Passover – March 31 – April 7
Pesach/Passover
Passover or Pesach, the Jewish Festival of Unleavened Bread (Matzah) commemorates the
departure of the Israelites from Egypt.
Passover is celebrated for eight days with special prayers and symbolic foods at home. It is a
"festival of Freedom" to remind Jews of how God released their ancestors from slavery and
brought them to freedom in a Promised Land. Passover begins at sundown on March 30th.
Passover is celebrated by more Jews than any other holiday on the Jewish calendar - perhaps
because it is so essentially and uniquely a family holiday. The Seder (SAY-der) -- the traditional
meal held on the first night of this eight day holiday -- is often attended by complete extended
families. In Canada, many families also have a Seder on the second night. Also, because charity
and community are such important elements of the holiday, it is common for families to invite to
their seder people who, for whatever reason, are not able to have one of their own.
