What is the most important day of Passover 2023
Passover's OriginsPassover (Pesach in Hebrew) is a major Jewish spring festival celebrating freedom and family 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 sedersederסֵדֶר"Order;" ritual dinner that includes the retelling of the story of the Israelite's Exodus from Egypt; plural: sederim. , which includes a festive meal, the prohibition on eating chametzchametzחָמֵץFoods not eaten during Passover. Chametz typically includes leavened bread or any food that contains wheat, rye, barley, oats, or spelt, unless production has been supervised to ensure that it has not leavened. , and the eating of matzahmatzahמַצָּהUnleavened bread eaten during the seder that symbolizes the hurried departure of the Israelites from Egypt. Eating matzah is obligatory only at the seder. During the rest of Pesach, one may abstain from matzah as long as all chametz is avoided; plural: matzot . Show
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 HaggadahHaggadahהַגָּדָהLiterally, “telling.” This is the Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover seder. Plural: Haggadot. , 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. Looking for a new Haggadah for this year’s Passover seder? Whether you’re interested in making your Passover celebrations a little more
political or a little more magical, we’ve got you covered. The Chocolate Seder is not intended to replace your family’s seder, but rather it is a “practice run,” a family activity designed to acquaint children with the order, songs, and customs of the seder before the fact. Learn more, get recipes and family activities for Passover with these videos. Find a CongregationFind a welcoming Reform congregation near you. Passover Greetings!Send free e-cards and add a recipe, blessing, or video. Passover EventsFind a virtual or in-person Passover event at a Reform congregation near you. Relating to PassoverJewish QuestionsGet Jewish Life in Your LifeSubscribe to get inspiring email newsletters. Thank you for signing up! We can't wait to deliver the best of Reform Jewish life to your inbox. To ensure you receive our emails please add our domain to your list of safe senders. Find a Congregation Near YouFind connection, community, learning, and spirituality at a welcoming Reform congregation near you.
Passover Social Action GuidePassover is rich in social justice themes. Here are a few ways to incorporate social action themes into your holiday observance. What's New
April 7, 2022 As many Ukrainian Jews know this year, Passover will be different in 2022. We sat down with Ukrainian Jewish community
leader Andy (he/him), 27, to discuss what the community and holiday will look like in the context of current events.
While Passover is celebrating the world over as among the most important holidays of Judaism and in Jewish culture at large, it is particularly significant to celebrate it in Israel, “the Land of Promise,” to which the Jews were eventually led after their miraculous redemption from slavery in Egypt.
Three quarters of Israel’s 8.5 million people are of Jewish ancestry, and a majority of them consider themselves “traditional Jews.” But even the 20 percent or so who openly identify as “secular Jews” often still observe Passover, due to its being so deeply ingrained in Jewish culture. Passover celebrates the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt after God sent a series of 10 plagues on that nation, the final and most severe of which involved the death of the firstborn son in each house. Those Jews who obeyed God’s command to paint the doorposts of their house with lamb’s blood were spared, as the death angel “passed over” them during the night of the plague. In Israel, Passover occupies a full seven days, the first and last days of the festival being most important. Many observe the non-working requirements of the Sabbath on all seven of these days. Additionally, all leaven (yeast) must be cleaned out of the home, which becomes an occasion for “spring cleaning” in the days leading up to Passover Week, since Passover occurs in the spring. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nisan, the first and main event being the “seder,” which means the Passover dinner. In traditional Judaism, days begin at sunset, around 6pm, and end at the same time the “next day.” Thus, expect celebrations to begin in the evening if visiting Israel during Passover. The Passover dinner will be a time of family togetherness but also of great symbolism and ceremony. The finest dishes and silverware are used, and the table is highly decorative. The story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold, and four cups of wine are drunk at prescribed moments during a 15-stage ritual. Near the end, the “Hallel,” which are Psalms 113 through 118 in the Old Testament, are recited. Matzah, a kind of unleavened bread, and “maror,” bitter foods such as horseradish and romaine lettuce, are consumed during the meal. A prayer ends the meal, traditionally with “Next year in Jerusalem” being the prayer’s final words. Children may win a prize if they find the “afikoman,” a special piece of matzah that parents often hide somewhere in their home during Passover seder. Should you travel in Israel for Passover, things to do include:
There are nearly endless things to do and see in Israel, which is why 3.5 million tourists travel there every year. But there is no more solemn and festive time of year to visit the Land of Promise than during Passover. Previous Years
What day is Passover most important?In more traditional Jewish communities—including both Orthodox and Conservative communities—Passover is celebrated for eight days. Family and friends gather together after nightfall on the first and second nights of the holiday for the high point of the festival observance, the Seder.
What is the most important part of Passover?One of the most important Passover rituals for observant Jews is removing all leavened food products (known as chametz) from their home before the holiday begins and abstaining from them throughout its duration. Instead of bread, religious Jews eat a type of flatbread called matzo.
What day does Passover start in 2023?Passover 2023 starts at sundown on Wednesday, April 5 and ends on Friday night, April 13 or Saturday, April 12 depending on family tradition. The first Passover seder occurs on the evening of April 5, and the second Passover seder occurs on the evening of April 6.
Is Passover more important than Yom Kippur?There are some differences among the three main Jewish denominations—Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox—on the relative importance of the holidays, with all ranking Yom Kippur ahead of Passover in importance.
|
