With Passover on the horizon, Judi Herman looks at the ways the ritual of clearing our cupboards of 'chametz' can be extended to the Great British Spring Clean
Keep Britain Tidy's annual Great British Spring Clean campaign comes to a close this Sunday, but that doesn't mean job done. Passover is just around the corner (15-23 Apr), so with that in mind we're urging readers to keep going. No doubt you're preparing to rid your home – both inside and out – of chametz, the leavened foods that are forbidden during this period, so why not extend the sentiment to cleaning up your local area? Think of chametz as a metaphor for rubbish, add a dash of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and hey presto, you take on a responsibility to keep your small part of the Earth clean. As the saying goes, every little helps.
Judi Herman and husband Steve go litter picking with Biba the Bedlington terrier © Lisa Mesgian
In the Passover ritual, there are three ways to dispose of your chametz. Firstly, burn it in a ceremony called bi’ur; secondly, nullify it in a bittul ceremony, where the head of the household recites an Aramaic statement that the chametz "be nullified and considered ownerless as the dust of the earth"; or thirdly, give it to a non-Jew. We strongly advise against the bi’ur ceremony for the litter you collect, as this can pollute the air, land and water. If you opt for bittul, don’t consider your rubbish as ownerless, but perhaps rather as the dust of your earth, so your responsibility, to be cleared from your patch. And when you’ve bagged it carefully, separating out the recyclables, you will be ready to give it away, so to speak, to your local council, whether this is through weekly bin collections or at your nearest recycling centre.
At this time, when the chances of slowing down unprecedented climate change are scarily slim, we must remember that cleansing acts such as these are not just for Passover – or even the Great British Spring Clean. Be part of a possible solution by joining me in declaring "not in my backyard" and making a clean sweep of your neighbourhood.
And since Passover is a family festival, with fun activities such as the Seder-night hunt for the afikoman, that special piece of matzo hidden for kids to find (with a prize to boot), why not start a new family tradition this year? Try competitive – or cooperative – litter picking during the eight-day spring holiday. Fill a bag with bottles or a carrier with cans. Not only can it be a fun and a good time to bond, but the local wildlife will benefit and you’ll likely get a thank you from your neighbours, who may even be inspired to join in.
We hope you’ve been inspired to head out on a little litter picking excursion in your own local area. We’d love to see you in action, so please send your pictures in via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or email them to info@jewishrenaissance.org.uk, and we’ll share them on our blog and social channels.
Pesach Sameach / Happy Passover!
By Judi Herman
For more information on the Great British Spring Clean, visit keepbritaintidy.org.