Celebrating Passover: an introduction

There are many traditions involved in the Jewish holiday of Passover. Whether you are new to Judaism or would simply like to learn more about other cultures, here is a brief introduction to celebrating Passover.

Passover is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the Israelites' freedom from slavery in Egypt. Specifically, Passover refers to a story in the Bible in which God punished all the Egyptian families by killing their first-born sons. The Jewish families, however, were "passed over" and their sons were spared. When the Egyptian Pharaoh found his son dead, he released the Israelites from bondage. To celebrate the freedom of their ancestors, Jewish families mark this event from the 14th to the 22nd day of Nissan, or generally within March or April of the secular calendar.

There are two major parts to Passover and each part lasts two days. There is also a middle section that lasts four days. The first part marks the beginning of the mass exodus from Egypt, while the second part marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses. The four days in the middle of the holiday are less strict, allowing people to do many kinds of work that are prohibited on more important holidays.

• To begin the celebrations, the firstborn children in the family are required to fast on the morning of the 14th day of Nissan. This fast is to pay homage to the fact that their firstborn ancestors were spared. This is followed by morning prayers and a special Seder meal.
• On this same morning, all leavened bread products in the household are gathered and burned, including 10 small ritual pieces of bread. These leavened products, or chametz, are not to be eaten for the entire Passover holiday. Traditional households do not even use the same cooking utensils and pots that have touched such foods to prepare their meals during this time.
• The Passover Seder meal and the meal and prayers during the seventh day are the most ritualistic of the holiday.

If you are celebrating Passover in your own home for the first time, there are three basic elements to keep include:

1. The Fast of the Firstborn
2. The Seder meal
3. The final meal's cup of water.

The water at the end of the holiday represents the Red Sea, which Moses parted with the power of God to help the Israelites escape from the Egyptians.

Serve unleavened breads, called matzah, as well as bitter herbs. Tradition dictates that you also drink four glasses of wine or grape juice and tell the story of the Exodus. If you meet these basic requirements, you will have had a successful Passover.

For Jewish families, Passover is an important time of year to come together and embrace the rich traditions of Judaism.