Passover Traditions, What is Passover?--Kosher Gift Box

Passover—Celebrating Freedom

A new spring season means Passover is approaching, and with it comes an air of excitement in Jewish homes all over the world. This 8-day holiday celebrates the Jews who fled Egypt after more than 200 years of slavery.

“Passover is a wonderful holiday because it includes the whole family,” says Jane Moritz, owner of Kosher Gift Box, which ships kosher gifts nationwide. “During the Seder everyone in the family gets an opportunity to ask questions and discuss our history. It mixes fun with meaningful traditions and opportunities to learn.”

Passover and the Seder
Passover, or Pesach, is the only Jewish holiday celebrated with a home service, called a Seder, a lavish meal filled with symbolism and tradition. Families reenact the historic events, reading aloud from a Haggada that tells the story of Passover. They relive Moses demanding the Egyptian Pharaoh to “Let My People Go!” Pharaoh’s continued refusals cause G-d to set forth 10 plagues including final slaying the first born. Homes of Jewish babies were “passed over,” providing the origin of the name Passover.

The exact dates of Passover depend on the Hebrew calendar, but typically falls in March or April. In America, Seders are conducted the first two nights of Passover. The holiday continues for six more days, during which special dietary laws are observed. All leavened foods and certain grains and cereals are forbidden in remembrance of how the Jewish ancestors fled Egypt, before the bread dough had time to rise. The lack of rise time gave way to matzo, perhaps the best known Passover food.

Food is a Key Ingredient of Passover
Passover is a food oriented holiday, partially because of the special dietary laws. With some very basic staples restricted, such as white flour, it is always a challenge to find or prepare new and exciting Passover dishes.

“Since we’re limited in what we can eat, I’m always on the lookout for wonderful Passover recipes and food items to include in our Passover gift baskets,” says Ms. Moritz. “A Passover gift is always a lovely gesture, whether you’re bringing a bottle of kosher for Passover wine to someone’s home, or sending the perfect Passover gift basket to friends, family or college students who can’t be with you. At Kosher Gift Box, we have looked high and low to find fantastic items that ship well nationwide, including Israeli wine, delicious cookies, cakes and candies, and an imported charoset that’s perfect for the Seder table.”