Explaining the Tradition of Passover

passoverAt Fall River Jewish Home, we celebrate diversity while honoring our Jewish roots and traditions. If you are a health care professional or caregiver for a Jewish senior in their own home or in an assisted living community or nursing home, it may be difficult to understand Jewish customs if they are different from your own.  But honoring these traditions is an important part of caring for the mind, body, and spirit of a person.

This month, we thought it might be helpful to our friends and caregivers of other faiths if we shared the history of one of these Jewish traditions. That is the observance of Passover. This year Passover begins on the evening of April 14th and ends on April 22nd.

 

The Eight Day Festival of Passover

Our friends at Chabad.org explain the tradition of the eight day festival of Passover and the focal points of the Seder for readers as:

The title “Passover” comes from the Exodus story in the bible.  The Israelites were instructed to smear the blood of a sacrificial lamb on their doorposts so the plague of death inflicted on the firstborn Egyptians would pass over their homes. The highlight of Passover is the Seder, observed on each of the first two nights of the holiday. The Seder is a fifteen-step family-oriented tradition and ritual-packed feast.

The focal points of the Seder are:

  • Eating matzah.
  • Eating bitter herbs-to commemorate the bitter slavery endured by the Israelites.
  • Drinking four cups of wine or grape juice-a royal drink to celebrate our newfound freedom.
  • The recitation of the Haggadah, a liturgy that describes in detail the story of the Exodus from Egypt.

If you would like to learn more about this eight day Jewish festival, the video Passover Explained offers a quick but informative overview.

 

Do you celebrate Passover?

Is there anything you would like to share that we’ve missed?

 

 We’re here to answer questions and help you make the best decision for care for you or your loved one. We invite you to reach out and talk with one of our care specialists at Fall River Jewish Home today! CALL 1.508.679.6172, where assistance is just a phone call away. 

 

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