In anticipation of the Pesach holiday, a series of model Seders took place in Dnipro, organized by the charitable organization “Chesed Menachem,” which for many years has carried out its activities with the support of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. These events were part of the preparation for one of the main Jewish holidays and allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of its traditions and laws.
Model Seders are an important and long-established tradition of Chesed; they consistently generate significant interest and help recreate the structure and atmosphere of the festive meal. The first such Seder took place on March 24, 2026, in the cozy hall of Menorah Cafe, bringing together approximately sixty participants, including volunteers, activists of the “Caring Connection” program, and members of the “Freilachs” club.
The event was opened by Zeilig Brez, Director of the Dnipro Jewish Community, who emphasized the importance of preserving Jewish traditions, especially during the days of Pesach, the holiday of Freedom and Redemption, which today takes on a particularly resonant meaning. A welcome address was delivered by Victoria Novosyolova, Acting Director of Chesed, who noted the significance of unity, faith in the future, and the preservation of traditions as a source of resilience and hope. Alona Kolpina, Director of Hillel in Dnipro, also extended greetings to the participants.
The Seder program was rich and diverse. The event opened with a performance of “Oseh Shalom” by activists of the “Freilachs” club under the direction of Victoria Opalenko. Later, guests were treated to a performance by the unique ensemble “Goldene Mishpukhe,” founded on the basis of the women’s choir “Goldene Meydelekh” under the direction of Nora Krupman, with accompanist Nina Ketkova. They performed traditional Pesach songs, including “Dayeinu” and “Kadesh Urchatz.”
The festive atmosphere continued with performances by participants of the creative project “Mehilat HaLev,” directed by Yevgenia Zhuravlyova, as well as the ensemble “Naiveselishi,” led by Olena Popkova. Their musical numbers filled the evening with warmth and good cheer.
The model Seder was hosted by young volunteers from the Dnipro Volunteer Community based at Hillel – Mykola Kucheravyi, Mira Sokolova, Olena Avramenko, and Yelyzaveta Bereza. Together with the participants, they walked through all the stages of the Seder, following the Haggadah, helping each person feel the meaning of the holiday more deeply.
“Such gatherings help not only to better understand the traditions but also to feel the unity that makes our community strong and cohesive,” noted Victoria Opalenko, director of the “Freilachs” club. “We are very pleased that the model Seders were organized this year as well, thanks to the support of the Joint, the Dnipro Jewish Community, with the active participation of the Dnipro Volunteer Community. We are sincerely grateful to everyone who helped organize and participated in this important event.”
