When is Passover Seder 2025? Seder night 2025 will take place on Saturday night, the night of 15th of Nisan 12/4/2025. What is Passover? Passover is an important Jewish festival, known as "Pesach" in Hebrew. It's a celebration of the story of Exodus. During Passover, Jews commemorate the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Ancient Egypt. Moses, an important figure in the Jewish faith, led them to freedom over 3000 years ago. Passover is celebrated with a series of rituals, such as avoiding leaven and preparing Seder meals. Each of these symbolizes a different part of the story. The main theme of Passover is redemption, as this is the time when God intervened to lead the Israelites from slavery to freedom. It is a time to celebrate God as the great liberator of humanity. To learn more about Passover, be sure to give our fascinating Passover Teaching Wiki a read. When is Passover? Passover is an 8-day festival and is celebrated in spring. It begins on the 15th day of the Nisan, the first month of the Jewish calendar. In 2025, Passover begins on the 12th of April and ends on the 20th of April. The story of Passover Over 3000 years ago, after many decades of slavery to the Egyptian pharaohs, a man named Moses was chosen by God to lead the Jews to freedom. After numerous warnings to the Pharaoh, he refused to free the Jews. Due to this, God sent upon Egypt ten plagues to act as punishments. They destroyed everything, from their livestock to their crops. But the Pharaoh still refused to free the Israelites. God sent the Angel of Death to sweep the country during the night and strike down every firstborn Egyptian. Moses told the Jews to mark their doorways with the blood of a male lamb so that the angel would know to pass over their homes. This is where the name Passover originated from. Over 600 Israelites fled Egypt and began their trek to Mount Sinai for their rebirth as God's people. How is Passover celebrated? Passover is celebrated as a big family celebration. In the evening before Passover begins, there's a special service called Seder (Order), which takes place over a meal with family and friends. A Seder plate is placed on a table, which is an important part of the meal. The plate has five sections, each holding foods significant to Passover. During the meal, everyone reads a passage of the story of Exodus from the book called Haggadah. Everyone at Seder has a cushion to lean on, which symbolises their freedom. It is also traditional for a big spring-cleaning to take place in Jewish homes. There are also special synagogue readings, prayers, and recitals. Passover is one of the three ancient Israelite pilgrimage festivals. In the past, adult males journeyed to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and be in the presence of the divine. However, this temple was destroyed in 70 CE, and the focus of Passover shifted to the home, with an emphasis on family, rituals, prayers, and meals. The Seder Plate The highlight of Passover is the Seder, which is a ritual meal. It's celebrated for two days and is a 15-step family-oriented tradition. The focal points of the Seder plate are: - Egg — This represents sacrifice and new life.
- Fresh Green Vegetables — These symbolise the freshness of spring.
- Bitter Herbs — These remind people of the bitterness of slavery.
- Lamb — This symbolises offerings made to God.
- Saltwater — This symbolises the tears and sweat of enslavement.
- Charset (a mixture of apples, spices, nuts, and wine) — This represents the mortar used by the Israelites when they were forced to make bricks.
- Matzah (three pieces of bread that are flat) — The middle Matzah is broken, and the largest piece is hidden. Children are given the task to hunt for the hidden piece.
- Wine — Four glasses of wine remind Jews of the four times God promised freedom to the Israelites.
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