Passover

Passover is a Jewish Holiday commemorating the Exodus (escape from 400 years of slavery) from Egypt. The Holiday also marks the start of the Harvest Season. Passover is considered one of the most well known holiday's of the Jewish religion, because of its relation to Christianity. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan (March-April). It is the first of 3 Jewish festivals. Passover involves the removal of chametz (anything made from the five major grains, wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt). Traditional Jews also remove rice, corn, peanuts, and beans. The day before Passover fisrtborn males participate in a minor fast, commemorating the fact that they didn't die in the plague. Before Passover people clean their homes very well, in order to clean the entire home of Chametz.

Picture: Sader Plate

http://www.jewfaq.org/cgi-bin/search.cgi?Keywords=passover

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html#Seder

HC