Passover

Showing 1 - 23 of 23 objects

Four weeks after Purim, Jews celebrate Passover. This weeklong holiday commemorates the Israelites' redemption from slavery in Egypt, as told in the Book of Exodus. During the seder, or ritual meal, Jews read from the Haggadah, a compilation of stories, prayers and hymns. Jews are commanded to eat and discuss symbolic foods, the three most important of which are the shank bone (pesah), the unleavened bread (matzah) and the bitter herbs (maror). Numerous ceremonial objects have been developed for use at the seder table. The injunction for every Jew to feel as if he or she had personally come out of Egypt is fulfilled through the seder, or ritual meal which traditionally takes place in the home on the first night of Passover. In the Diaspora, some families also host a seder on the second night. The Haggadah is both the liturgical order for the seder service and the term for the book containing this service. It includes the recitation of the story of the Exodus from Egypt, which is accompanied by singing, discussion, and the eating and drinking of ritual foods. By participating in this ceremony, Jews reexperience the Exodus from Egypt and reflect on its significance for their own lives and present circumstances.