Happy Passover to our Jewish friends and neighbours.

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Passover is one of the important Jewish holidays. It is held in the spring on the 15 day of the month of Nissan which at present falls between March 26 th and April 25th of the Gregorian calendar. This year Passover began with sundown, April  22nd and ends with sundown, April 30th. 

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The Passover story is from the biblical book of Exodus, which commemorates the ancient Hebrews’ enslavement in Egypt and  their exodus to freedom. It is the central story of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible) and reflects some of the biggest themes in Jewish history: foreign oppression and the longing for freedom; the sense that Jews are a protected and resilient people who will survive any adversity; and the contrast between living outside of Israel (in what’s called the “diaspora”) and living in Israel. Those themes, and their contemporary resonance, are a big part of the Passover holiday today. This story of redemption from slavery is a story that has shaped Jewish consciousness and values.

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Passover is celebrated in the home where there is a service in a specific order, or Seder, a festive meal, and concludes with continuation of the service and songs. It is meant to be joyful, with lots of laughter and  meaningful discussion. The beginning of the Seder recounts the story of Hebrew slavery in Egypt and how Moses led them out of Egypt to freedom. After the meal, the Seder shifts shift to redemption and hope, opening the door for the prophet Elijah to enter and ending with “Next Year in Jerusalem”.  This has been the Jewish prayer for centuries.