By Ben Gellman
WCHL Reporter

With the Passover holiday approaching, one local Jewish organization decided to make it easier for Triangle residents to observe the holiday’s diet restrictions.

Chapel Hill Kehillah executive director Melissa Segal says it’s a tall order for Jewish people in the Triangle to get food that fits within the restrictions for the Passover holiday.

That’s why the synagogue created the Passover Ko-Op, featuring foods that are permissible during the eight-day festival.  Jews are forbidden to eat “chametz”, or any grain with the potential for fermenting.  Instead, unleavened bread (or “matzo”) is eaten.

The Passover proceedings include a section saying, “All who are hungry, let them come and eat.” Segal says that idea led to part of what the Kehillah does with the Ko-Op, providing the option of sponsoring gift baskets of Passover food for the elderly and infirm.

The items available range from matzo to macaroons, and are available on the Chapel Hill Kehillah’s Web site (www.chkehillah.org).  Passover runs from sundown March 29 through sundown April 5, so make sure to wish your Jewish friends a “chag sameach.” (That means “Happy holiday.”)