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This year Erev Pesach occurs on Shabbos, April 19, 2008. This occurrence has significant impact on the halachos of preparing for Pesach both at home and in the shul. The following is a brief synopsis of the relevant halachos of this years Erev Pesach compiled by our Rabbi.
For particular questions the Rabbi should be consulted.

BIUR CHOMETZ - The burning of chometz should be done on Friday morning, without the recital of the bitul(kol chamirah), before 11:43 a.m.

MEALS ON SHABBOS - One is allowed to eat chometz until 10:34 a.m. on Shabbos morning, April 19, but for all intents and purposes your home will be "pesachdik". A dilemma arises when Erev Pesach is on Shabbos. One cannot eat matzo on Erev Pesach but one must still have bread for Lechem mishna. The following are two practical approaches to resolve the problem:

a) Using small challah rolls - One can use these for Friday night, Shabbos lunch and shalosh seudos providing that all meals are completed before 10:34 a.m. on Shabbos morning.(see below) Those meals should be served using paper dishes, tablecloths and plastic cutlery. After the rolls are eaten all crumbs should be collected and flushed down the toilet. The tablecloth should be removed and carefully shaken into the toilet. It is preferable to eat this meal in an area where there is no carpet. The broom used for sweeping should be carefully shaken into the toilet. All remaining paper dishes, cutlery, etc. should be placed in a garbage bag and either left on the street outside your property line or stored with the rest of your chometz products in a sealed room or cabinet. Please note that all chometz must be removed before 11:43 a.m. on Shabbos morning.

b) Using egg matzos: Those with small children who fear that they cannot control the disposal of chometz can use egg matzos and serve their meals on regular Pesach dishes. All these meals must be completed before 10:34 a.m. Shabbos morning and all egg matzo should be stored away with your chometz in a sealed room or cabinet before 11:43a.m. Egg matzo can only be used on Pesach by those needing it for health reasons.

SHABBOS LUNCH AND SHALOSH SEUDOS - As one is required to eat three meals on Shabbos one should begin their Shabbos lunch early enough to wash and make hamotzi and bench, and then wash, make a hamotzi and bench again for shalosh seudos before 10:34 a.m. A practical way of accomplishing this is to wash, make hamotzi and eat a piece of bread or egg matzo with the first course of your meal and then recite birkas hamazon. One should then take a small break (perhaps to learn some Torah) and then wash and make hamotzi again and eat the remainder of the meal. If one wishes, one can eat shalosh seudos later without washing, to eat some meat, eggs or fruit. No matzo should be eaten at this meal. In either case all meals with either challah rolls or egg matzo should be completed by 10:34 a.m. All chometz crumbs should have been disposed of and all egg matzo put away along with paper dishes, and plastic cutlery stored, and the Kol Chamira prayer recited before 11:43 a.m..

SHABBOS CANDLES - Candles should not be lit on your table if you are planning to eat chometz, so that the tablecloth can be fully removed and disposed of or put away.

SEDER PREPARATIONS - All seder preparations (i.e. roasting of eggs, preparation of charoses, etc.) should be done on Erev Shabbos. No seder preparations (setting the table, preparing the seder plate, etc.) can be done on Saturday before 8:31 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE

DUE TO THE NEED FOR EATING SHABBOS LUNCH EARLY ON EREV PESACH, THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE MINYAN SHABBOS MORNING, APRIL 19, AT 8:00 A.M.

SEARCH FOR CHOMETZ
Every home should be thoroughly cleaned during the week before Passover. The final search for Chometz is conducted on the night of Thursday, April 17 after nightfall.
It is necessary that a formal renunciation of ownership must be recited. The Kol Chamira is found at the beginning of the Hagadah.

BURNING OF CHOMETZ
All Chometz that has not been sold must be burned no later than 11:43 a.m. on Friday, April 18. The Kol Chamira is again recited Shabbat morning before 11:43 a.m.<----> No chometz may be eaten after 10:34 a.m. on Shabbat morning Aptil 19, 2008

PREPARING THE KITCHEN
Dishes and Utensils: Separate sets of dishes set aside for Passover use only, otherwise they must be Kashered. Plastic dishes cannot be Kashered. Teflon coated utensil may be used if new.
Dishwashers if used during the course of the year, should preferably not be used during Passover. Metal Sinks may be Kashered by pouring boiling water over the entire sink. Other sinks may be covered with contact paper for Pesach.
Refrigerators should be cleaned thoroughly and shelves lined with paper.
Stoves and Ovens must be cleaned and scraped. Burners must be turned on to the highest temperature and/or on broil for 45 minutes. The top of the oven should be covered with tin foil. Counter Tops and Shelves should be cleaned and covered.

FOODS ON PASSOVER
The label "Kosher for Passover" does not guarantee that the product is kosher for Passover. It should have an endorsement by an authorized Rabbinical body.

CHOMETZ
Cereals, bread, white vinegar, whiskey, legumes, peas, beans, rice and corn are all chometz.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are kosher for Passover. They should be washed thoroughly. Frozen fruits and vegetables may be used if they are packed in cellophane packaging only.

Granulated sugar, salt, coffee and tea may be used with minimal supervision. All other spices must carry a proper endorsement.

Milk and Dairy products should bear certification. Oils, fats and shortening should bear certification for Passover. Corn Oil should not be used.

Medicines - Tablets are fine for Passover use. Coated tablets may contain chometz. Consult a Rabbi if needed. Capsules are Kosher. Coated or flavoured vitamins should be avoided. You may use Pesach approved vitamins. Liquid medicines are usually chometz. If necessary, consult a Rabbi.

Only Baby food with certification may be used. Infant formula may need Rabbinical approval.

Dishwashing liquids require certification.