At sundown this Saturday, April 19th, Passover begins. Passover commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. The 7 day celebration traditionally begins with a Jewish family gathering on the first night of Passover to gather for a Seder. The K'arah (Seder Plate) contains six symbolic foods: a shanks bone for the paschal lamb eaten on Passover during the era of the Great Temple; an egg for the cycle of life; a vegetable, such as parsley dipped in salt water to remind us of the tears of the enslaved Jews; charoset, which is a mixture of crushed fruit, nuts and wine, to represents  the mortar used in the building of the Pyramids; a bitter herb to symbolize the bitterness of slavery in Egypt; and lettuce as an additional bitter herb.

Happy Passover!