To Matzah or Not To Matzah?

It is certainly no secret that celebrating holidays on campus is quite difficult as a student; on Yom Kippur, considered one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar, we have mandatory classes or examinations. Likewise, on Passover, which commemorates…

Makkat Bechorot and the Great Cry in Egypt

In the climax of the ten plagues visited upon Egypt, Hashem commands Moses to tell the Israelites to sacrifice the Paschal lamb and smear its blood on the doorposts of their houses, in order to save themselves from Makkat Bechorot,…

The zionist imperative of Passover

This week we celebrate the festival of Passover. If asked on the spot what the point of the holiday is, you would probably respond “to commemorate the redemption from Egyptian bondage.” This interaction is reenacted on the Seder night: The…

Bruin Passover meal plan options

Passover is just around the corner, which means Jewish Bruins may be the hungriest students at UCLA for those eight days. Thankfully, UCLA has an amazingly supportive Jewish community that makes sure its students eat heartily. Hillel, Chabad and JAM…

On the up and up: is Passover price inflation real?

Perhaps no holiday tests the Jewish imagination to the same extent as does Passover. Each year, irrespective of locale, Jews are asked to explore their ancestral heritage by recreating the Passover story that traces the Jewish excursion from bondage to…

The Purpose of Freedom: The Mitzvah of Counting the Omer

Just last week, we waved goodbye to Passover, the holiday of Jewish freedom and redemption. But after all this talk of freedom, I feel like I’m still eating matzah. And I’m not just talking about leftover matzah brei. The slave…

TBT: The history of Chad Gadya and Passover

In honor of Passover and the Internet sensation of dedicating Thursdays to past experiences, I took to Ha’Am’s archives to find an article that our predecessors wrote about this fine holiday. The following article, “Chad Gadya: Not Just for Passover,”…

Matzah meals: Easy kosher-for-Passover recipes

Whether you’re at home, in the dorms, or at an off-campus apartment, Passover brings a change in menu options. Never fear; a diet of buttered matzah isn’t your only alternative to pricey kosher-for-Passover meal plans! We’ve put together recipes for…