Baghdad, Iraq: Special Provisions Distributed Across the Country

Well before the holiday, a military helicopter arrived in an undisclosed location in Baghdad’s central Green Zone laden with Passover provisions shipped from the Aleph Institute, a Chabad-Lubavitch organization based in Surfside, Fla., that assists Jewish military personnel with their spiritual needs. The boxes included Seder plates, Haggadahs, airtight bags of horseradish, cutlery and more.

Jewish soldiers at army bases across Iraq will use the supplies to host their own Seders this year.

“While we cannot bring these brave men and women to our Seder tables,” says Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, executive director of the Aleph Institute, “we have brought our Seder tables to them.”

Aleph also shipped packages to Jewish troops stationed in Korea, Japan, Afghanistan, Germany and other locations. The organization also sent Passover provisions to Jewish prisoners in the United States.

Passover, says Lipskar, “is our annual opportunity to rise above the mundane, and transcend both the physical and psychological pitfalls which can enslave any of us.”

To find a local Seder near you, click here.