Across faiths, religious rules bent as virus alters worship
All over the U.S., leaders in every religion are taking unprecedented steps to protect their members from the coronavirus.
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While the Jewish holiday of Passover normally brings family and friends together, this year many will be celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt at home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But that isn't stopping many from gathering for a virtual Seder, or Passover meal, for the highly interactive major Jewish holiday that this year begins Wednesday night, April 8, and ends April 16.
The recitation of communal prayers may lag over a livestream, and when children find the afikomen – part of the unleavened flatbread that is hidden – they may not be in the same room, but the spirit of Passover still will be celebrated.
Here are three options online:
Passover with Dennis Prager
Conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager is hosting a Passover Seder online, explaining each part of the Jewish meal. (PragerU)
Conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager will be hosting a virtual Passover Seder on Facebook, YouTube and his website, PragerU, starting 9 p.m. EST Wednesday.
The PragerU website explains that participants will be able to "watch and learn as Dennis explains the meaning of the rituals."
"If you want to participate along with Dennis, you’ll need the standard Passover accoutrements," including matzoh, salt water, parsley, a hard-boiled egg, horseradish, charoset (a mix of nuts, raisins and honey) and the Haggadah, the Passover prayer book, it says.
Digital Passover Rooms
Yahad.net is offering digital Passover rooms for families to commemorate the high Jewish holiday together online. (Yahad.net)
The Jewish Heritage Network (JHN), a nonprofit digital agency connecting communities around the world, teamed up with Agora.io, a voice, video and livestreaming platform, to launch Yahad.net, which means "together" in Hebrew.
They will host viritual Passover rooms to help families and friends celebrate together from a distance.
“The most central aspect of Seder is being able to open your door to friends and family to celebrate and break bread," Reggie Yativ, COO of Agora.io, told Fox News.
"Since we can’t meet, hug, kiss and share wine around a table like we usually do, the best way to observe Seder safely is by way of video chat ... and replicate, as close as possible, the experience of being with family.”
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Alexander Raginsky, technology lead for JHN, added, "in such a challenging and uncertain time, this project is helping to keep this ancient tradition alive.”
Interactive Digital Haggadah
Seder.Live offers an interactive digital Haggadah, or Passover prayer book, for families and friends to follow along together online. (Seder.Live)
Noam Hod and Amos Meron, both alumni of Birthright Excel, an elite business fellowship program with Birthright Israel, launched Seder.Live, the first-of-its-kind interactive digital Haggadah that allows individuals and families to share the story of Passover remotely online.
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"We can see each other on Zoom or Skype, but what about the haggadah?" the team writes. "This time we tell the story of Exodus with an illustrated digital Haggadah that is also connected between everyone! When someone turns the page, everyone is synced with him. Kulanu mesubin!," which means "all of us" in Hebrew.
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