Passover 2023 Information

March 21, 2023

The Jewish holiday of Passover, which is centered on themes of liberation, justice, and redemption, arrives in April. Many students, staff and faculty within our university community celebrate Passover. Below you will find relevant information and opportunities to participate.

Our diverse community of Jewish students observe and celebrate this holiday in different ways. The two most popular aspects are participating in a festive gathering called a Seder, and refraining from eating bread products during the holiday. Some students will spend the holiday on campus, with minimal change to their daily routine. For more traditionally observant students, their day-to-day lifestyle is fundamentally altered for the duration of the holiday. Our purpose is to be respectful and inclusive of the variety of Jewish religious and spiritual practices during this important holiday.

Passover begins with the Seder on Wednesday, April 5th in the evening, but many religious practices commence the night before, Tuesday, April 4th. The holiday ends on Thursday night, April 13th.

An outline of the structure of the Passover week is as follows:

  • First Days of Passover: Wednesday evening, April 5th through Saturday night, April 8th
  • Intermediate Days of Passover: Sunday, April 9th through Tuesday, April 11th
  • Second Days of Passover: Tuesday evening, April 11th through Thursday night, April 13th

Faculty and Administrators

  • Many observant Jewish students are prohibited from attending class or doing coursework during these specific holidays; some religious traditions also preclude using electronics – phones, transportation, and computers – during these times.
  • If faculty need assistance or have questions regarding accommodation requests, they may reach out to their appropriate chair, dean, or director. The Office of Religious Life is available for consultation at any time, please contact [email protected].
  • For specific inquiries about the Jewish holidays, you may also reach out any time to our Campus Rabbi, Yonah Hain.

Students

  • Students seeking religious accommodations for their observation of the holidays should contact their professors as soon as possible. 
  • Students are responsible to make up their work and be prepared for the next session.
  • For questions about the Jewish holidays and religious accommodations, students can reach out to Rabbi Hain.

Dining

Barnard Kosher at Hewitt Dining will offer fully certified Kosher-for-Passover meals during the Intermediate Days of the holiday (April 9-11), and grab-and-go options for the Second Days of the Holiday (April 12-13). More information about the Barnard Kosher-for-Passover at Hewitt Dining will be posted soon at https://dineoncampus.com/barnard.

Passover Seders and other Opportunities

Jewish life at Columbia offers many ways to celebrate the holiday. The festive meals, prayer services, community service opportunities, and other holiday-themed experiences are open to all students. Many of these offerings are housed in the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life (W. 115th between Broadway and Riverside).

Please see this page to register for a Passover Seder, or to host your own Seder in your own way with all of the necessary materials provided for you.

 

Passover Information Sheet 2023.