Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is a major Jewish spring festival celebrating freedom as we remember the Exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. The main observances of this holiday center around a special home service called the seder, which includes a festive meal, the prohibition on eating chametz (Chametz includes grains like wheat, oats, rye, barley and spelt, which are prohibited if they’ve had contact with water/moisture for longer than 18 minutes, leading to rising or “leavening.”), and the eating of matzah (thin, crisp unleavened bread).
On the 15th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, Jews gather with family and friends in the evening to read from a book called the Haggadah, meaning “telling,” which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings, and songs for the Passover seder. The Haggadah helps us retell the events of the Exodus, so that each generation may learn and remember this story that is so central to Jewish life and history.
Passover is celebrated for either seven or eight days, depending on family and communal custom. In Israel and for most Reform Jews around the world, Passover is seven days, but for many other Jews, it is eight days.
Learn more at ReformJudaism.org Learn more at MyJewishLearning
Create a personalized Haggadah for your Passover seder
What goes on a seder plate? and 7 Modern Additions to the Seder Plate from ReformJudaism.org
Passover recipes: Reform Judaism, My Jewish Learning, Food & Wine
Passover Made Easier from PJ Library
Craft ideas: Passover Crafts from Reform Judaism.org, Make Your Own Plague Props
9 Seder Ideas You Haven’t Thought of Yet
Passover Discovery Kit and Ten-Minute Passover Seder from the Jewish Grandparents Network
How are We Telling the Teen Story?
Jewish Teens Guide to Passover
Celebrating Easter and Passover in Interfaith Relationships via 18Doors
