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History & Trivia / Passover

What is Passover?

Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is one of the most important Jewish festivals. Celebrated in late March or early April, Passover is the 8 day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II. According to the Book of Exodus, Moses was instructed by God to go to the pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people. When his pleas were ignored, Moses warned the Pharaoh that God would send severe punishments to the people of Egypt if the Israelites were not freed. Still, the Pharaoh ignored Moses' request of freedom. In response God unleashed a series of 10 terrible plagues on the people of Egypt.

Still, the Pharaoh refused to free the Jewish slaves, until the last of the plagues. The Israelites left their homes so quickly that there wasn't time to bake breads. They packed raw dough to take with them on their which they quickly baked in the hot sun. The resulting hard crackers are called matzohs, and are to this day, an important Passover symbol.

But even as the Israelites left Egypt, they were pursued by the Pharaoh's army through the desert. It seemed like their journey would end at the Red Sea where they were trapped from escape. But a miracle occurred when the waves of the Red Sea parted and the Israelites were able to cross to the other side. After reaching safety, the sea closed sweeping away the Pharaoh's army. The Israelites were finally free and Passover celebrates this rich history.

Why is it called Passover?

Pesach, means protection in Hebrew and the name refers to the book of Exodus where, in order to encourage the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, God intended to kill the first-born of both man and beast, but would pass over the houses of the chosen. To protect themselves, the Israelites were told to mark their dwellings with lamb's blood so that God could identify and "pass over" their homes. It is interesting to note that the Christian feast called Easter in English is called Passover in many other languages (Pascha, Pascuas, Paques).