WHAT IS PASSOVER?

What is Passover, and how do we celebrate it? Chag Pesach Sameach! Happy Passover! Passover is perhaps the most famous of Jewish holidays, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, liberation from slavery, and the beginning of the famous journey the Children of Israel took to the Promised Land. Passover is a seven day holiday (eight in countries outside of Israel) which begins this year in the evening of Monday, March 25th. Click here to watch the video!  How do we celebrate Passover? Jews around the world will gather together with family and friends to host a seder, a celebratory meal in which the story of the Exodus is retold through the recitation of the Haggadah (lit, "telling"), the special ceremonial book for the seder. Outside of Israel, the seder is held on both the first and second nights of the holiday, commemorating a time in which people outside of Israel could not be sure of the exact time in Jerusalem, so to be safe, they celebrated it twice! Passover is observed over the course of a week. The first and last days of the holiday are considered holy days. The days in between, known as Chol HaMoed ("Weekdays of the Festival")", are ordinary work days. On Passover we are commanded to eat matzah, the thin, cracker-like bread which the Jews baked on their backs as they hurried out of Egypt, leaving no time for the dough to rise. Exodus 12:17-20 explains, "And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread... Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread." Passover reminds us all of the sweetness of freedom after having tasted the bitterness of slavery; it celebrates Spring, rebirth and reminds us to always question our freedom in order to savor it. It’s a wonderful holiday filled with joy and celebration. Learn more about this holiday’s customs by watching our special “"How to celebrate Passover” video! Chag Pesach Sameach! Happy Passover! The eTeacherBiblical Team community@eteacherbiblical.com