Chometz is any food and drink made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or their derivatives, which is forbidden on Passover because it is leavened or fermented. If a food contains any of these ingredients and is not certified as “Kosher-for-Passover,” it’s considered chometz.
If a food contains even a trace of chometz, we don’t eat it, we don’t sell it, and we make sure not to have any of it in our possession on any of the days of Passover. (Note: Matzah used all year round is not for Passover use. Only matzahs baked especially for Passover may be used on Passover).

Take all the chometz – both food and utensils used throughout the year (and not koshered for Passover) – and store it all away in closets or rooms that you will lock or tape shut. You’ll have a competent Rabbi sell this chometz to a non-Jew, and repurchase it from him after Passover. Clean your entire house, purging it of all crumbs and small pieces of food. Also check for chometz in your car and office – don’t overlook desks and drawers. Other spots to be investigated include:
clothes, pockets (especially the children’s), pocketbooks and backpacks. Vacuum cleaner bags should be discarded or cleaned.

Since the kitchen has been used the whole year long for chometz, it’s going to need some work to prepare it for Passover use. (Contact us for details).

While shopping for Passover, we must be careful that the foods we buy are not only kosher but are also Kosher-for-Passover-that is, completely chometz-free. In addition to raw ingredients, there are many Kosher-for-Passover packaged foods available. However, be careful to purchase only those packaged foods that display the insignia of a reliable supervising agency, together with “P” or “Kosher-for-Passover”.

Since we can’t own chometz on Passover, we need to sell to a non-Jew before the time indicated on the calendar – all chometz that we will not consume or destroy before Passover. This is not a simple transaction. That is why we empower a competent Rabbi to do it for us. Fill up this form to have Rabbi Gavriel Avichzer sell your chometz.

On Tuesday evening, April 04, as soon as the sun is down, gather the household together, light the candle, and recite the following blessing:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us concerning the removal of chametz.
Next, hold the lit candle and search for chametz in every room, as well as any other area of the home that may have chametz, such as the basement, attic, garage, or car.
When you’re done, take all the chametz that was found in the search, wrap and seal it securely, and place it in a conspicuous spot.
Then, recite the following declaration:
“All leaven or anything leavened which is in my possession, which I have neither seen nor removed, and about which I am unaware, shall
be considered nullified and ownerless as the dust of the earth”.

On April 22 we may eat chometz only until 10.33am New-York time.
After that time we may eat only foods which are kosher-for-Passover. However, we do not eat matzah until the Seder.

On Wednesday morning, April 22, we burn the chometz that was found during the search, and all other chometz that is not stored away to either be sold to the non-Jew.
We burn the chometz until 11:36am