PASSOVER HOLIDAY MARKED

DOBOJ, APRIL 1 /SRNA/ – The Jewish community in Doboj organized a Passover celebration this evening - a Jewish holiday symbolizing freedom.

The President of the Doboj Jewish Community Danijel Atijas pointed to the importance of being able to celebrate the holiday in freedom, expressing hope that peace will prevail everywhere. “In our Republika Srpska and BiH, we have good interreligious relations, and we want that to continue,” Atijas told reporters. He explained that Passover means "to pass over" and commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egyptian slavery under the leadership of Moses, noting that during the ceremonial dinner, foods are served that symbolically recall the Israelites' bondage in Egypt. The table includes matzah - a type of bread made without yeast, consisting only of flour, water and salt, symbolizing the haste with which the Jews left Egypt; a boiled egg as a symbol of new life; and poultry wing or lamb shoulder as a symbol of strength in the struggle for freedom. Also present are salted water and bitter herbs symbolizing the tears of slaves, as well as haroset - a mixture of honey, walnuts and raisins symbolizing the mortar used in building the pyramids. Milivoje Lakić regularly attends Jewish holiday celebrations, and his friendship with the Atijas family dates back to the time when, as a refugee, he found a new home in Doboj.