YESHAYA Shagalow and Yisroel Plekarskl are is long way from home this Jewish Passover. The young ultra-orthodox flew from Melbourne on Sunday carrying a batch of unleavened bread to commemorate Passover.
Mr Shagalow. 20. and Mr North 20. are members of the Chassidic movement. said to be the largest Jewish outreach organisation In the world.
Both grew up in the United States and studied in Europe before volunteering for a year's service at the Chabad of rural and regional Australia, based in Melbourne.
They are planning seder meal tomorrow night to mark the beginning of the Passover festival.
Mr Piekarski said yesterday, their organisation visited the North two to three times a year to contact an estimated 150 Jewish people in Townsville and Burkedin.
They hoped a synagogue could be established in Townsville.
"In our free time we will call on as many people as possible" Mr Piekarski said. "We have met It lot of nice people here."
Passover marks the exodus of Jewish people from oppression In Egypt and commemorates other times of persecution such as the Holocaust.
The unleavened bread, known as matzo, to be shared at tomorrow night's Seder meal. recalls the Jews' flight from Egypt, with bread not allowed time to rise.
The rabbis, who return to Melbourne next Sunday. may be contacted on 0435 788870