotten. They were especially precious for older folks as they facilitated conversations and memories around the holiday.” 

“Seder-To-Go from Friendship Circle, this was a particular blessing,” said Ellen Seidman. “I always stress about finding the [zeroah] shank bone for the seder plate, but not this year.

“They even included the salt water!” she added.

The Seder-to-Go was just one of the programs FC offered before Passover, including an outdoor matzah baking workshop led by Rabbi Yisroel Rosenblum. More than 50 people attended the program, with children getting to make and eat their own matzahs from scratch.

“It was a fun, educational interactive experience for our kids, where they got to participate in making matzah and learn about the holiday,” said Shana Shua, who attended the event with her son, Eitan, 14.

Also in attendance was Molly Malinsky, 7, and her mom, Rebecca.

“Now more than ever with the pandemic, it’s important for Molly to have connections to her peers, her community and Judaism; it is critical,” said Rebecca Malinsky. “Friendship Circle has brought our family so much joy through events like the matzah factory. It’s very moving to see how they accept different behaviors — if there’s a child acting out, or a someone crying or another who needs to stand up — our children are just so accepted, appreciated and heard and that’s incredible for us as parents and I know Molly loves being there.”