This Saturday, April 30th, marks the end of Passover, the eight-day festival that commemorates the ancient exodus of the Jewish from slavery in Egypt to freedom under Moses leadership. Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is celebrated from the 15th through the 22nd of the month of Nissan according to the Jewish calendar. As a lunar calendar, the dates of Passover vary in relation to the Gregorian calendar.
Jewish communities throughout the world mark Passover with the eating of matzo, unleavened bread that calls to mind the when the Jewish people fled from Egypt in such haste that they could not wait for bread to rise, and with the holding of the Seder meal. The rituals of the Seder meal are proscribed by the Haggadah, a text that sets forth the elements of the Seder and relays stories of G-d’s steadfastness and saving works on behalf of the Jewish people. During the Seder meal, the story of the exodus from Egypt is retold, and symbolic foods are served. Families and friends come together to share the Seder meal and celebrate their ancestors in faith.
During these final days of Passover, we wish you Pesach Sameach – or Happy Passover!
Want to learn more about Passover? Check out these resources:
Passover, the most beloved Jewish holiday (Religion News Service)
http://religionnews.com/2016/04/22/passover-the-most-beloved-jewish-holiday/
Why Is This Passover Different From Past Passovers? (NPR)
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/22/475128102/why-is-this-passover-different-from-past-passovers
The Passover Table – Delicious recipes for your Seder table and beyond (The New York Times)
http://cooking.nytimes.com/topics/passover
Top 5 Passover Traditions From Around The World (Huffington Post)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/08/top-5-passover-traditions_n_184209.html
Beauty in Holiness – Hebraic Collections: An Illustrated Guide (Library of Congress)
https://www.loc.gov/rr/amed/guide/hs-beauty.html
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Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sedertable.jpg via Creative Commons
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