General Chat

Dear All

Hello

Hope you are okay.

Today marks the beginning of the festival of Passover, one of the most important festivals in the Jewish calendar.

Jews celebrate the Feast of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses.

Passover lasts eight days and the first two and last two days are observed as full days of rest.

Children are central to Passover proceedings and symbolise the continuity of the Jewish people. Customs are designed to hold their attention.

Passover is also called The Festival of Freedom and is a celebration of freedom, not just in Biblical times, but its importance to the individual today and throughout history.

It symbolises hope and new life and the importance of starting afresh.

To our Jewish friends and colleagues, have a a contented and peaceful time.

Take gentle care all
Very best wishes
xx

I went to a convent school in north London and immediately next door was an Hazidic Jewish school. It always seemed to me that they really knew how to celebrate religious occasions. We, the girls at school, learnt so much from them, and I wish to say a very big thank you to them.

Shalom to all people celebrating this Pesach / Passover

08.45 hrs Spain

Jewish people seem to have such lovely occasions. I'd love to know more about them.
Any reading matter I can get?

Their occasions apart, wasn't the Crucificixion the day before Passover as they couldn't kill on that holiday. How is the Passover date calculated? and how does Easter fit in with it.

The Jewish year is a lunar year, and Passover falls on the 15th day of Nissan: the day of the first full moon after the Spring Equinox which falls on either 20th or 21st of March.

Easter is always the first Sunday on or after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. Because it is the first Sunday rather than the first day, Easter can occur between March 22nd and April 25th.

Sorry, that's a bit Norther Hemispherecentric - in the Southern Hemisphere, of course, read Autumn Equinox.

Thank you Fiona and moonbi.
That is really interesting and I can look at the dates with understanding.

Was I right about crucifixions the day before Passover? Not just in the case of Jesus but all those who were butchered.

Yes, you were absolutely right Georgina. The crucifixions had to carried out, and the bodies disposed of, before the Sabbath, ie sundown on the Friday.


Georgina - I've just had a look on A***zon, and there is a book which might interest you:

'The Jewish Holiday Home Companion: A Parent's Guide to Family Celebration' by Nicolas D Mandelkern & Vicki Weber. (1994) £5.12

Gosh, I would have a lot of reading to do. Perhaps I should find a friendly local rabbi , if there is such a person in Boston.. (UK) I have put 3 books on my amz wish list, but as we're off on a holiday I can't order them yet.
Thanks everyone