Written and Photographed by Justin Atta
Friday, April 19 was the start of Passover, which is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar, and for good reason. “Passover is a holiday to celebrate the Jewish people no longer being enslaved in Egypt,” said Zoe Gassman, first-year illustration student. “The whole point of the holiday is to remember the suffering of our forefathers and to celebrate the freedom we now have.”
There is a lot that goes into celebrating Passover, including strict rules and regulations. For example, practicing Jews are not allowed to eat or own chametz, which is food that contains leavened bread. Spending money is also not allowed during the first and last two days of Passover. Even though there are plenty of set rules on how to celebrate the beginning of the festivities, not everyone enjoys it the same way.
“There are roughly 14 million Jewish people on Earth,” according to Jewish Virtual Library. While some may strictly adhere to the rules, others tend to be more relaxed, and even put their own twist on the celebrations. “During one of the prayers ‘Dayenu’ we take Green Onions and we hit each other every time we say ‘Dayenu,'” said Layla Grunfeld, first-year fashion marketing student. “It’s a middle eastern tradition that was introduced to my family through my grandma.”
One universal Passover practice is the Seder, which is a ceremonial dinner to celebrate the first night of Passover. Sometimes one is done on the second night as well. “My family has two Seders filled with late-night singing and talking,” said Gassman. Despite the many different ways Passover is celebrated, it is a holiday that bring people together.
To view statistics on the Jewish population of the world, click here.
