Passover in Montréal

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Passover, or Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday that takes place in spring and that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. It takes place in the fifteenth month of the Hebrew calendar, Nisan, which this year coincided with April 8 to April 16, 2020, in the Gregorian calendar. Celebrants typically gather for ritual meals, Seders, and recitation of prayers by a minyan, a quorum of ten Jewish adults. But this year due to COVID-19, community members were required to observe social distancing.  The photographer of the image above, David Himbert, says members of the Hassidic community in the Outremont neighbourhood of Montréal, an area particularly hard hit by the virus during that time, were initially reluctant to observe Passover in confinement, but decided to indeed remain in their homes for the holiday. The community’s rabbis authorized prayers to take place outside of the synagogue, as ten adults would be visible and audible from the balconies and steps of the community.

Several times a day, members of the Outremont Hassidic community of about 7000 people came outside to recite and sing, affording Himbert the opportunity to make this picture—a scene of prayer and contemplation on the steps of an apartment building in the neighbourhood. According to Himbert, when Passover ended, the community shared pastries with their non-Jewish neighbours to thank them for their patience with the celebrations. More photographs of the 2020 Outremont Passover celebration can be seen at davidhimbert.com.