Pesach, known as Passover in English, is a major Jewish spring festival, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The ritual observance of this holiday centers around a special home service called the seder (meaning "order") and a festive meal; the prohibition of chametz (leaven); and the eating of matzah (an unleavened bread). On the eve of the fifteenth day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, we read from a book called the hagaddah, meaning "telling," which contains the order of prayers, rituals, readings and songs for the Pesach seder. The Pesach seder is the only ritual meal in the Jewish calendar year for which such an order is prescribed, hence its name.
The seder has a number of scriptural bases. Exodus 12:3-11 describes the meal of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs which the Israelites ate just prior to the Exodus. In addition, three separate passages in Exodus (12:26-7, 13:8, 13:14) and one in Deuteronomy (6:20-21) enunciate the duty of the parents to tell the story of the Exodus to their children. The seder plate contains various symbolic foods referred to in the seder itself.
Recipes by Tina Wasserman: Traditional Charoset, Texas-Style; Beef Borscht with Wine; Nirvana Chicken; Braised Lamb Shanks in Orange-Merlot Sauce; Poached Salmon in a Court Bouillon; Asparagus with Orange Dill Sauce; Sabayon
Join Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, Worship Specialist, and Naomi Abelson, Social Action Specialist, as we explore several ideas for deepening the experience and raising the consciousness of those gathered around your seder table.
Download this Passover Insert (PDF) from the American Jewish World Service that includes readings of global concern. Incorporate the readings into your family and congregational seders.
Includes many Passover recipes. A culinary journey around the world and across the ages, from Spain to India,
from Russia to Tunisia, sharing the histories and recipes of the great Diaspora
communities and the many wonderful ways they have told their stories through
food.
Theodore Bikel and The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble have teamed up to tell and sing the Passover story, providing a seamless, thoroughly entertaining adult recording which illuminates the Passover themes.
Of all the Jewish holidays, Pesach ranks among the most popular - but there is more to it than matzah! This unique book encourages an enriched, text-based understanding of why we do what we do. For individual or group study.
Entree to Judaism: A Culinary Exploration of the Jewish Diaspora
The Passover Story- CD
Passage to Pesach: Preparing for Passover through Text and Tradition
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