By Talia Lizemer-Hawley
Passover, or Pesach (PEH-sach) in Hebrew, commemorates the slavery of the Israelites in ancient Egypt and their ultimate exodus to freedom over 3,400 years ago.
The story appears in the Hebrew Bible's books of Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, among other texts.
Before the ancient Jews fled Egypt, their firstborn children were "passed over" and spared from death, thus dubbing the holiday "Passover."
Jews observe the weeklong festival with a number of important rituals, including a traditional Seder (literally "order"), a festive meal in which the Haggadah (literally "to tell") is recited in a set order.
During the entire duration of the holiday, it is forbidden to eat leavened food products (such as bread and pasta) since the Jewish tradition states that in their haste to escape from Egypt, the Jews did not have enough time to wait for the bread to rise. Instead, they ate matzah, unleavened bread.
On Sunday, April 10th, 2022, Temple Sinai's Community Religious School enjoyed a Passover celebration.
It began with baking chocolate-covered matzah and charoset (a sweet paste made of fruit and nuts, symbolizing the mortar the slaves used to build the Egyptian pyramids) while practicing naming the ingredients in Hebrew.
Each student was presented with their own Haggadah, a book read during the traditional Seder meal, retelling the story of Passover.
The students colored a symbolic Seder Plate that includes many food items, each representing the different aspects of Passover.
The story of Passover was acted, with mean king Pharaoh negating the freedom of his Hebrew slaves. The unfortunate Egyptian people suffered 10 plagues, leading to the Israelite's exodus from Egypt.
Our students participated in a mini-Seder, savoring traditional foods while reading their colorful Haggadahs.
Share this page with your family and friends.