Mimouna (mee-moo-na) Celebration for the End of Pesach
There are several ways to celebrate the crossing of the Sea
of Reeds and our path to freedom. For those of us celebrating Pesach in the
West, one perhaps lesser-known tradition is more commonly practiced in Sephardi
synagogues of Mediterranean countries: the synagogue is opened at one minute
after midnight (at the end of the eighth night of Pesach), the Torah is taken
from the ark, and the Song of Songs is read while congregants dance in the
aisles.
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In Israel, the Mimouna has become a popular annual happening
featuring outdoor
parties, picnics and BBQs. After settling in Israel, Jewish
immigrants from North Africa
(Maghrebim) celebrated the Mimouna with their families. In
1966, it was introduced as
a national holiday, and has been adopted by other ethnic
groups, mainly in the Mizrahi
sector. The festival has been celebrated by Amsterdam's
Moroccan Jewish community for many years, while in 2006, the Moroccan Jewish
community of Paris, France, celebrated the holiday publicly for the first time.
Regardless of where one celebrates Mimouna, one of the
holiday favorites is Mofletta, a thin crepe made from water, flour, and oil,
rolled thinly and fried. Other traditional Mimouna foods include pita bread,
cut into pieces and eaten by dipping a piece into honey. The meaning behind
this tradition is that the pita and honey will glue the family together and
slavery and oppression will never again separate us.
For a special child's take on this festive holiday, scroll down for a brief explanation of Mimouna courtesy of Shalom Sesame. And as you consider your plans for next year’s Pesach
celebration, you may wish to include a Mimouna of your own; mark your
calendar for April 2, 2013.
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