Happy Passover 2024! When is Pesach? What is The Haggadah? A Seder meal? How to celebrate

Passover is nearly here and the Jewish holiday plays an important role in Judaism, according to myjewishlearning.com.

Only unleavened bread or "matzo" must may be eaten during the celebratory Jewish festival, according to britannica.com. Matzo symbolizes "the Hebrews' suffering while in bondage and the haste with which they left Egypt in the course of the Exodus."

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Here's what you need to know about Passover:

When is Passover 2024?

Passover begins at sundown Monday, April 22 and ends at sundown on Tuesday, April 30, in 2024, according to almanac.com.

What is Pesach?

Pesach is the Hebrew word for Passover, according to myjewishlearning.com. The name comes from the miracle in which God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the 10th plague.

What is the meaning of Passover?

Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Hebrews’ liberation from slavery in Egypt, according to britannica.com. The holiday also recognizes the sparing of the firstborn of the Israelites − the “passing over” of the forces of destruction − when the Lord “smote the land of Egypt” on the eve of the Exodus.

How is passover celebrated?

Passover is a ceremonious occasion to rejoice in Judaism, especially during the first family meal or Seder, according to britannica.com.

Foods of symbolic significance are consumed, while prayers and traditional recitations are performed. Strict dietary laws are observed and special prohibitions restrict work at the beginning and end of the festival.

How long is Passover?

Biblicial command dictates Passover last for 7 days, according to chabad.org. The festival begins on Nissan 15, while the first and seventh days are observed as yom tov − a period when work is not performed.

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When does Passover 2024 start?

Passover starts at sundown on Monday, April 22.

When does Passover 2024 end?

Passover ends at sundown on Tuesday, April 30.

What is The Haggadah?

The Haggadah is a book − meaning the "telling" − that is read during the Passover Seder, according to reformjudaism.org.

What is a Seder?

The Seder dinner is a Jewish ritual celebrated during the first two nights of Passover, according to myjewishlearning.com:

There are three fundamental patterns of the Seder − the family, the individual and the nation.

"The Seder permits Jews to worship God through prayer, study and learning by taking part in what is essentially a lesson of Jewish history, literature and religion. Participation in the seder lets one symbolically and vicariously relive the Exodus," the website states.

When is the first Seder of 2024 Passover?

The first Passover Seder begins at sundown on Monday, April 22, according to myjewishlearning.com.

When is the second Seder of 2024 Passover?

The second Passover Seder is Tuesday, April 23, according to myjewishlearning.com.

What are the 6 parts of a Seder plate?

The six parts of a Seder plate include beitzah, charoset, chazeret, karpas, maror and zeroa, according to reformjudaism.org.

What is beitzah in Passover Seder?

The word literally means “egg,” according to reformjudaism.org. The Passover Seder plate item represents the Passover sacrifice from biblical times and symbolizes the spring season.

What is charoset in Passover Seder?

A part of the Passover Seder consisting of fruits, nuts, spices and wine, according to reformjudaism.org. The color and consistency reminds Jews of the bricks and mortar used by Israelite slaves.

What is chazeret in Passover Seder?

A vegetable − usually romaine lettuce − that is used in addition to maror on the Seder plate, according to reformjudaism.org.

What is karpas in Passover Seder?

Karpas is a green herb or vegetable − such as parsley, celery or watercress − which symbolizes spring and rebirth as part of the Passover Seder, according to reformjudaism.org.

What is maror in Passover Seder?

The word literally means "bitter," according to reformjudaism.org. Maror is the bitter herb or vegetable − such as horseradish − that symbolizes "the bitter plight of enslaved Israelites" for the Passover Seder.

What is zeroa in Passover Seder?

Zeroa is the shank bone "symbolizing the Paschal lamb offered as the Passover sacrifice in biblical times," according to reformjudaism.org. Chicken neck is a common substitute, as is beets for vegetarians.

Chris Sims is a digital content producer at Midwest Connect Gannett. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Passover 2024: When is Pesach? What does it mean? What is a Seder meal?