About Passover

What is Passover?

Passover is one of the most significant and most well-known Jewish holidays. It begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan, which falls in the springtime in Israel. It is one of only three Jewish holidays that necessitated a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem in ancient Israel. Passover celebrates the freeing [...]

Why do some Christian Congregations Celebrate Passover?

If Passover is a Jewish holiday, one might ask, why do some Christian churches celebrate the holiday? One reason is that Jesus was a Jew. Jesus celebrated Jewish holidays, including Passover. Some experts even think that the Last Supper was actually a Passover Seder. Some Churches may host a Seder in order to let worshipers [...]

Fun with Plagues at Passover

During the Passover Seder, a meal to remember the slavery of the Jews in Egypt and their release from it, there is a portion of the ceremony in which the ten plagues are listed. Traditionally, participants take one drop of wine (or juice) from their cup using a knife in order to slightly reduce the [...]

Where Can I Get a Free Haggadah?

There are many places online that have free Haggadahs. A Haggadah is the book that is used to conduct a Passover Seder. The word “Seder” means order in Hebrew. The Haggadah tells the order in which to conduct a Seder. A Seder is the ceremony that begins the Jewish holiday of Passover which celebrates the [...]

Can you translate the Hebrew on My Seder Plate?

There are seven Hebrew words on most Seder plates. Some seder plates may merely have pictures. The Seder plate is a ceremonial plate that is used for the Passover Seders. There is no uniform requirement for the seder plate. The Seder marks the beginning of Passover, a holiday which is a reminder that Jews were [...]

What are the Ten Passover Plagues?

The Lord came to Moses and told him to go to Pharaoh, the King of Egypt. He told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let Moses’ people go. When Moses objected because he was a lowly shepherd, the Lord told Moses that he would give signs to Pharaoh that he should let the Jews go. Moses [...]

What does Kosher for Passover Mean?

Kosher for Passover means that Jews who observe the dietary laws of Judaism can eat the food during the holiday of Passover. In addition to the regular rules of keeping kosher (called kashrut), there are special rules for Passover. The rules of kashrut prohibit eating certain animals. To be kosher, an animal must chew its [...]

What is Haroset?

Haroset is one of the foods eaten at the Passover Seder. It is pronounced with a guttural “h” sound at the beginning like in the Jewish toast Lichayim, the holiday Chanukah, or in the German word Achtung. Haroset is also one of the foods that is featured on the Seder plate. The Seder plate is [...]

When is Passover?

Passover, the Jewish holiday also known as Pesach, falls on the Hebrew calendar dates of Nissan 15-22. Here are the secular dates for the upcoming years: April 6-14, 2012 March 25-April 2, 2013 April 14-22, 2014 April 3-11, 2015 Remember, the Jewish calendar date begins at sundown of the night beforehand. Thus all holiday observances [...]