PASSOVER

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PASSOVER

• What is it? How is it celebrated?

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PASSOVER

• Passover is the eight day observance
  commemorating the freedom and exodus of the
  Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the
  reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II.
• Moses, a simple Jewish shepherd, was instructed
  by God to go to the Pharoah and demand the
  freedom of his people.

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PASSOVER

• Moses pleaded with the Pharaoh saying, Let my
  people go!
• Moses warned the Pharoah that God would send
  severe punishments to the people of Egypt if the
  Israelites were not freed.
• The Pharaoh ignored Moses plea and warning.

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PASSOVER

• In response, God unleashed a series of ten
  terrible plagues on the people of Egypt
• Flood
• Frogs
• Lice
• Wild beasts (flies)
• Blight (cattle disease)
• Boils
• Hail
• Locusts
• Darkness
• Slaying of the First Born

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PASSOVER

• The holidays name Pesach, meaning passing
  over or protection in Hebrew, is derived from
  the instructions given to Moses by God.
• In order to encourage the Pharaoh to free the
  Israelites, God intended to kill the first born
  of both man and beast. To protect themselves, the
  Israelites were told to mark their homes with
  lambs blood so that God could identify and pass
  over their homes.

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PASSOVER

• The Pharoah was unconvinced and refused to free
  the slaves until his own first-born son was
  killed
• When the Pharoah finally agreed to freedom, the
  Israelites left their homes so quickly there
  wasnt time to bake their bread. So they packed
  the raw dough to take with them on their journey.
  As they fled through the desert, they would
  quickly bake the dough in the hot sun into hard
  crackers called matzohs.

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PASSOVER

• Although the Jews released, the Pharaohs army
  chased them through the desert towards the Red
  Sea. When the Jews reached the sea they were
  trapped.
• It was then that a miracle occurred. The waves of
  the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able
  to cross to the other side. As soon as they all
  were safe, the sea closed, trapping the Pharaohs
  army as waves closed upon them.
• As the Red Sea sweep away the army, the
  Israelites realized they were finally free!

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PASSOVER

• Passover celebrates this history. The first two
  nights of the eight day holiday are celebrated
  with lavish meals called Seders in which the
  stories and history of Passover are remembered
  and told. Special foods, plates and silverware
  are all a part of the Seder.
• This year Passover began at sunset on Wednesday,
  April 8th and will continue until Wednesday,
  April 15th.

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SEDER

• What is it? How is it celebrated?

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SEDER

• Taking place the first two nights of the eight
  day holiday, the Seder is the most important
  event of Passover. Family and friends gather to
  celebrate long-held traditions and customs.
• There are many strict rules to be followed at
  Passover. Only special foods, utensils, and
  dishware are allowed.
• The home is cleaned and cleared of all yeast
  foods, called hametz. Special dishes and utensils
  are taken out of storage.

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SEDER

• Only foods that are Kosher for Passover are
  allowed. No leavened (containing yeast) foods or
  grains are eaten.
• The Seder table is set different from the regular
  dinner table. The centerpiece is the Seder plate,
  a special plate containing the five foods in
  remembrance of the Israelites struggle and
  journey to freedom.

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SEDER

• The Seder plate contains foods that have special
  meaning for the holiday
• Haroseth a mixture of chopped walnuts, wine,
  cinnamon, and apples that represents the mortar
  the Jewish slaves used to assemble the Pharaohs
  bricks
• Parsley symbolizing springtime, it is dipped in
  salt water to represent the tears of the Jewish
  slaves.
• Egg another symbol of spring
• Shank bone symbolizes the sacrificial lamb
  offering (can be the bone from whatever the
  family is eating for dinner)
• Bitter herbs freshly grated horseradish to
  reflect the bitter affliction of slavery

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SEDER

• Three pieces of matzoh are placed in a Matzoh
  Cover (a cloth napkin or envelope) and placed in
  the center of the Seder table. Before the meal
  begins the middle matzoh is removed and broken in
  half.
• One half is returned to the Matzoh Cover, the
  other half (the Afikomen) is hidden to be hunted
  by the children at the end of the Seder meal. The
  child who finds the Afikomen wins a special
  prize.

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SEDER

• During the Seder, four glasses of wine are poured
  to represent the four stage of the exodus of the
  Jews
• Freedom
• Deliverance
• Redemption
• Release
• A fifth cup of wine is then poured and placed on
  the Seder table. This is the Cup of Elijah, an
  offering for the Prophet Elijah. During the Seder
  the door to the home is opened to invite the
  prophet Elijah in. It is considered a privilege
  to be the one to open the door.

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SEDER

• It is important for Jewish children to feel
  involved in the celebration of Passover
• At the Seder the Haggadah, the Book of Exodus, is
  read and the history celebrated with its stories,
  songs, and prayers.
• A child is picked to read from the Haggadah and
  to ask the Four Questions asked at Passover
• Why do we eat only Matzoh on Pesach and not all
  kinds of breads and crackers like other nights?
• Why do we eat bitter herbs or Maror at our Seder?
  
• At our Seder, why do we dip the parsley in salt
  water and the bitter herbs in Charoset?
• Why do we lean on a pillow while eating tonight
  and do not sit straight like other nights?

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SEDER

• The Seder meal

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SEDER

• After the Seder is celebrated, the family will
  then eat a traditional dinner.