Thousands of Five Towns residents gathered at the Woodmere Fire Department for the annual community-wide chometz burning ahead of Passover.
Families had from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. on April 1 to bring all chometz that they still had possession of to the parking lot at 20 Irving Place. Chometz — leavened food products prohibited during the eight-day holiday, which began that night and commemorates the Jews Exodus from Egypt. Participants placed items such as bread and grains into designated containers while reciting traditional prayers.
It’s tradition that all chometz is burned or sold to non-Jews within the first hours of Passover and only kosher for Passover products are consumed during the holiday.
The event, now in its 23rd year, is organized and supervised by the Woodmere Fire Department, whose roughly 75 volunteer members respond to nearly 1,000 fire and medical calls annually as part of Nassau County’s 3rd Battalion.
Emergency Medical Services Lt. Jay Goldmark, a 34-year member of the department, created the event to promote safety after a resident was injured performing a chometz burning at home.
“It is wonderful to be able to provide a service to the community to offer to the community a safe alternative to doing this in your house,” Goldmark said. “We do it in a safe, controlled environment with trained firefighters and keep it safe for the community.”
The fire department prepares a couple days in advance by receiving the necessary permits from the Town of Hempstead, buying new steel cans and making sure all firefighters are ready.
“It’s nice to be able to do this for the community,” he said.
The firefighters oversee the burning process and provide guidance on safe materials, discouraging the use of plastics or other hazardous items.
“Hosting this brings safety and serves as a space where the community can get together,” Commissioner Israel Max said. “The community feels they have a safe to do what the religion requires and it’s very meaningful. We’re happy to be a part of the community.”
Over the years, there has been more awareness from residents who used to do this at their home and can now participate in a safe and controlled environment.
Lt. Marc Deutsch said that not only does the fire department get support from the community but also from the local politicians.
He gave a shoutout to County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Ferretti, Councilwoman Missy Miller, Town Clerk Kate Murry and Legislator Howard Kopel.
“Due to the nature of what’s going on we would also like to thank the local Jewish security service that’s here to help keep people safe,” Deutsch said. “Along with the local auxiliary police who come to help with crowd control.”
Deutsch said they began this event to prevent people from doing it at their homes and risking injuries and a burnt home.
According to Deutsch, Ferretti provides them with a dumpster to dispose all the ashes into, and the fire department prepare kindling, safety precautions and control the fires.
“Our members both Jewish and non-Jewish including our chiefs participate in coming here to help the community to do it safely,” he added. “We have Jewish, Christian, Muslim members that come and prepare from midnight the night before and as early as 5 a.m. this morning.”
