![Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon [L] and Rabbi of Jerusalem Shlomo Amar [R] with the burning of bread before Passover in the background (photo credit: ARNON BOSSANI)](https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/q_auto/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/456242 "Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon [L] and Rabbi of Jerusalem Shlomo Amar [R] with the burning of bread before Passover in the background")
The city of Jerusalem held what may be “the world’s biggest burning of unleavened bread” to honor the beginning of Passover, a press release on behalf of the city's municipality reported on Wednesday.
The burning was of left-over breads and pastries left over in 100 containers around the city residents could throw their unwanted food remains into. The left-overs were piled in one major location at Atarot industrial zone.
Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon and the Rabbi of Jerusalem Shlomo Amar were on the site as well as Rabbi Arye Stern and other city dignities.
Leon said that despite the coronavirus-imposed lockdown and quarantine “we were able not to leave any Jewish custom behind.” He thanked the rabbis and the residents of the city.
The reason Jewish people refrain from eating break during Passover is to remind themselves of the haste in which Jews departed from Egypt. While non-Jewish communities are able to consume breads freely during this time, most supermarkets and grocery stores will not carry them during this time. Which is why, in Israel, Passover is known as “a holiday for bakers.”