Passover is one of my favorite holidays. Since I was a little girl, my family and friends get together in celebration of Passover. The holiday starts Monday, April 14 and at sundown and lasts for eight days ending in the evening of Tuesday, April 22. The first two nights of Passover is celebrated with an abundant meal with special foods, and silverware which are all a part of the Seder. For the remainder of the holiday we eat only foods that are “Kosher for Passover”. Weeks before the holiday supermarkets have special aisles that have only items that are Kosher for Passover all together so they are easily found. No leavened (containing yeast) foods or grains are eaten. In its place matzoh and foods containing matzoh are eaten.
At the Seder we read from a book which is called the Hagadah which tells the story of the Jews exodus from Egypt.
About 3000 years ago the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians under the rule of the Pharaoh Ramses II. Moses, a simple Jewish shepherd, was instructed by G-d to go to the pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people.
Moses’ plea of let my people go was ignored. Moses warned the Pharaoh that G-d would send severe punishments to the people of Egypt if the Israelites were not freed. Again the Pharaoh ignored Moses’ request of freedom. In response G-d unleashed a series of 10 terrible plagues on the people of Egypt:
Blood, Frogs, Vermin, Wild Beasts, Cattle Disease, Boils, Hail Locusts, Darkness, Slaying of the First Born
When the Pharaoh agreed to freedom, the Israelites left their homes so quickly that there wasn’t even time to bake their breads. 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 matzoh. Today to commemorate this event, Jews eat matzoh in place of bread during Passover.
Though the Jews were now free, their liberation was incomplete. The Pharaoh’s army chased them through the desert towards the Red Sea. When the Jews reached the sea they were trapped, since the sea blocked their escape.
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 reached the other side the sea closed trapping the Pharaoh’s army as the waves closed upon them
Then as the Israelites watched the waters of the Red Sea sweep away the Pharaoh’s army they realized they were finally free.
To read more about the story of Passover visit http://www.holidays.net/passover/story.html.
Check out these videos I found…
LET US GO – PASSOVER PARODY – REGGAE (LET IT GO – IDINA MENZEL) Jimmy Fallon
See the video – Matzo Man
Wishing you all a very happy Passover. ~Bonnie