How is this Passover different from all others? Well, more traffic and more leavening, for two things.
More than half a million people made a mass exodus out of the cities Wednesday, the first intermediate day of Passover, causing traffic jams throughout the country and shutting down one northern thoroughfare. Two-thirds of the holiday visitors ventured to nature reserves and national parks.
Meanwhile, those who wanted to find chametz should not have had much of a problem. Despite the intense Knesset debates over the chametz law in recent years, the ban on the public sale of hametz is only symbolic. From religious Jerusalem, where in the past there were protests against restaurants that sold hametz, to secular Tel Aviv and onwards to tolerant Haifa, it is not difficult for one to find hametz to eat.
On Wednesday afternoon, two restaurants on Gaza Street in Jerusalem were packed with customers. On the tables were full glasses of beer, spaghetti and bread. Contrary to the popular perception of Jerusalem, many restaurants in the heart of the city continued to offer their full menus.
Restaurant owners, several of whom asked to remain anonymous ("There is a status quo. Why attract attention?" said one), were proud to offer leavened products.
"I am dying for the Haredim to come protest," said Yair Dechinger, owner of the Yehosua restaurant on Gaza Street.
Secular activists in Jerusalem said cautiously that perhaps this is a battle that the Haredim have given up on or even lost, at least until Haredi Knesset members are able to fix the hametz law in a way that would allow stricter supervision.
Officially, Jerusalem city officials say that the city is acting according to law; off-the-record they say that supervisors are not searching for hametz sellers and only act in response to specific complaints.