Passover, also known as Pesach, is the largest festival celebrated by the Jewish community throughout the world. It marks the freedom of the Hebrews from slavery under the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. The festival is commemorated on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which corresponds in March or April according to the Gregorian calendar. While the festival occurs in spring in the Northern Hemisphere, Argentina celebrates this occasion in the fall. With the seventh largest Jewish population in the world by country, Argentina witnesses some traditional rituals and customs of Passover. The Jews settled in Argentina fled from Russia, Syria, Turkey and North Africa. Read on further to know more about Argentinean celebrations of Pesach.
Passover Celebrations In Argentina
Though the festival comes in the fall in Argentina, the celebrations are much like those observed by the Jews in the United States. The eight-day holiday is equally important for the gaucho judios in the pampas. Passover in Argentina is more inclined towards preparing luxurious foods for the holiday. People gather at one place and observe the Seder meal with great respect and honor. Unlike the North Americans who prefer getting store-bought staples, such as gefilte fish with horseradish, chicken soup with matzoh balls, and roast chicken, the Argentineans are more involved towards preparing them from scratch at home traditionally.
Even the gefilte fish was made by grinding carp, whitefish and pike using hands. This was then stuffed into the skin of a large carp and then cooked further. Only in the recent times have the Argentineans started using some store-bought Passover staples. Even products like vinegar and oil are bought kosher for the Passover holiday. The young generation has, however, switched to cutting their cooking time short by using most store-bought ingredients while the old-timers still prefer spending considerable time in making the same dishes.
Traditionally, the Passover meal boasts of roasted chicken and various Eastern European recipes like potatoes stuffed with ground beef and onions. This delicacy is known as Chremslach in Eastern Europe, while in Argentina it is known as albondigas de papas. The asparagus served in the United States at Seder meal is replaced with an avocado and lettuce salad here. Kishke is another Passover delicacy made from intestines that are stuffed with potatoes, matzoh meal, eggs, chicken fat and spices. Hence, the Pesach festival in Argentina has lots to offer in terms of food and merry-making.
