Chinese Jews Celebrate First Community Passover Seder in 200 Years

April 17, 2014 This Monday in Kaifeng, China, on the first night of Passover, a Chinese Passover celebration marked a historic moment, when over 100 descendants of the Jewish People sat at the Seder table two centuries after the death of the community's last rabbi. “Kaifeng’s Jewish descendants are a living link between China and the Jewish people, and it is very moving to see the remnants of this community returning to their Jewish roots," said Michael Freund, the chairman and founder of Shavei Israel, which sponsored the event.

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Israeli Prime Minister Takes a Moment to Bake His Own Passover Matzah

April 9, 2014 In preparation for Passover next Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister visited the Kfar Chabad Matzah Bakery and baked his first "homemade" matzah. Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu received instructions on how to make kosher-for-Passover matzah, which must be prepared quickly. To keep the dough from rising, it is not allowed to stand longer than 18 minutes.

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Today Is the First Day of Counting the Omer

March 27, 2013 Today is the second day of the week-long festival of Passover (Pesach) and the first day of counting the omer in preparation for Shavuot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost), which is 50 days from now.

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Keeping the Festival of Passover

March 27, 2013 Pesach (Passover) is one of the most widely kept Jewish holidays. In homes and synagogues in Israel and around the world, the Jewish People will celebrate the Exodus of the Israelites from ancient Egypt over 3300 years ago.

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Parasha Tzav (Command): The Transforming Power of Praise

March 22, 2013 God gave to Moses the laws of the korbanot (animal and meal offerings). While such offerings seem strange, even outrageous, to modern man, they do pertain to worship and the attitude of the heart. Understanding them ultimately helps us to understand what Yeshua (Jesus) did for us on the Roman execution stake (cross), and why His death was necessary.

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Parasha Beshalach (When Let Go): From Victim to Victorious

January 24, 2013 The Exodus is the cornerstone of the nation of Israel: the commandments, the promises, the essence of Judaism, all began with this departure from Egypt. The Exodus also broke the power of Egypt and devastated it, and Egypt never regained its status as the great nation it had been.

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Parasha Shabbat Pesach (Passover): The Eighth Day of Passover

April 13, 2012 Today is the final day of Passover. As the Festival of Passover comes to a close, a special portion of Scripture is read that focuses on Pesach L’Atid (פסח לעתיד–a Future Passover), a new redemption and a new exodus. In this new exodus, the Jewish people will be delivered, not from Egypt as in the past, but from the lands of their dispersion, and gathered into their own land.

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Parasha Shabbat Pesach: The First Day of Passover

April 9, 2012 The Seder (order) is a 15-part feast where the story of the Exodus from Egypt is recounted. That recounting is facilitated through the Haggadah (the telling), which is a Jewish book with instructions about how to conduct the Seder.

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