What is the story behind Passover

asks Tony B:
A. Passover is the eight-day ceremony commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II, about 3,000 years ago. According to the Book of Exodus, Moses was told by God to go to the Pharaoh and demand the freedom of his people. He went and was ignored by the Pharoah.

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Q. What happened then
A. Moses warned the Pharaoh that God would punish the people of Egypt if he didn't free the Israelites. Again the Pharaoh ignored Moses. As a result, God unleashed ten plagues on the people of Egypt:

• blood
• frogs
• lice
• wild beasts
• blight
• boils
• hail
• locusts
• darkness
• slaying of the first born.

Q. Nasty. And this didn't convince the Pharoah
A. Not until the last plague. And this is where the word 'Passover' originates. It comes from Pesach, meaning 'passing over' or 'protection' in Hebrew, and relates to the instructions given to Moses by God. When the first-born were being slayed, the Israelites were told to protect themselves by marking their houses with lamb's blood so that God could recognise and 'pass over' their homes.

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Q. What happened when the Israelites were given their freedom
A. They left their homes so quickly that they didn't even have enough time to bake. So they took raw dough with them and baked it in the hot sun into hard crackers called matzohs. Matzohs are an important part of Passover today - in the UK alone, more than 450,000 boxes of matzohs are sold during Passover.

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Q. When does Passover begin
A. On the 15th night of the Jewish month of Nissan. This year, the first night of Passover is Saturday 7 April. Before Passover begins, the home is cleaned and cleared of all food containing yeast, either by eating it or 'selling' it to non-Jewish neighbours or friends. Then special dishes and utensils for the Passover holiday are taken out of storage, cleaned and used.

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Q. How is Passover celebrated
A. By family gatherings and huge meals called Seders. The focal point of the Passover, the Seder takes place on the first two nights of the celebration. There are special foods, songs, and customs and it involves the whole family. The centrepiece is the Seder plate, which holds five foods to symbolise the Israelites' journey to freedom. They are:

• Zeroa: a shankbone
• Maror: bitter herbs (usually horseradish)
• Karpas: parsley, which is dipped into salt water
• Charoset: apple, nuts, and spices ground together and mixed with wine
• Beitzah: a roasted egg.

Do you have something to add about Passover Post it here

By Sheena Miller

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