PASSOVER 2026 at UAlbany

your response on this Passover 2026 at UAlbany Form is very helpful and appreciated

The first Seder is on a Wednesday night this year, so the first days are during the week but go right into Shabbat and attach to a weekend. In general much of the holiday falls midweek. We will be here and hosting ALL of the holiday meals Passover for those up here!

Shabbos House will be VERY open for Passover! Some students will be home/away for parts or all of Passover, but we will be here throughout, all meals and Seders and prayers at Shabbos House – see below:

Two options for each of the two Seders, Wednesday 4/1 and Thursday 4/2 nights: Either come for full student-friendly traditional Seder from 8pm-11pm+ or the abridged 1-hour “Seder-within-a-Seder” 9-10pm with the basic core-essentials. Either way students can come/go as works for them.

Holiday and Shabbat meals and prayers: lunches Thursday 4/2, Friday 4/3 and Saturday 4/4 in addition to the Seders on the first weekend of Pesach.

Shabbat of Passover: Friday Night 4/3 Shabbat Dinner 8pm at Shabbos House, and Shabbat Lunch 4/4 at 12:30pm.

Mid-Passover Meals: Kosher Dining at Indigenous will have boxed (fresh, not frozen) Kosher meals for lunch and dinner on the mid-Passover days of Sunday night 4/5 through Tuesday afternoon 4/7. (We will table with Matzah and Schmears one day and may have some hot food options available on one of the nights, too).

The last two holiday days of Passover 2026 resume Tuesday night 4/7 and run through Thursday evening 4/9 when Passover ends at 8:14pm. Shabbos House will be hosting Passover holiday dinners and lunches. Dinners at 8pm on 4/7 and 4/8 and Lunches 12:30pm on 4/8 and 4/9. And a light end of Passover meal on 4/9 at 7pm.

RSVPs are not required for Passover at Shabbos House, but (if you haven’t already) your response on this Passover 2026 at UAlbany Form is very helpful and appreciated – as it helps us get a sense of how many to prepare for at each part of Passover. The form also has a slot to request a Holiday Religious Letter for your classes and whether you know of any Jewish faculty who’d like to receive some round handmade Shmurah Matzah as our holiday courtesy.

Passover meals are supported by Parent and Alumni and Friends Contributions, and Shabbos House Lchaim Student Group –  SA Student Activity Fee Funding.

SOME COLLEGE PASSOVER FAQ’S

How can I sell my Chametz? Whatever Chametz to be sold should be set aside in a closed area out of sight & use during Passover and then use this online Chametz Sale Authorization Form on Chabad.org

What might be some Chametz that I’m not thinking of? Beer is Chametz as are almost all vodka and whiskeys. In addition to the obvious cookies, cake, pizza and bread, things like twizzlers have flour binders inside, soy sauce is fermented chametz, vinegar is often chametz, even vitamins in almond or rice milk can be made of Chametz sources. Cheerios are made of oats, ramen are pasta. Many vitamins are Chametz, especially chewables. Turns out that Passover Coke not only avoids the corn-syrup Ashkenasic forbidden Kitniyot but citric acids made of real Chametz, too.

I’m leaving before Passover, do I search for Chametz? Yes, ideally you should do so on the last night-time you are up here before Passover, after-dark, using a phone flashlight and without the blessing, and no need to put out the 10 pieces of bread – unless you are doing it the night before Passover. But you should still (clean up first and then) search the place you “own/rent/live-in” to ensure there’s no remaining Chametz (aside for what may be stored away out-of-sight to be sold).

My roommate has his/her Chametz out visible everywhere, is that a problem? No. Not your Chametz, not your problem, says the Talmud.

Is there Kosher for Passover food for sale around here? First of all, we will be hosting 13(!) Kosher for Passover meals over the course of the holiday. Please join us! —- In addition, the Colonie Market32 (1730 Central Ave) has a large Kosher section with lots of Passover items. Even Wal-Mart has a small selection of Passover items.

When do we stop eating Chametz? This year its on Saturday April 12th at 10:50am. (We burn Chametz by 11:54am).

I am a first-born and need to hear a Siyum on Erev Pesach? Are you up here that morning? Come with us. There’s an annual Siyum, morning prayer and Chametz Breakfast Nosh at the local Maimonides School on Wednesday morning 4/1 at 404 Partridge Street in Albany.

My Professor doesn’t understand that I need to take off for Passover! First of all, see the Passover 2026 form, there’s a spot there to request a rabbi’s letter and we will email that to you. If any further issues, please let us know as well as the Dean’s Office. It is both UAlbany Policy and NYS Law to make these religious allowances without penalty (though you do have to make up the work and are responsible for the study material). They should back you up 100%.

PS: Interested in preparing mentally and spiritually for Passover? Lots of resources online, especially at Chabad.org/Passover. You can also browse Mendel’s Haggadah Tweets, or this listing of some nice & varied links and posts of our Passover Inspiration Collection online on our website.