Passover or Pesach is a Jewish festival that is of great religious and cultural significance to the Jews. Passover 2019 will be celebrated from Friday, April 19 to Saturday, April 27. Every year, Jewish families in Israel and around the world partake in the traditional ritual of sitting around the Seder table. The eight-day-long festival is a celebration of freedom when Moses, the prophet of Judaism, led the Jewish people out of slavery. According to the Assyrian calendar, Passover is said to have taken place on the 15th day of the month of Nisan. Here’s everything you need to know about this Hebrew celebration, including dates, history and significance. Passover Recipes 2019: From Traditional Brisket to Matzo Ball Soup, Best Kosher Foods to Celebrate Pesach.

The History of Passover or Pesach

The story of Passover or Pesach dates back to a time before Christ, in 1300 BCE. The festival celebrates a crucial episode in Jewish religious history, which is mentioned in the Book of Exodus.

The Old Testament states that the ancient Jews were treated as slaves by the Egyptians. Since the Jewish population was rising in Egypt, enslaving the Jews was a measure taken by the Egyptian Pharaoh to prevent their uprising.

The Pharaoh went one step further and ordered the killing of all first-born Jewish males. According to Biblical accounts, Moses was one of the children targeted by the Pharaoh’s men. But his mother put him in a basket hid him away. Happy Passover 2019 Wishes: Pesach WhatsApp Messages, GIF Image Greetings, SMS & Quotes to Send on the Jewish Festival.

In a twist of fate, the basket was discovered by the Pharaoh’s sister, who then brought Moses up like Egyptian. He discovered his true roots when he reached adulthood, when he encountered the prophetic burning bush.

He rose against the Pharaoh and led all the Jews away from Egypt and into Israel. In doing so, he became the most important religious figure of the Jews.

To help them escape the Pharaoh, God sent 10 plagues to Egypt. The Jews protected themselves by smearing the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doorposts.

While all the Egyptians lost their firstborns, God “passed over” the houses with the lamb’s blood, protecting them from his smite. Every year, in remembrance of the event, the Jews celebrate Passover.

Dates of Passover

Passover 2019 will start on April 19 and continue for eight days till April 27. Here’s the complete date calendar of Passover 2019 according to Chabad.org.

April 19 – 13 Nissan (The Day before the Passover)

April 20—15 Nissan (1st day of Passover)

April 21—16 Nissan (2nd day of Passover)

April 22—17 Nissan 3rd day of Passover 1st day of Chol Hamoed

April 23—18 Nissan 4th day of Passover 2nd day of Chol Hamoed

April 24—19 Nissan 5th day of Passover 3rd day of Chol Hamoed

April 25—20 Nissan 6th day of Passover 4th day of Chol Hamoed

April 26—21 Nissan 7th day of Passover—Shevi’i Shel Pesach

April 27—22 Nissan Final Day of Passover—Acharon Shel Pesach

How is Passover or Pesach Celebrated?

Passover is celebrated by eating an unleavened bread called matzo. According to tradition, the Jews had to leave Egypt in a hurry, leaving no time for their bread to rise.

The preparation for the event starts weeks before with cleaning the house to remove all traces foods such as barley, wheat, rye, oats or spelt.

Special foods are made for the occasion. A text called Haggadah is used as a guide for foods. On the day of Passover, a special ceremony called Sedar is observed.

A Seder plate with six symbolic foods such, lamb shank (zeroa), egg (beitzah), bitter herbs (maror), non-bitter vegetable, (charoset) and a mixture of apple and nuts, and (karpas) another non-bitter vegetable.

This year, Passover also coincides with the Holy Week of the Christians, who will be celebrating Easter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2019 06:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).