By Dov Benovadia Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 7:10 am
YERUSHALAYIM – Like other Israeli households, the IDF is getting ready for Pesach, as many active duty soldiers will be celebrating the holiday and attending a seder at their bases. Preparations include cleaning bases, doing laundry, and recycling old and out of use uniforms and items.
The army will be preparing holiday meals from 12,000 kilos of matzoh meal, 2,400 kilos of instant matzoh balls mix, 13,000 kilos of fish, 50,000 kilos of beef, 45,000 kilos of turkey, and 130,000 kilos of chicken. Ready-made items include 65,000 kilos of matzoh, 230,000 kosher for Pesach rolls (made of potato starch), and 13,000 servings of charoses. In addition, 17,000 liters of grape juice will be distributed, along with 21,000 bottles of soft drinks.
Soldiers in the field – at outposts, etc. – who cannot make it to a base will be provided with a personal seder pack, of which 4,800 are being prepared.
The IDF in recent years has become aware of the nutritional needs of soldiers, and provisions will be made for soldiers who do not eat kitniyos, vegan and vegetarian soldiers, and soldiers who do not tolerate gluten. Soldiers have been given individual questionnaires in which they can indicate their preferences – and this year, the army is trying to satisfy palates, as well: Soldiers are being given a choice of menu for holiday meals from a wide variety of dishes, for both first and main courses. Bases will serve the most popular dishes, as voted on by soldiers.