No community Seder in Cairo this year

Jewish Community Council of Cairo says mourning loss to two community members and won't be celebrating in the usual fashion.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
Seder plate 311 (photo credit: courtesy)
Seder plate 311
(photo credit: courtesy)
The Jewish Community Council of Cairo that previously brought members of the dwindling Jewish community together to celebrate Passover and Rosh Hashana will forgo its community Seder this year.
An announcement in the Bassatine News, the community chronicle published by the JCC, wrote: “For the JCC and our tiny community these have been a very difficult 11 months. In that short period we lost both our long-time serving president, Carmen Weinstein, and our newly elected vice president Nadia Shehata-Haroun. The latter was the JCC’s youngest member. Understandably we shall not be celebrating Passover at Adly Synagogue this year in view of the community being in mourning for its very recent loss. We shall, however, keep you informed regarding the next high holidays. Thank you for your understanding.”
Shehata-Haroun, who died on March 6, was the sister of JCC president Magda Haroun. Magda was elected following the death of long serving JCC president Carmen Weinstein in April 2013.
Weinstein had been ill, yet despite her disease continued her work, and invited diplomats and Jewish tourists to attend Seder and Rosh Hashana community dinners.
She presided over her last Seder less than a month before her death.
In previous years the Israel Embassy and the Joint Distribution Committee helped the JCC to organize its Seder and brought in products kosher for Passover from Israel.
Weinstein, who had contacts with several rabbis living in Europe, Israel and the United States, was able to get at least one of them to come to Egypt to officiate each year. Weinstein also took care of the Jewish Cemetery in Bassatine.