Largest Seder In The World

KATMANDU, Nepal - Following legions of "wandering Jews," Lubavitch emissaries will again be dispatched to the "rooftop of the world," a favorite destination of Jewish trekkers - particularly Israelis who have finished their army service and are out to "see the world."

Lubavitch's annual "Seder On Top Of The World" for these young Jews is the largest known seder in the world.

This year, four young rabbis will be dispatched to make that trek. They will arrive in the Himalayan kingdom outfitted with 450 pounds of Matzah, lots of kosher fish, meat, wine and Haggadahs, and energy enough to galvanize an army of backpackers - more than 1,000 young Jews climbing the highest mountain fastnesses in the world.

As in years past, dozens of enthusiastic seder-goers will arrive in advance to be recruited for voluntary KP duty, peeling potatoes while trading favorite chicken-soup recipes and discussing the Haggadah and its modern-day relevance with the rabbis. And throughout the high mountain passes, along the tortuous paths of Nepal and Tibet, young Israeli, American, Australian and European Jews will be heard alerting each other to be back in time for the Seder down below.

Pesach night, these Jews will stream into a huge army tent in front of the Israeli embassy lined end to end with long tables laden with Haggadahs, bottles of wine and Seder plates, and learn about Passover like many of them have never learned before.

Of her seder in Nepal in years past, Irit Goren, 23, of Tel Aviv, who had come to the country to study Eastern religions, said, "Pesach in Katmandu Lubavitch-style was a real eye-opener for me. This [was] the first time Judaism had any meaning for me... I never knew that Judaism was really so meaningful and spiritual."

Goren is one of some 25,000 Israelis who trek through the Himalayas each year as a rite of passage following army service. "Many young Jews travel to the Far East searching for meaning and spiritual identity," said Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky of the Lubavitch World Headquarters. "We hope that this positive Jewish experience and observance will help them find their true spiritual heritage in their own vineyard of Judaism."

POKHARA, Nepal - A second large Nepalese seder, set in natural beauty considered to be more breathtaking than even Katmandu, will be held in Nepal's center of adventure, Pokhara. An additional half-ton of food and a pair of rabbis to lead the seder will be dispatched next week from the Lubavitch World Headquarters. More than 500 are expected to attend.