Passover: The Celebration of Liberation and Jewish Tradition

Passover, known as Pesach in Hebrew, is among the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays. It is the most celebrated of all Jewish holidays with more than 70% of Jewish Americans taking part in a seder, its ritual meal. This celebration of liberation lies at the center of Jewish belief and tradition, providing a guide to the basics of the holiday which begins at sundown.

The Story of the Exodus

The biblical Book of Exodus tells how the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. Moses, a Hebrew raised in the Pharaoh’s palace, was chosen by God to lead his people to freedom. After Pharaoh refuses to release the Israelites, ten plagues are inflicted upon Egypt. During the last of the plagues, the smiting of the first-born sons, God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites, sparing them. God parted the Red Sea and the prophet Moses led them to freedom. They wandered through the desert to the Holy Land, and along the way God gave them Jewish law.

The Passover Seder

Central to the observance of Passover is the Seder, a ceremonial meal held on the first two nights of the holiday. Seder means “order” in Hebrew — all its rituals are performed step by step. Seder guests take turns telling the story of the Exodus and the Israelites’ new relationship with God based on the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Jewish families own haggadahs, books that recount the Exodus. Each participant in the seder gets a copy and follows along as family and friends read and explain the symbolism of the foods on the table. The seder table is often laden with heavy food — lamb, brisket or chicken. Passover also requires drinking four cups of wine, spaced throughout the seder, which represent the four terms for deliverance used in Exodus.

Symbolism and Dietary Customs

Rushing out of Egypt, with Pharaoh’s army at their heels, the Israelites had no time to bake bread. So to this day Jews eat matzo — essentially a flat cracker — during Passover in place of food with leavening. This matzo is symbolic of the unleavened bread hastily baked by the Israelites as they fled Egypt. During Passover, observant Jews resist eating leavened bread (chametz) and families thoroughly clean their homes to remove all traces of chametz before the holiday begins.

Symbolic Elements of the Passover Table

• Matzo: Unleavened bread representing the haste of the departure from Egypt.
• Bitter herbs: Symbolizing the bitterness of slavery.
• Charoset: A sweet mixture representing the mortar used by Israelites.
• Four Cups of Wine: Representing the four terms for deliverance.
• Macaroons: A common Passover delicacy often containing 70 calories a piece.

Modern Interpretations and Diversity

Passover remains a dynamic and vibrant holiday, observed in diverse ways by Jewish communities worldwide. It is the master story of the Jewish people going from degradation to redemption, and it mirrors our own personal journeys. Modern observances may include creative interpretations of the Seder rituals and communal solidarity for Jews worldwide.

Regarding dietary laws, there is a debate where the rice-eaters are winning. Tradition has it that Jews of Spanish origin eat rice on Passover, but Ashkenazi Jews — whose ancestors come from Central and Eastern Europe — did not. Now rabbis for the Conservative movement have ruled that “kitniyot” — rice, legumes and some other formerly forbidden foodstuff — are fine to eat on Passover.

As we retell the story of the Exodus each year, we reaffirm our commitment to freedom, justice, and compassion – values that resonate across cultures and generations. When people are asked, “What is the most important part of your Jewish identity?,” the dominant answer is, “Standing up for equality, pursuing justice and standing up for the rights of the marginalized.”