Mimouna: A Post-Passover Moroccan Celebration
April 24, 2022 | 1:00-4:00 pm
Mimouna marks the end of Passover, a time when we can once again eat chametz (leavened foods) and celebrate together. A largely Jewish Moroccan festival, Mimouna begins after sunset and leads into a full day of community gatherings full of excitement and enjoyment. Join us at the JCC for our very own Mimouna celebration where we will indulge in delicious food and delicacies, have exciting and meaningful arts & crafts activities, engage in storytime and teach about the significance of Mimouna, dance to live music, learn some belly dancing techniques, and enjoy live cooking demonstrations from local, treasured chefs. We welcome you to this exciting day of celebrating the conclusion of Passover, the wonders of Jewish Moroccan culture, and the power of community!
Price: $18 | JCC Members: $15 | Children ages 12 and under: Free
A Sampling of our Mimouna programs & vendors:
Mofletta Station - traditional Moroccan Jewish pancake
Calibear - Local San Diego Israeli Rock Band
Debbie Kornberg & Kitty Morse - Local Sephardic Chefs & Educators
Tarciana Bonomo - Belly Dancer & Teacher
Henna San Diego
And more!
What is Mimouna?
With the conclusion of Passover and a variety of different chametz in hand - a term for food containing leavening agents such as flour, which are forbidden during Passover - Moroccan and Mizrahi Jews ready themselves for a spectacular evening of Mimouna celebrations. A largely Moroccan and North African holiday, Mimouna has begun to be celebrated in countries around the world, from Israel to France to Canada to the United States; globally the Jewish people have come to understand the significance of this holiday and its many community-orientated traditions.
A trademark of Mimouna, the evening begins with people traveling from home to home visiting with family and friends in what is affectionately named in Morocco “The Tour”. During these visits, groups of people -some of whom are familiar to one another and some of whom strangers- eat, drink, and celebrate into the wee hours of the night. The next day is filled with incredible hospitality as family and old friends and new friends come back together to feast on sweet treats, symbolizing the sweetness of life. Symbols of the holiday, such as grains of wheat, gold coins, leaves, and jewels, adorn the celebration tables as a spread of incredible cookies, breads, nougat, candied fruits and more are laid out for the festivities.