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Passover, also called Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday. The dates of the Jewish holiday of Passover are based on a lunar calendar and change every year. This year, Passover begins before sundown on Saturday, April 12, and ends after nightfall on April 20 (Chabad). 

The first Passover happened thousands of years ago when the Israelists in Egypt cried out and asked God to deliver them from Egypt. God chose a man named Moses to lead the Jewish people to freedom. The Pharaoh would not listen to Moses’ requests, and so the 10 plagues (or punishments) arrived to force the Pharaoh to change his mind. The angel of death passed over the houses that were marked according to Moses’ instructions. In his grief the pharaoh ordered Moses and the Jews to leave Egypt (Britannica Kids). The Isrealistes famously crossed the Red Sea!  

Each year at Passover, Jewish people eat special foods, sing songs, tell stories, and participate in a seder – a special meal designed to help them remember this miraculous journey from slavery to freedom (PJ Library). Seder includes four cups of grape juice, bitter herbs (marror) and matzah. Matzah is unleavened bread, which means that it is flat. It serves as a reminder of the Jewish people who hurriedly fled Egypt because they did not have time to let it rise.

Below are some of our resources for children and families to learn more about Passover!