Faithful celebrating Easter, Passover find connection in stories and traditions

With both Easter Sunday and the end of Passover falling on the same day this year, April 20, Jewish and Christian faithful around Southern California and the world are finding creative ways to observe — and celebrate — the holy holidays.

Easter, which marks the resurrection of Jesus after his suffering and death on the cross, is also symbolically connected to the Jewish Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ liberation from centuries of slavery in Egypt. Though both religious seasons and traditions are very different, their stories are centered around themes of freedom, resilience and sacrifice.

Collecting thousands of years of Jewish stories  

Passover — which Jews celebrate either 7 or 8 days — is Walnut resident Alan Shebroe’s favorite holiday.

“I didn’t grow up very religious, but we always had Passover Seder,” Shebroe, 72, said. “It’s one of the few times where Jewish family can get together and celebrate being Jewish.”

Shebroe said the Passover story is important to him because it highlights “the emancipation of the Jews from Egypt, and if it weren’t for that event, I wouldn’t be here.”

For over 50 years, he has gathered hundreds of illustrated Haggadah texts, amassing what he says may be the largest collection outside of a museum.

A Haggadah, meaning “telling,” is a fundamental Jewish text used to follow the order of the ritual Passover Seder meal, where participants retell the story of the Israelites’ freedom from slavery. Shebroe has collected 557 illustrated Haggadot, finding many online or through donations.

The ever-growing collection has been a regular display at Temple Beth Sholom in Santa Ana for over 10 years. Shebroe is passionate about researching each edition, sharing knowledge with Jewish and non-Jewish visitors to the massive collection spanning several categories — from musical versions to fun children’s texts, plus historical illustrated editions he finds from all over the world.

Whether it’s what’s inside the Haggadah book of traditional stories and prayers, or on its cover — such as the visually stunning metal-plated editions — each has a unique artistic style that’s “as different from each other as us humans are,” Shebroe says.

The Haggadah Collection is on display at Santa Ana’s Temple Beth Sholom daily for temple members until Sunday, April 27. For the general public, the exhibit is open Fridays and Sundays during select times or for groups by appointment. Due to security concerns, reservations can be made at www.tbsoc.com.

Holy Week 

Christians also observed Holy Week, the days leading up to Easter. In the Catholic Church, the faithful celebrated the sacred Triduum, the period from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, which marks the end of the 40-day prayerful season of Lent.

Multilingual Masses and prayer services were held at churches throughout L.A., Orange County and the Inland Empire. Some traditions included washing people’s feet in a service known as Maundy (or Holy) Thursday. The act echoes when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples before the Last Supper, and calls followers to do the same.

“This is a moment for us to really reflect on the mystery of our redemption – the mystery of God’s love for us, Jesus carried his cross for us and he died for us. To set us free to live a new life, to live for God and for the love of our neighbors and families,” said L.A. Archbishop José H. Gomez ahead of the Easter Masses.

On the evening of Holy Thursday, Catholics throughout L.A., Orange and San Bernardino dioceses also visited seven churches as part of a sacred pilgrimage reflecting on the Passion of Christ, and in preparation for Easter Sunday. The next day, Good Friday, people attended solemn local liturgies to venerate — or at some events, carry their own — crosses.

In Altadena, a community that suffered much devastation after the Eaton fire, worshippers from the Pasadena International House of Prayer gathered on Easter Sunday morning for a solemn sunrise service, with live worship music and reflection, at Mountain View Cemetery.

“We have been through a lot as a community this year,” organizers said before the service, “and this will be a time of renewed hope for everyone.”

Blending of faiths 

Some observed both Jewish Passover and Christian Easter season traditions.

The non-denominational Faith Life Church in Eastvale hosted its first-ever Passover Seder event on Good Friday, with a traditional Israeli meal centered around the ceremonial Seder plate.

Lead pastor Vielka Arreola said the interactive Seder — which included Jewish traditions such as lighting the candle, washing hands, reading from the Haggadah — was a unique opportunity “for people to learn the rich, ancient histories that also bring the Bible to life… starting with the Exodus, how God delivered slaves out of Egypt, and taking them all the way to Jesus and his disciples celebrating the Passover.”

“This year, it’s really beautiful that Passover happens to be at the same time as Holy Week,” said Arreola. “There are times in our faith where it’s easy to become complacent. We forget the weight of what it cost Christ to ransom us from our sins. As we wash our hands and go through this meal, we see the lamb shank on the Seder plate, and we know he was the lamb that had to be sacrificed for us. So through this dinner, we read, pray, and experience the tastes and textures that bring the redemption story to life.”

The church also prepared to celebrate two Easter Sunday services for the community.

“People want to experience something real, for it to come to life. It’s like going back to our roots,” Arreola said. “It’s a beautiful season for people of different backgrounds to celebrate, and remember who we once were. In a world filled with so much division, it’s beautiful to see people coming together and breaking bread.”