The University of Westminster has hosted a Passover celebration as part of the World in Westminster series. This event welcomed students, colleagues and community members to explore the rich traditions of Passover over food, cultural stories and engaging discussions.
Passover, also known as Pesach, started at sundown on 12 April and run until nightfall on 20 April. As one of the most important festivals in the Jewish calendar, it is a commemoration of the departure of the Jewish people from slavery in Ancient Egypt, as set out in the Book of Exodus. The festival begins with the Seder meal, a tradition dating back over 3,000 years, where the story is passed on to the next generation, symbolic foods and drink are enjoyed and families, friends and strangers are welcomed.
Taking place in the University’s Cavendish Campus, those present had the chance to experience a traditional Passover seder with ceremonial foods and drinks, prayers, songs and explanations.
David Cutner, Visting Lecturer in Project and Operations Management at the University of Westminster, sang prayers during the day. He said: “A great example of the diverse and encompassing culture of Westminster took place last Wednesday as colleagues, students, strangers and friends gathered together to learn, celebrate and share a 3,000-year-old traditional ceremonial meal observing the Jewish Passover festival. Depicting the story of Moses and the Exodus, slavery and freedom, another World in Westminster event successfully brought together an eclectic group, who all shared a common goal of understanding each other’s culture.”
Debs Harris and David Cutner
Debs Harris, College Academic Administration Officer in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, organised and led the event. She said: "This is our second year of demonstrating a traditional Passover Seder at the University of Westminster, with this year's event double the size of last year's! I was delighted to see colleagues, students and visitors coming along, joining in and embracing our culture. For some, it was their second time coming along, which was so fantastic to see. Thank you to Professor Dibyesh Anand for facilitating this meaningful event and for his unwavering support to all Equality, Diversity and Inclusion activities at the University."
Professor Dibyesh Anand, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement and Employability, added: “As a global university with a passion for diversity and inclusion, we were delighted to witness students, colleagues and members of the public coming together to learn about Passover and its significance for Jewish people. We listened, sang, ate, laughed and renewed our commitment to be a place for all our community members."
Bringing the community together to celebrate Passover directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about upcoming equality, diversity and inclusion events taking place at the University of Westminster.
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