Passover

Hello, I am a Jewish holiday, and my name is Passover. In the Hebrew language, my name is Pesach. I arrive each spring to help people remember a very important story about freedom from a long, long time ago. My story comes from the biblical Book of Exodus and tells about the Israelites' journey to freedom. For many years, the Israelites were slaves in a land called ancient Egypt, forced to work very hard for a powerful ruler called Pharaoh. The story I commemorate is about how they finally escaped their hardship.

On my first night, and sometimes on my second night as well, many families and friends gather for a special meal called a Seder. The Seder is a time for telling this ancient story of escape. People use a special book called the Haggadah to guide them through the meal. The Haggadah means “the telling” in Hebrew, and it explains the steps of the meal and the history behind my traditions. It helps everyone, from the oldest to the youngest, remember the journey from slavery to freedom that the Israelites took.

During the Seder, the table is filled with symbolic foods that help tell the story in a special way. Each food has a meaning. For example, people eat bitter herbs, which have a sharp taste. This is to remember the bitterness and sadness the Israelites felt when they were slaves in Egypt. Another very important food is a type of flatbread called matzah. It looks like a big, thin cracker, and it plays a big part in my observance. These foods are not just for eating; they are for remembering.

Matzah is so important that for all seven or eight days that people observe me, they do not eat any bread that is puffy or has risen. Any food made with grain that has been allowed to rise is called chametz. Before I begin, many families clean their homes to make sure there is no chametz left. Instead of regular bread, they eat matzah. This tradition comes from the story of the escape. The Israelites had to leave Egypt in such a hurry that they had no time to wait for their bread dough to rise. They baked it into flat loaves for their journey, and eating matzah helps people today remember that rush to freedom.

Jewish people all over the world observe me every year. My date is different on the common calendar because my timing follows the Hebrew calendar, which is based on the moon. So while I always happen in the springtime, my exact dates change. The story of the escape from Egypt is very old, but its message is still important to people. For many, I am a time to think about what freedom means and to hope for liberty for all people everywhere who may not be free.