Passover at Mount Holyoke

As Spring Break comes to an end, Passover begins on the evening of Monday, March 25^th.   Passover, for those who don’t know, is an eight day celebration of the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.   Passover is typically commemorated with 2 seders, ritual and lavish meals, on the first two nights.  For all of Passover, Jews are forbidden from eating Chametz, or levened foods, which include bread, many cookies, pastas and more.  Traditionally, plates and dishes that previously contained chametz are not allowed to be used on Passover, so Jews are required to use new dishes entirely.

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke College

At Mount Holyoke, Wilder, the kosher dining hall, is not kosher for Passover. Luckily, Eliot House, the center for religious and spiritual life, does provide this service. Students who want to keep kosher for Passover get to eat every meal in Eliot House.

Having a bunch of Jews together for every single meal for an entire week is a wonderful bonding experience.  The food is delicious, and all students who eat are required to help set-up or clean up at least 3 times.  Everyone works to make Passover happen which makes it all the more special.   In addition to the meals, the kitchen is open for M&Cs and there are other social events that the Passover Committee creates.  Eliot House has WiFi, so students can also come and do homework.

I think at Mount Holyoke we are often so busy that we don’t always have time to sit back, breathe and just enjoy each other’s company.  Passover gives us that experience and opportunity.   Every day you have at least 2 meals to look forward to, in a homey environment with awesome people.

Passover at Mount Holyoke is a special week, and it’s something that I’m really glad I’ve had the opportunity to experience.