bringing Passover home – matzah distribution across Belarus

By Sonya Shaipak, Minsk

As the Jewish communities in Belarus prepare to celebrate Pesach, the Jewish Religious Union of the Republic of Belarus has been working tirelessly to ensure that no one is left behind. At the heart of this preparation lies a simple but profound symbol – matzah!

Passover is the festival of freedom, marking the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The matzah itself serves as a tangible link to that moment – a reminder of both the haste of the departure and the taste of freedom.

This year, with the support of our dedicated volunteers and partners, we have sourced and distributed approximately one ton of matzah to communities across Belarus. Matzah cannot be purchased in Belarus, so every year there is a huge effort led by the Jewish Religious Union, The Together Plan’s partner in Belarus, to ensure matzah is procured and brought into the country in time for distribution before the start of Pesach. In the last week, every box was allocated to the congregations within the Jewish Religious Union, ensuring that families can observe the holiday with dignity and tradition.

The response has been deeply moving. Each day, we receive messages of thanks and photographs from community members holding their boxes of matzah. These images tell a powerful story: of connection, of resilience, and of a tradition being upheld with joy.

Among the many messages, a particularly touching letter arrived from the Hevra Tehillim community in Slutsk. They wrote:

“The Hevra Tehillim Jewish community in Slutsk sincerely thanks you for your generous assistance in providing matzah for the upcoming Passover holiday. Your support enables our community members to fulfil the important mitzvah of eating matzah during the Seder and throughout the festival, preserving our traditions even in difficult times.

We deeply appreciate your continued care and dedication to the spiritual needs of our community. May this Pesach be a true festival of freedom, bringing peace, joy, and blessing to all.”

This year, the revival of Jewish life in Belarus is visible not only in the quantity of matzah distributed but in the spirit of mutual support that made it possible. Volunteers, partners, and community leaders came together to ensure that the mitzvah of the Seder could be fulfilled – and that the story of freedom continues to be told.

From everyone at The Together Plan and the Jewish Religious Union, we wish all our friends, partners, and community members a kappy and kosher Passover.

May this festival bring peace, joy, and blessing to all.

To support the work of The Together Plan – click here