Passover

Passover is a Jewish festival that commemorates the Exodus, the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, where they had been enslaved. It is considered one of the most important Jewish holidays.

Jews traditionally celebrate Passover with family and friends by holding a ceremonial meal called a Seder, which consists of special symbolic dishes, including unleavened bread called matzo.

Passover can also be called Pesach or Pesah, and is sometimes referred to as the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.

Passover can occur in March or April. In 2024, Passover begins on April 22. In 2025, Passover will begin on April 12.

Passover always begins on the 14th day of Nisan, which in the Jewish calendar is the first month of the religious year and the seventh month of the civil year.

In some Jewish traditions, Passover is observed for seven days, while in others it is observed for eight days.

The first records of the word Passover in reference to the Jewish festival come from the 1500s. It’s a translation of the Hebrew word pesaḥ and the noun form of the verb phrase pass over. The term is used in reference to the story of how the Angel of Death passed over the houses of the Israelites during a plague sent by God to kill the firstborn sons of the Egyptians.

In the account of this event in the book of Exodus, Moses is instructed by God to tell the Israelites to prepare a special meal, one that can be eaten quickly before they escape from Egypt. This meal included a roasted lamb as the main dish, along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread (bread that could be baked quickly, without needing time to rise). Moses instructed the Israelites to use the blood from the lamb to mark the doorways of their houses to keep them safe from the Angel of Death. The Israelites were told to repeat the meal each spring on the anniversary of their departure from Egypt. This annual observance came to be called Passover, and the ritual meal came to be called the Seder.

Today, Passover often involves a reading of the Haggadah, a book containing the order of service of the traditional Passover meal and including a telling of the story of the Exodus.

It is a tradition for Jews to end the Seder by singing or saying “Next year in Jerusalem” (or the Hebrew phrase that it’s translated from), which is typically considered an expression of Jewish unity done in remembrance of the Jews’ time in exile.

Traditional greetings for Passover include Chag Sameach (meaning “Happy Holiday”) and Chag Pesach Sameach (meaning “Happy Passover Holiday“).

What are some words that often get used in discussing Passover?

• Seder
• meal
• feast
• Exodus
• holiday
• celebrate
• unleavened
• matzo

Passover is one of the most important Jewish holidays. It is well-known even among non-Jews.

Every Passover recipe you need for a delicious holiday http://t.co/iTnMZM3IfN pic.twitter.com/kTZcJ5FqfM

— HuffPost Taste (@HuffPostTaste) April 1, 2015

Halina Peabody, who survived the Holocaust using a Catholic identity, celebrated her first #Passover after liberation. At relatives' homes, she experienced Passover three times that night. "I have celebrated Passover many times since then, but I will never forget that first one." pic.twitter.com/YvyvX6MoSq

— US Holocaust Museum (@HolocaustMuseum) April 8, 2020

Over a week late, but finally managed to bake my 2019 Passover cakes. 70 cinnamon balls, 50 coconut pyramids, 28 almond macaroons – made to my late grandfather’s recipe. Every year I make them all by hand and remember him. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KOSKoz3qFj

— Zoe Margolis (@girlonetrack) April 26, 2019

True or False?

All Jewish people celebrate Passover for the same length of time.