Celebrating Passover in Ukraine

MARCH 30TH 2026

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Passover in Ukraine has always been meaningful and often difficult time for Jews. During and after the Holocaust, people were often forced to improvise to observe the holiday, using rationed bread or stolen flour to bake matzah in secret, even while in hiding or in Displaced Persons camps. Seders carried deep grief for the immense losses that were suffered, yet the message of freedom from slavery held deep significance.

In Soviet Ukraine, baking matzah was prohibited, yet Jews found a way. They created bakeries in private homes; hand-built brick ovens heated by wood operated during the night. Every morning the ovens were thoroughly cleaned to remove any evidence of their activities. The distribution of matzah was also dangerous. Even in the last years of communism, matzah baked in the Khmelnytskyi region was packed in cartons labeled as butter, or other food products, to disguise them during transport. Jews observed Passover as best they could, albeit always very carefully. Seders were for families only. No strangers were ever invited for fear of inadvertently exposing their secret religious observance.

Today, Jews in Ukraine are thankful to celebrate Passover freely, but not without substantial challenges. Once again, through profound resilience and community support, large public Seders will be held, and home deliveries of Seder kits and food packages have been completed. Particularly for internally displaced people, those living in war-torn areas, and refugees, the holiday has had special meaning. In many homes and communal settings, Haggadah readings will be in Ukrainian rather than Russian, a significant shift from tradition, and some people have begun including new symbols, like olive branches for peace. In many places Seders will have an earlier start time to accommodate curfews, and the events will be held in safe spaces, including shelters.

For many Ukrainian Jews, the Passover themes of liberation are directly relevant and poignant. The holiday is a crucial time for finding "spiritual power" and connecting with their community. For those who are refugees in Europe and other places, holiday celebrations may be somewhat different, but no less meaningful. Several years ago in Barcelona, for example, Ukrainian Jewish refugees gathered in a church for a Seder. The local Catholic Priest offered his facility for the event, and was an active participant in the festivities; he particularly enjoyed the traditional songs that had been passed down through generations. The celebration was a welcome distraction from the difficult circumstances the refugees endured.

We wish everyone a wonderful Passover and hope that next year we will be celebrating in peace, in Ukraine, Israel, and throughout the world.