Passover Description
Pesach, the seven-day festival commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, Israelis undertake a massive national spring cleaning to remove all chametz (leavened products) from homes. The centerpiece is the Seder night, when families and communities gather to retell the Exodus story through the Haggadah, eat matzah and maror (bitter herbs), drink four cups of wine, and sing traditional songs. Supermarkets cover entire aisles of chametz products, and matzah becomes ubiquitous. Government offices, banks, and most businesses close for the first and last days, with intermediate days (Chol HaMoed) seeing widespread vacation travel to national parks and beaches.
