Passover celebrations go digital during COVID-19 pandemic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Synangogues, churches and mosques all over the country are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Passover, the Jewish holiday which starts Wednesday at sundown, is going digital.

During a typical year, synagogues around Indianapolis would be packed with people prepping for the weeklong celebration. And while things are a bit different this year, some Jewish people said it may now be even more important to celebrate, even if it is online.

There’s a peaceful silence outside the Chabad Center for Jewish Life. It’s not something you’d typically see so close to Passover.

“Public Seder each year has about 200 people coming,” said Rabbi Dovid Grossbaum.

Passover is a widely celebrated week-long Jewish holiday, celebrating the Jewish biblical escape from slavery in Egypt after a series of plagues. The Seder is the meal. Typically, both young and old come together.

But due to growing coronavirus concerns, many Jewish people will meet online to celebrate.

“Maybe the message of this quarantine Passover is kind of to say we are just proud Jews, we aren’t just embracing our culture and religion in public,” he said. “But even in the privacy of our own homes.”

Grossbaum and Young Jewish Professionals of Indianapolis are holding a digital Passover and Seder.

“We believe that God has a purpose for us at every moment no matter what the curveball is there is always some way of doing things best,” Grossbaum said.

And the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis is offering further help to show anyone how to safely celebrate Passover online. There are a number of resources that can help guide the Passover conversation.

If you are hosting Zoom Passover or Seder celebrations there are a few safety tips to make sure your digital connections are safe from potential hackers.