Monsey: twins' app is perfect for Passover

Ronnie Schwartz, left, and his brother Barry, co-founders of Rustybrick.com













Monsey — For Jews, the pre-Passover ritual of cleansing the home of chametz — or leavened bread products — can make one a little meshuggeneh.

But twins Barry and Ronnie Schwartz, software application and website designers from Suffern, have come up with a modern way of completing a rite with roots in ancient times.

The Schwartzes, co-owners of RustyBrick Inc., have developed a new app just in time for the observance: No Chametz.

The software application, which is free, is for use on Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

"It helps people through the process," Barry Schwartz said.

Chametz refers to crumbs, foodstuffs and other products that contain leavening.

Jews are forbidden from eating, owning or possessing leavened items during Passover.

Passover commemorates the story of how the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery at the hands of the Egyptian pharoah.

God first inflicted 10 plagues upon the Egyptians, the final one being the slaughter of the first-born. Israelites marked their homes with the blood of a lamb and were "passed over" during the slaughter.

The pharoah then freed the Jews, who were in a hurry to leave Egypt and didn't have time to wait for their bread to rise.

In commemoration, Jews do not eat, own or possess leavened products during Passover.

But ridding oneself of chametz isn't as simple as it sounds. Rituals, including special prayers, the burning and even the selling of the chametz, are all part of the process — all taking place at the same time Jews are stocking up on special unleavened Passover foods.

The No Chametz app includes information on all the requirements and how to proceed, as well as links to Jewish experts who answer questions about chametz and its associated rituals.

The app also has a checklist to allow children to note where they hid 10 pieces of chametz the night before Passover begins. Parents can then use the list to make sure they find each piece.

Rabbi David Eidensohn said the app sounded interesting and could be helpful given that Passover preparations were hectic.

"By the time Passover comes, our minds don't work anyway," Eidensohn said. "If there would be a software that can put our minds to work, that would be a good thing. It's very positive if it makes the kids happy.

Then it makes the parents happy. The only one that won't be happy is the chametz."

But Eidensohn also warned against improper use of technology and said it could essentially corrupt a person who used it for "fun and filth" rather than educational and other positive pursuits.

The 31-year-old Schwartzes, who grew up in Monsey, unofficially began their company in 1994 while still in high school. By 1999, it was an official entity, they said.

They've been designing apps for use by Apple mobile devices since 2008, with 23 Jewish-oriented apps among them. They include Siddur, a book of prayers used by Jews in their daily life; Kosher, enabling users to find the nearest kosher eatery; and Shabbat Shalom, telling users what time the sabbath begins, depending on their location.

The company designs full websites in addition to individual applications, and their clients range from Harvard University to MTV.

All work is done onsite in Suffern, they said, bristling at the idea of outsourcing design to a firm in a foreign country.