Happy Passover! For those of you who might not understand this Jewish tradition, Passover (Pesach) celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.
Passover starts on Tuesday, the 26th of March and will continue for 7 days until Monday, the 1st of April. In the USA, Passover ends one day later, so Passover will end on Tuesday, the 2nd of April.
In the Jewish calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Jews will celebrate Passover on the sunset of Monday, the 25th of March.
Passover is divided into two parts:
The first two days and last two days (the latter commemorating the splitting of the Red Sea) are full-fledged holidays. Holiday candles are lit at night, and kiddush and sumptuous holiday meals are enjoyed on both nights and days. We don’t go to work, drive, write or switch on or off electric devices. We are permitted to cook and to carry outdoors (click here for the details).
The highlight of Passover is the Seder, observed on each of the first two nights of the holiday. The Seder is a fifteen-step family-oriented tradition and ritual-packed feast.
The focal points of the Seder are:
· Eating matzah.
· Eating bitter herbs—to commemorate the bitter slavery endured by the Israelites.
· Drinking four cups of wine or grape juice—a royal drink to celebrate our newfound freedom.
· The recitation of the Haggadah, a liturgy that describes in detail the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The Haggadah is the fulfillment of the biblical obligation to recount to our children the story of the Exodus on the night of Passover.
The middle four days are called chol hamoed, semi-festive “intermediate days,” when most forms of work are permitted.
Wishing all our Jewish friends and family Happy Passover!
