Passover 2026 under missile fire, remembering years in bomb shelters

How was this Pesach, Passover, different than all other years?

This year in Jerusalem, we organized for the holiday between alerts, sirens, and seeking shelter from Iranian and Hezbollah missiles. The cluster fragments spread far and wide, causing damage; not all of them were reported. Thankfully, most people followed instructions and were not killed. However, many were injured running to shelters.

As of after Shabbat, according to MDA, 1,226 people were injured on their way to shelters, and 3 were killed; 26 of those injured were involved in road accidents after stopping on the side of the road during the siren.

We were able to host some of the family for lunch without having to go to the shelter.

Though later in the day, there was a siren loud enough that we did go, and left only after the booms stopped.

It reminded me of a visit to southern Israel in 2012 to photogragh a solidarity mission.

As the US rabbis spoke with the rabbi of a small Israeli moshav under rocket fire from Gaza, a red alert was sounded.

We all crowded into the family safe room. It was the bedroom of the youngest children, so they would not have to be moved when the alerts were sounded in the middle of the night. The twin girls were used to the sounds and sights, but not so many people crowded into their room. The mother announced where the rocket landed after hearing the boom. We exited the safe room and continued with the meeting and tour back to Jerusalem.

As we sit in our shelter, hearing the booms, we are becoming used to the sounds and guessing the proximity. One should question that this has become a new “normal” of life.

Jerusalem has been “lucky”?

The number of missiles launched from Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon to northern Israel, including Tel Aviv, has not stopped, day and night.

We got through the seder without interruption and walked home safely.

The Passover table was ready for the Pesach seder, with “Vehi Sheamda” (והיא שעמדה), the song from the Passover Haggadah, sung during the Seder to represent Jewish survival and faith. It states that not just one, but many enemies in every generation have tried to destroy the Jewish people, yet God rescues.

This year, with cluster missiles and ballistic missiles from the regime in Iran, gatherings have been limited to 50 people and must be near a shelter. The annual large Birkat Cohanim, Priestly Blessing, was limited to the covered space of Wilson’s Arch, next to the Kotel, Western Wall plaza, which was empty as it has been for over a month during this current war.

It was broadcast live and is on YouTube.

A limited number of men were downstairs; the women’s section is the balcony above.

The blessings were recited.

The chief rabbis and their families arrived.

While the blessing from the Western Wall did take place this year,

it did not compare to the Birkat Cohanim of past years.

The seder ends with “Next Year in Jerusalem!”

The message felt more relevant than in past years.

Next year in Jerusalem for all who were not able to be here this year.