How familiar are you with the word Pesach? It's the Hebrew word for the holiday passover. Jewish communities across the world will celebrate Pesach between March 30 to April 7. It’s an important festive occasion for the Jewish community. If you are only familiar with the English translation you would be one of many.

The Jewish holidays calendar has several dates that change every year because Jewish faith uses a lunisolar calendar. Nonetheless, each holiday is celebrated in the same order. Other Jewish holidays include Hanukkah and Rosh Hashanah. The Jewish Passover is a time that encourages the Jewish community to carry out particular cultural rituals, and reflect on the history and tradition of their faith.

Passover is an occasion that stands out from other Jewish holidays because it represents the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Ancient Egypt. Pesach involves a ritual calledno chametz. This Hebrew phrase refers to Jewish people eating flatbread instead of bread containing wheat, rye, oats and similar derivatives. You probably wouldn’t want to offer any wheat or oats to your Jewish colleagues during Pesach. It may come off as offensive instead of a kind gesture. This ritual represents an important event for Jewish people because it is symbolic of when the Israelites left Egypt in a hurry, and ate only flatbread after leaving everything else behind. Matzah is the Hebrew word that refers to the period of consuming flatbread. Jewish people recognize Matzah as a symbol of faith and submission to God during Pesach.

Pesach also involves a cleaning process calledsearch for chametzwhich involves cleaning out the household of any foods containing any derivatives related to wheat. This is a time wherechametzcan be given to non-Jewish people.

It is a festive occasion involving the Jewish community coming together and practicing their cultural beliefs. A few gifts containing permissible items for Pesach would spread joy amongst the Jewish community. Giving a gift is one thing but giving a gift that celebrates a culture shows how much you truly care. It would put you in your colleagues good books for a very long time.

Another important part of Pesach is Seder which is the traditional feast that takes place during the first two nights of the passover. The feast exists for ritual purposes and consists of four practices. The first two practices are the consumption of Matzah and herbs to pay tribute to the Israelites that lived through slavery. The other two practices are the consumption of wine, and reciting out of the Haggadah to set out the tone of the rules of Seder.

There you have it! Amongst all of the holidays on the Jewish holidays calendar, you can now say you know a little about Pesach.  

By Josh Adesina