Starting this Friday, Israel and Jewish people all over the world are celebrating Passover, one of the most important Jewish holidays. Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.
Jewish tradition states that in their haste to escape from Egypt the Israelites did not have enough time to wait for bread to rise. Instead, they ate matzah, unleavened bread.
Before the holiday, many Israeli families will clean their house thoroughly, removing all leavened products. On the Passover dinner table, there is a "Seder" plate with symbolic foods:Karpas - a leafy green vegetable, usually a piece of lettuce, symbolizing hope and redemption.
Charoset - sweet paste made of fruit and nuts, symbolizing the mortar the slaves used to build the Egyptian pyramids.
Maror and Chazeret - bitter herbs, a reminder of the bitterness of slavery.
Zeroah - shank bone, representing the Passover sacrifice.
Beitzah - hard-boiled egg, symbolizing the festival sacrifice that was offered in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Happy Passover!