22. Passover - A Jewish Holiday of Remembering

Passover is a Jewish holiday that remembers and their liberation from ancient Egyptian slavery as described the Old Testament of the Bible. It is celebrated in the spring and lasts about a .

According to the story in the Bible, God ancient Egypt with 10 plagues. The last plague Egyptian first-born males. Jewish people were told to their doors with lamb's blood so that God know to pass over these houses and not any first born males inside. This is where name of the holiday, Passover, comes from. After last plague the Egyptian king, known as the , agreed to release the ancient Jews from bondage. Bible story also says that the Jewish people their homes in such a rush after they freed that they didn't have time to wait the bread to rise. This is why at commemorative Passover meal, Jewish people eat matzo, bread yeast, also known as unleavened bread. The matzo other foods are eaten at a special meal a seder.

There are very specific rituals that at the Seder meal. These rituals are all a book called the Haggadah. Inside the Haggadah also the story of the Jewish exodus from . During the seder meal parts of the Haggadah read aloud. The first part of the meal a blessing over wine. The second part of meal is the washing of hands. The third of the meal is when someone dips some of vegetable in salt water and then eats vegetable. The vegetable symbolizes the humble origins of Jewish people. The water symbolizes their tears. The part of the meal is when three pieces matzo are broken.
   



CLOSE