What is
Passover?

Passover is a major festival that lasts eight days. It is a celebration and commemoration of the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Hebrew word for Passover, Pesach, refers to the idea that God “passed over” the houses of the Children of Israel during the 10th plague on the Egyptians; the slaying of the first born. 

Passover begins with a feast on the first night called a Seder, which includes reading and singing from a Haggadah. The Haggadah includes the Exodus story as well as other Passover rituals and highlights in fifteen symbolic step the journey from slavery to freedom. Also on the table will be a Seder plate with ritual food items placed upon it. Symbolic foods eaten at the seder are: Maror (bitter herbs, usually horseradish, a reminder of the bitterness of slavery), salt water (symbolizing the tears of the slaves), Charoset (sweet paste made of fruit and nuts, symbolizing the mortar the slaves used to build the Egyptian pyramids), Zeroah (shank bone, representing the Passover sacrifice), Beitzah (hard-boiled egg, symbolic of life and birth associated with the spring season), and Karpas (a leafy green vegetable, usually a piece of lettuce, symbolizing hope and redemption). It is required to drink four cups of wine throughout the seder.

It is also common to find Jewish people eating a lot of Matzah during Passover since it is forbidden to consume Chametz (unleavened food products like bread and pasta). It is also a tradition for Jewish people to either burn or symbolically sell any Chametz products they have so that their homes are truly ready for Passover.

Passover is a wonderful celebration of Jewish freedom with many beloved traditions and rituals. We hope that your Passover this year will include celebrating with your B'nai Amoona family!

Kid-Friendly Family Seder
Friday, April 15 at 6:00 pm
JCC Staenberg Family Complex: 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146

This year, B'nai Amoona is teaming up with the St. Louis Jewish Community Center to host a Kid-Friendly Family Seder on the First Night. Rabbi Brad Horwitz and Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham will lead us in this interactive Seder - online registration is required.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER