By Mia Rubin

To most students, Passover is just a time when their teachers give less homework and it’s treated like any other normal week. However, to Jewish students, this holiday is much more.

Passover is the Jewish holiday that celebrates how the Israelites escaped Pharaoh and left Egypt to go to Mount Sinai. God saw how the Jewish people were treated by Pharaoh, so he cast ten awful plagues on the Egyptians to help the Israelites escape.

Every year, my family celebrates this holiday by going to my grandparents’ house for Seder. Passover Seder is a tradition where on the first two nights of Passover, families gather together and retell the story of Passover.

Special foods, such as matzah (which is unleavened bread) and bitter herbs, are made for the Seder for everyone to eat.  At the end of the Seder, another tradition is held where all the children search the house for what is called the “afikomen”. The afikomen is a half-piece of matzah that is hidden at the beginning of the seder, and whoever finds it wins a special prize.

Passover is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate and for many reasons. I love going to Seders because the food is outstanding. There is a plethora of fun, different foods that are put out at the table, that it is impossible not to take a little bit of everything. These delicious foods include matzah, brisket, charoset, and mandel bread.

Another great thing about Passover is being able to spend time with my family. I have a huge family with lots of cousins, so during the year, it is hard for everyone to find a time that works with everyone for a family reunion. Passover is the one guaranteed time every year where my family can get together and catch up.

Passover is a fun-filled holiday where we get to learn about the Israelites while spending time with family and eating delicious food. Passover is no doubt one of my favorite Jewish holidays and getting less homework helps to make it much better. (: