Passover or Pesach is an eight-day Jewish festival, which commemorates the liberation of the Jewish People from slavery 3,400 years ago. It is told in Exodus in the Bible and, although archaeologists and historical scholars have cast doubt on the truth of this event, it remains a powerful origin story which shapes the values and practices of the Jewish faith.
What Is the Story of the Exodus?
The Pharoah’s daughter found a baby floating in the River Nile. He was rescued and cared for by the family’s slaves and later returned to the Pharoah’s daughter when he was grown. She named him Moses. Moses saw how Jewish people were enslaved and became angry, killing an Egyptian he saw harming a man. Realizing he would be held accountable, Moses fled to Midian but he never forgot the suffering of his fellow Hebrews. And one day, while he tended sheep, God spoke to him from within a burning bush and told him to return to Egypt. While he was there, God sent plagues down upon the Egyptians, but allowed the final plague to “pass over” the houses of the Jewish slaves (the Israelites). They fled and, with the Egyptian army chasing them, Moses stretched out his arm towards the Red Sea which parted, allowing the Israelites to escape over it to freedom.
The Meaning of Passover
The Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, known to non-Jews as the Old Testament) reminds followers of the faith repeatedly of the obligation to protect the powerless and to create communities based on justice, freedom, and compassion. When we extend this compassion to all humans and to all other beings, we can see the clear connection between faith and veganism.
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Celebrating Passover
Passover is divided into two parts, with the first two days and the last two days full holidays where no work is done, while the middle four (known as Chol Hamoed) are semi-festive days, where work is optional.
On the first two nights of Passover, there is a ritual meal known as the Seder, where family and friends come together. Candles are lit and the Seder begins with a reading of the Haggadah, a 2000-year-old book which retells the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The food itself is symbolic of the journey to freedom. Four cups of wine symbolise joy; bitter herbs remind of the suffering of slavery; vegetables dipped into saltwater remind us of the tears shed; green leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, celery or parsley represent the return of spring and the continuation of the Jewish people; and matzah, a thin unleavened bread commemorates the bread the Israelites took with them as they fled, which had not had time to rise.
The Passover Meal
After the Seder, there is a sumptuous festive feast, which consists of much-loved dishes that can vary from household to household. These are just a few of our own favorite Passover recipes!
Spicy Smoky Ratatouille Casserole
What Happens on the Last Two Days of Passover?
The last two days of Passover are known as Shvii shel Pesach and Acharon shel Pesach.
The celebration actually begins at sunset before the first day when candles are lit from a pre-existing flame and ends after nightfall on the second.
As this is a full holiday, no work is done apart from preparing food. It is customary for some people to stay up all night reading the Torah to commemorate the long night the Jews spent waiting at the edge of the Red Sea. For others, it is all about the afternoon service before enjoying Moshiach’s Feast, the last Seder where once again matzah and wine are central. It is an evening filled with hope and inspiration, song and storytelling, and extends beyond nightfall as Passover ends for another year.
Can Passover Be Vegan?
It can! And, as people of all faiths are increasingly connecting the principles of love, compassion, and justice to how they live their lives, more and more people are choosing to eat vegan.
For more information about Judaism and how it connects to veganism, visit Jewish Veg and the Jewish Vegetarian Society, and follow Jewish Vegan Life on Instagram.
