Passover in Israel: Finding Joy, Community, and Balance During the Holiday

Shanna Fuld of Israel Daily News in Israel

Passover in Israel was beautiful this year, even as rockets were fired from Gaza and Yemen and many Israelis remained on active military duty.

To celebrate the holiday, I hosted a model seder with Tribe Tel Aviv. The event offered a fun, relaxed, and educational way for people to experience Passover in community. To make the evening memorable, we paired different chocolates with each of the four cups of wine traditionally enjoyed during the seder.

The combination of tradition, connection, and creativity made for a meaningful celebration.

Passover in Israel and the Importance of Being Present

During Hol Hamoed, the intermediate days of Passover, I found myself torn between fully unplugging for the holiday and responding to the pull of work.

In the end, I did a little of both.

One of the lessons I took away from Passover in Israel this year was the importance of being fully present. When I spent an hour at the beach, I tried to enjoy it completely. When I sat down to work, I tried to approach it with enthusiasm and gratitude.

I genuinely love my work, and sometimes a simple mindset shift—or even working from a café instead of an office—can bring fresh energy and perspective.

If you're constantly wishing you were somewhere else, you risk missing the value of where you are right now.

Reflecting on Freedom and Gratitude

Beyond the traditions and celebrations, Passover in Israel offered an opportunity to reflect on gratitude, freedom, and finding balance during uncertain times.

The holiday reminded me that even when life feels complicated, there is still room for connection, joy, and meaningful moments with others.

How was your seder?

We'd love to hear about your Passover experience.

And to our Christian readers, we wish you a joyful and meaningful Easter.