פסח Pesach - Hebrew Institute of Riverdale

Click on the links below to visit the section you need.

Pesach schedule

Community Passover Seder

We are grateful to offer Free Passover Seders on both Motzaei Shabbat, April 12th and Sunday night, April 13th.
Click here to learn more and register.

Erev Pesach Shabbat

Let us do the cooking! Skip the kitchen chaos and ease into the three-day chag stress-free! No prep, no pressure, just great food and company!

Friday, April 11th, Shabbat Dinner | Mincha - 7:00pm, Dinner - 8:00pm (approx.) Pricing: $40/adult; $20/child;Free for children 3 and under. Sold out! Please join us at future events.
Shabbat, April 12th, early Kiddush/Brunch @ 9:30am. Please co-sponsor here. All donations received by Wednesday, April 9th will be included in the Bulletin.

Hagalat Keilim

Hagalat Keylim (kashering for Pesach with boiling water) is available at the Bayit, with thanks to Yeshivat Maharat, On Wednesday, April 2nd, 10:30am - 12:30pm. To learn more about this process please click here (page 2).

Sale of Chametz

Sell your Chametz online: thebayit.org/chametz.

Clergy team members will be available at Shaharit and after Mincha Maariv each day through Erev Pesach for sale of chametz forms and questions. To do an in person sale of chametz form outside of those hours, please reach out to a member of the clergy team.

If easier, print a paper form and mail it / drop off or scan & email to office@thebayit.org. Click here to download.Your submission must be made by 5:00pm, Thursday, April 10th. If you, or your, Chametz will be in a timezone east of New York City, please make sure to fill out this form by Tuesday, April 8th.

Maot Chittim

Many of our fellow Jews need some extra food assistance for Passover. Visit thebayit.org/maot to donate online via credit card or e-check. Checks can be mailed to the office as well.

Dispose of Chametz

The Department of Sanitation will provide a dumpster in front of RJC, corner of West 237th and Independence Ave:
12:01am - 1:00pm Friday, April 11th.

Burning of Chametz

On Friday, April 11th, you can burn your chametz at the Bayit: 8:00am - 10:30am.
Or at the Braunstein home, 5056 Delafield Ave. Please bring just a small token of chametz: 8:30am - 10:00am.

There will be no pre-Pesach food collection at the Bayit. However, we encourage you to donate your chametz to the Community and Friendly Fridges: 451 W. 238th St. | 5977 Broadway (@ 242nd) | W. 256th & Mosholu Ave.
OU Passover Guides are available in the Bayit Office.
*NEW* The Bayit's Social Action Committee has put together a Pesach Reader, with the theme "Connections" available here.

Halachik Guidelines

Click here for Preparing & Kashering for Pesach
Click here for Pesach Foods & Toiletries
Click here for Bedikah, Bitul, and Biur
when Erev Pesach is on Shabbat
Click here for frequently asked questions
We will update this document periodically.

Special Prayers for Seder Night

Click here for Rav Lau's prayer in Hebrew and English
Click here for Rav Rimon's prayer in Hebrew

Inclusive Seder with Extra Tips

Please click here for an Inclusive Seder With Extra Tips to accommodate young children or other family members who cannot wait until after nightfall to begin.

Bayit Pesach Rabbinic Q's

The Pesach 2025 WhatsApp group is now open. Please email office@thebayit.org and request to be added to the group.

Please click here to see all the Bayit's WhatsApp groups.

Seder Supplement

Please click here for a message from Rav Avi.

Please click here to enjoy Rav Avi's Seder supplement.

Pesach Classes

Shabbat • April 5 • Shabbat HaGadol Derashah with Rav Steven
“Preparation, Rest, Memory and Freedom: When Erev Pesach Falls Out on Shabbat”

6:30pm: Mincha

7:00pm: Derashah

8:10pm: Havdalah

8:45pm: Zoom reprise

Delve into Hilchot Pesach w/Rabbanit Bracha

Part 1: Kashering Your Kitchen and Preparing Your Home

Monday • March 24th @8:15pm, Zoom only*

This year's class available here

Part 2: Food Products with Rabbanit Bracha

Wednesday • March 26th @8:15pm, Zoom only*

This year's class available here

Sunday • March 30th • 8:15pm

Pesach Clergy Round-Robin, Zoom only*

This year's class available here

*Zoom sessions will be on Zoom.us/j/6136133703

Dial-in: +1 646-558-8656 Meeting ID: 613 613 3703

For recordings of previous pre-Pesach classes click here.

Click here for a quick-and-easy Kosher for Pesach meal prep guide with minimal additional ingredients.

Rav Steven's Shabbat Hagadol Derasha 2025

Book of Remembrance

We are in the process of putting together our annual Book of Remembrance for 2025-26. Register online @thebayit.org/bor