We, the Jews, love our holidays. There are numerous in our calendar. And the most interesting thing is that none of them is like the others. Every holiday has its own history, its rules, its unique image and is considered to be the most important. But Pesach is different. It is not just the history of liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt - it was the first step of turning the Jews to a People.

  During Pesach the Jews need not only to recollect about those days, but to go through Exodus again, that is to feel as if they have just escaped from Egypt. And matzoh reminds us that one can be free and satisfied with the little.

  Jews in Pavlodar prepared to the holiday thoroughly. Rabbi Shmuel Karnauch told Pesach history, the rules of preparing the dishes, kitchen and foodstuff. Both the synagogue and Hesed were cleaned of chametz.

  This year the Seder was held in the synagogue. For two evenings everybody who came there had to perform four obligations:

  - to eat matzoh
  - to read Hagada
  - to drink 4 glasses of wine
  - to eat maror

  Besides, Pesach is the time for questions. The honour of asking them was given to rabbi Karnauch's daughter Rivka.

  And on Sunday 20 the community center invited everybody to the celebration in a cafe. The youth club prepared a sketch "The Pages of Pesach History". The most effective were scenes of execution. And at the end the young people together with other community members sang "Dayenu".

  Then there were games and quizzes, competition for the best festive sculptural composition, and many Jewish songs and dances.

  But the main thing was that the community gathered together, the community as a whole, because together we are strong. Our joint prayer will be heard, and G-d will meet our requests and wishes.

Irina Tveritneva