Israeli officials celebrate Mimouna. Photo: The Israel Project.

Forward – ‘My Ashkenazi friends think I am crazy,” said Malka Joseph, a 35-year-old teacher from the Israeli city Ashkelon. “They tell me that preparing for Passover is hard enough, but preparing for two festivals back to back is unthinkable.”

Joseph will host 12 guests for a Seder on April 6. A week later, a day after Passover ends, she’ll entertain up to 100 people to celebrate the traditional North African Jewish festival of Mimouna.