Passover will end this Tuesday evening.  The Moroccan Jewish community marks the occasion with a wonderful celebration called “Mimouna”, an evening filled with symbolic foods,  special delicacies and good wishes. Thank you to Rabbi Daniel Bouskila for sharing this story about Mimouna with us to share with “Bendichas Manos” readers!

We are blessed with many and varied traditions in our communities…..May we all have the opportunity to share in this beautiful, traditional celebration at some point, and appreciate the “salad bowl”, the colorful and meaningful variety of those traditions we share.

http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religion/29821/it-is-risen/print/

It Is Risen

At the end of Passover festival known as Mimouna, Moroccan Jews return to yeasty treats in grand style

BY LARA RABINOVITCH | 7:00 am Apr 2, 2010

Many Jews will mark the end of Passover unceremoniously, with a slice or pizza or a piece of toast. Yet for Moroccan Jews, and increasingly for other Jews as well, the transition back to eating bread and other yeasty foods is celebrated in grand style with a feast known as Mimouna.

Traditionally, Mimouna is celebrated in Moroccan homes after sundown on the last day of Passover with a sumptuous spread piled high with sweet delectables, including stuffed dates, candies, brightly colored jams made of carrots, beets, or citrus fruits (known as mazune), and zabane (almond nougat). Most importantly, mufleta, thin pancakes doused in honey, are eaten with abandon. Thus in a similar way to how Yom Kippur is ended with an elaborate breakfast, on Mimouna tearing into a plate of freshly baked food signals the end of matzo-filled days and the start of something new.

The Mimouna table is not set as usual but is covered with “an array of symbols that are basically variations on a theme,” explains Continue reading →