Pesach in Byron Shire

When Pesach Overflowed the Tables

A story of unexpected guests, overflowing tables, and a community that came together.

Preparing for Pesach

In Byron Shire, Pesach preparations begin long before the holiday itself.

Several weeks before Pesach, a unique outdoor kitchen rises behind the Chabad House. Stored away throughout the year, folding benches, ovens, stovetops, preparation tables, cookware, and everything needed for a large-scale holiday operation are carefully unpacked and assembled.

From that moment on, the cooking begins. Meals are prepared and frozen gradually, building up enough food not only for the Seders, but for the entire festival and the many visitors who will arrive throughout Pesach.

The First Pesach

Our very first Pesach in Byron Shire took place during the COVID years.

With travel restrictions still affecting the country, only a relatively small number of travelers were able to make the journey. Around eighty participants joined the Seder, a beautiful mix of local families and visitors who found their way to our table despite the challenges of the time.

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The Year Everything Changed

Two years later, after the restrictions had ended and life had largely returned to normal, we prepared for Pesach much as we always had. Based on previous experience, we expected a comfortable and manageable crowd.

The kitchen was stocked, the tables were arranged, and everything seemed ready.

Then, in the final days before the Seder, something unexpected began to happen.

As Pesach approached, the numbers continued climbing. Just before the holiday began, a woman called to ask whether two additional guests could still join.

I told her they were welcome, but there was only one problem: we had completely run out of chairs.

The holiday was moments away from beginning and every available seat had already been claimed.

"Bring your own chairs," I suggested.

And they did.

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Every Chair Was Filled

By the time the Seder began, more than two hundred people had filled every corner of the venue.

Every table we owned was brought out. Every chair was used. Children's chairs, office chairs, spare chairs from around the house—anything that could serve as a seat found its place around the tables.

Thankfully, we had prepared generously. The food that was intended to last throughout the entire week of Pesach was brought out that very first night.

Plate after plate emerged from the kitchen as hundreds gathered together to celebrate freedom, tradition, and Jewish connection far from home.

The atmosphere was unforgettable.

Travelers from across the world sat alongside local families. New friendships formed over cups of wine and shared songs. For many, it felt like finding a piece of home on the other side of the world.

There was warmth, joy, laughter, and a powerful sense of belonging that filled the room long into the night.

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What Happened Next

The story did not end there.

After the Seder, seven young travelers who had pitched their tents on the grounds of the Chabad House volunteered to help.

Together, they stepped into the kitchen and spent the following days preparing meals for the remainder of the festival.

What began as guests arriving for a Seder became a community working side by side to create Pesach for everyone.

Today

It remains one of the most memorable Pesach celebrations in Byron Shire, and ever since then, we have learned to prepare for the unexpected.

Every year we cook generously, ready to welcome whoever may arrive.

Most years, we host two separate Seders: an English-speaking Seder for families and community members, and a Hebrew-speaking Seder for Israeli travelers and visitors.

Both offer a warm, meaningful, and unforgettable Pesach experience.

You are warmly invited to join us and become part of the story.

Chag Pesach Kasher V'Sameach