Everything You Need to Know for Pesach 5786/2026
Pesach 5786/2026, 15 – 22 Nisan, April 1 – April 2026
Each year Rabbi Ita Paskind and CBE provide our community with a Pesach Guide.
In this Guide, you’ll find information about:
1. Food and prepping your kitchen
2. Disposing of Chametz
3. Planning your seder
4. Siyyum for the Firstborn
5. Holiday services
RABBI PASKIND’S PESACH GUIDE 5786
Yom Tov/Holiday services
Join us in the chapel or on Livestream—10am on Yom Tov and Shabbat (Thursday 4/2, Friday 4/3, Shabbat 4/3, Wednesday 4/8, and Thursday 4/9 with
Yizkor), and 8am on Zoom on weekdays. Yizkor book.
PESACH SERVICE SCHEDULE AND LINKS
Tuesday, March 31
Search for Chametz after dark; see the Rabbi’s Pesach Guide on our website.
Wednesday, April 1, Erev Pesach
The Sale of Chametz Form will be available until 9:00am.
8:00am Minyan + Siyyum for Firstborn via Zoom
9:30 am burning of Chametz in the Beth El parking lot
10:50 am last time to eat Chametz
11:54 am All Chametz must be disposed of
7:00pm Candle lighting
First Seder
Thursday, April 2, First day of Pesach
10:00 am Yom Tov service in person or via Livestream
Second Seder
8:01 pm Candle lighting
Friday, April 3, Second day of Pesach
10:00 am Yom Tov service in person or via Livestream
6:00 pm Abbreviated Kabbalat Shabbat Service–In Person and via Zoom
7:02 pm Candle lighting for Pesach Intermediate Shabbat
Saturday, April 4, Pesach Intermediate Shabbat
10:00 am Shabbat service in person or via Livestream
8:04pm Havdalah (holiday continues)
Sunday, April 5 – Tuesday, April 7, Intermediate Days of Pesach
Monday-Tuesday, April 6 -7
8:00 am Minyan for the intermediate days of Passover via Zoom
Tuesday, April 7
Candle lighting for the 7th Day of Pesach, 7:07pm
Wednesday, April 8, Seventh Day of Pesach
10:00 am Yom Tov services in person or via Livestream
8:08pm Candle lighting, Eighth Day of Pesach
Thursday, April 9, Eighth day of Pesach
10:00 am Yom Tov services with Yizkor in person or via Livestream
8:09 pm Havdalah for the end of Pesach.
8:15 pm your Chametz will return to you at the end of the holiday.
HAGGADAHS
It’s always fun to try out a new Haggadah. Here is a brand-new one, just released by the Reform Movement in honor of Rabbi Angela Buchdahl’s 20-year anniversary at Central Synagogue
You can shop online for a hard copy, or check out these online Haggadah texts:
- Sefaria’s Online Haggadah
- 30-Minute Seder
- PJ Library Haggadah
- Haggadah of MAZON: Jewish Response to Hunger
- HIAS Passover Haggadah
WHEN SHABBAT FALLS ON YOM TOV
We must create what’s called an eruv tavshilin, a short prayer that enables us to cook on the holiday for Shabbat. On Pesach or any holiday that falls on a weekday, cooking is permitted, but only to prepare food for that particular day. On Shabbat, we do not cook. Therefore, preparing food for a Shabbat that follows a Wednesday night/Thursday/Friday holiday presents a challenge.
To allow cooking on a Friday yom tov (holiday) for Shabbat, we create an eruv tavshilin (“combining of cooked dishes”), the combining of the cooking for the holiday and for Shabbat.
Start the Shabbat cooking before the holiday begins, on Wednesday:
● Before the holiday begins, take two prepared foods (eg: a piece of matzah and a hard-cooked egg or a piece of chicken or vegetable dish).
● Recite the bracha: Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al mitzvat eruv.
● Recite a declaration that cooking for Shabbat was begun before, and will be completed on, the holiday: “By means of this eruv, we are permitted to bake, cook, warm, kindle lights, and make all the necessary preparations for Shabbat during the festival, we and all who live in this city/locale.”
● Set aside the two foods for eating on Shabbat during the day. The cooking for Shabbat may now be completed on yom tov.
BLESSINGS
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל (שַׁבָּת וְ)יוֹם טוֹב:
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam,
asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel (Shabbat v’)Yom Tov
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה:
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam,
shehecheyanu v’kiyemanu v’higi’anu lazman hazeh
SEDER MATCHING
Rabbi Paskind is honored and eager to connect fellow congregants for a seder. To that end, please let me know if you’re looking to attend a seder or if you’re looking to welcome some fellow congregants as guests at your table HERE.
