Pesach is a time of year, a season of historical remembrance, in which all Jews are obligated to immerse themselves. This year’s festival, an eight-day Jewish holiday as usual, was observed from the 15th to the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan and honors the redemption of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It is a moment when we honor a Torah tradition that has been transmitted through generations of Jewish families. Brothers and sisters from various communities across Nigeria joined the global Jewish community in celebrating the feast to its fullest. In the central Jewish synagogue in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Southern Nigeria, we are excited to celebrate our first Pesach in our newly donated permanent synagogue.
A number of weeks in advance, preparations for Pesach were initiated. Due to the fact that Pesach fell on Motzaei Shabbat, Eliyahu Ben Avraham inquired about the best way to celebrate this year’s Pesach during one of our Arvit services held in the synagogue. As the Seder night comes on Motzaei Shabbat, our chief cantor, Immanuel Gadi, stated that this is one of the most difficult Pesach celebrations that we have ever had. He went into detail about the search for chametz that would take place on Thursday evening and the subsequent burning of it on Friday morning.
During the Rosh Chodesh of Nissan Shacharit service, we had a thorough discussion on how to go about koshering our homes according to the Sephardic minhag. And as tradition demands, before the commencement of the feast, members worked tirelessly to clean their homes, removing all chametz (leavened foods) and replacing them with kosher-for-Pesach staples. The excitement was evident as families looked forward to staying together from Erev Shabbat until Monday night because of the two Yom Tov that would be held in a communal way.
I had a moment of feeling down when my wife, Hadassah Bat Sarah, asked, “How do we cope if it rains, as our synagogue walls are only half complete? Would it be safe for the children, as the synagogue will be cold?” I brightened up when I remembered the words of one of my teachers. When things seemed hard, he used to say, “Hashem knows.”
As preparation got underway, we came together to clean the synagogue premises and to construct places where families would stay during the Shabbat and Yom Tov to avoid traveling on those festive days. We hosted lectures to familiarize our members with the preparations for Pesach. Later on Thursday evening, I took it upon myself to call every family leader in our community to remind them of the mitzvah of Bedikat Chametz. I remember Elder Ozni Ben Yehoshua saying to me, “Thank you so much, Rishon, for the call. I almost forgot that it has to be Thursday night.” And similarly, on Friday morning, the Gabbai of the synagogue, Immanuel Ben Ozni, called me and said, “I am also doing a mitzvah by calling our people—including you—to remember to burn your chametz.”
Historic First Seder Night.
Historical, this is the first ever Passover seder since the Jewish Central synagogue Uyo wrapped up its first phase, from a Rented Building to a Permanent Space. On the first night of Pesach, our community gathered at the synagogue for a communal Seder. Each family sat around a table designated for them, while the single men and women chose a family to join. Each member had their Seder plate adorned with an egg, celery for karpas, romaine lettuce for the bitter herb (maror), and the charoset, which we made using dates, walnuts, cinnamon spices, wine, and cloves—according to the Sephardic minhag we follow. On the first night of Pesach, our community gathered at the synagogue for a communal Seder. Each family sat around a table designated for them, while the single men and women chose a family to join. Each member had their Seder plate adorned with an egg, celery for karpas, romaine lettuce for the bitter herb (maror), and the charoset, which we made using dates, walnuts, cinnamon spices, wine, and cloves.
Each family table was adorned with matzot, kosher wine, and a Haggadah to guide them through the Seder. We experienced immense joy as we sang and recited Hallel. Many individuals, including my wife, expressed to me that they had never encountered such a delightful Pesach Seder. They believe the experience is significantly better compared to the previous year, thanks to the freedom the synagogue now has as its own landlord, liberated from the bondage of a rented property!
A particularly unforgettable moment occurred when our children joyfully moved about with the Afikomen in a sack after it was discovered, prompting the parents to inquire, “Where are you coming from?” They replied, “We are coming from Mizraim.” Then someone inquired once more, “Where are you headed?” to which they responded, “We’re on our way to Jerusalem.” The synagogue resonated with joy, emotion, and a sense of connection to our ancestors. The day was quite lengthy, beginning with Shabbat and extending through the Seder until approximately midnight, when all concluded.
More Celebrations- a Brit Milah!
On the morning of Yom Tov, after the Shacharit service, we had a Brit Milah. The Gabbai of the community, Immanuel Ozni, brought his son into the covenant of Avraham Avinu by circumcising him on the eighth day. Coincidentally, the day’s Haftorah (Joshua 5:2–6:1) also talked about the circumcision of the Israelites. The community was overjoyed that such an event took place during a festive period giving us more reason to celebrate and have plenty of memories to keep.
We also held special reading classes for the children to improve their Ivrit. I recall Mrs. Jackrabin, in one of the lectures on “How to Make the Best Sephardic Charoset,” explaining her formula: “I use walnut, cinnamon spice, nutmeg spice, kosher wine, cloves, and a splash of orange blossom water.” Like everyone else, I was astonished to learn about this recipe and looked forward to trying it next year.
Throughout the holiday, our community arranged various events to keep everyone engaged. The second Seder night was equally interesting, as we shared personal stories that connected us to the Passover redemption story. We also used the holiday to discuss our African traditions and customs that have Jewish roots.
Family Unity at the Seder and Beyond!
I remember my good brother and friend, Raphael Ben Yisrael, telling me during a Pesach discussion: “Rishon, never forget that it is a family Haggadah—written on the Haggadah. It is a family thing. Make sure you always carry your family along.”
I was reminded of his words as I looked around and saw families sitting around their Seder tables. I saw unity, bonds, laughter, and merriment in each family. Families brought different traditional dishes. The aroma of homemade charoset wafted through the air. These and many more experiences showed me the unity that Pesach brings to families.
During Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days of the holiday), members returned home but came to the synagogue for Shacharit, Mincha, or Arvit services. Despite the high cost of transportation, people turned up for the programs we had.
Most families also hosted festive meals in their homes, inviting other members. Our community chairman, Elder Aaron Ben Avraham, called me on one of the Chol Hamoed days and asked, “Can you spare some time to join my family at the beach?” I was excited. It echoed in my mind that Pesach truly unites families. He smiled when I said, “My chairman, I never knew you had this flexing in you.” We had a great time and used the opportunity to discuss Torah.
In Conclusion, this Pesach, our community came together to celebrate a timeless story—a story of redemption, a story that attests that Hashem is the Creator of the Universe with the whole hundreds of wonders He unleashed unto Pharaoh and his people. Real freedom comes with some peace of mind, being able to be in control, just as the freedom we felt celebrating right inside our own synagogue property for the first time. I was inwardly scared that rain might fall, splashing through the half-built walls of the synagogue. I made a special prayer that G-d should not let that happen, as it would affect the people. I also hoped we would be able to complete the walls soon. But bezrat Hashem, throughout the two Seder nights, there was no rain, and the people were able to sleep without inconvenience.