Passover 2010 First Seder on March 29 Sunset: What is Passover?

Photos

Passover Preparation

see larger image

uploaded by Getty Images

Passover 2010 First Seder is on March 29 Sunset, Brief History of Passover

The Jewish holy day Passover starts on the 15th day of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew calendar's festival year. This year in 2010, Passover starts on the sunset of March 29 to nightfall of April 6. On the first or two nights of Passover, a special dinner is served called seder. During seder, the story of the Exodus from Egypt is retold using a text called the Haggadah.

• Passover 2010 at Sundown on March 29: Beware Pirate Matzo
• Passover 2009 April 8
  

The History and Tradition of Passover

Passover commemorates the liberation of Jewish people from Egypt. The Book of Exodus tells the story of how the Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt. The Pharaoh first refused Moses' request to freeing the Jewish slaves. As a consequence, Egyptians were struck by ten plagues, including the deaths of firstborns. The Jews were instructed to mark the doorposts with blood of a spring lamb, so that death would "passed over" their homes.

The Jewish people left Egypt in such a haste that they did not have time to let bread to rise. This is why during Passover, only unleavened bread is eaten. All food containing yeast or other leavening agents should be removed from home before the morning of Passover. Instead, matzo is served throughout the seder. Read more about Passover seder meal:

• Seder Meal: Top Passover Food, Recipes (Video)
  

In a traditional Passover seder, the table is set using the finest china and silverware. The story of the Exodus is retold using Haggadah, which divides the procedure into 15 parts. The Haggadah means "the telling" of the story. The head of the household leads the seder, who directs the reading of Haggadah.