What is Passover?

Passover is the Jewish celebration that commemorates the freedom of the Jews from enslavement by the Egyptians and their exodus from Egypt. The Jews, led by Moses, asked the Pharoah for freedom and they were denied. As punishment against Egypt, God sent ten plagues to convince the Pharaoh to release the Jews. The Pharoah would not relent. As a result, God sent the last plague, which would kill the firstborn male in each household.

Through Moses, the Jews were instructed to mark their doors with the blood of a sacrificed lamb so that the Angel of Death would “pass over” their households. Passover is derived from the Hebrew "Pesach" which means to "pass over" or "to protect." With this last plague, the Pharoah finally relented and the Jews were free to began their exodus from Egypt. The holiday of Passover commemorates these events and the freeing of the Jews from Egypt.

During the celebrations of Passover, the first two nights are spent in Seder or feasting. They read from a text called the Haggadah which gives detailed instructions on how to celebrate the Passover Seder, including which foods to eat. These foods include things like bitter herbs, sweet apples, and matzah bread -- all of these foods are symbolic of the imprisonment of Jews and followed by their freedom. For example, Matzah bread is eaten at Passover because it symbolizes the speed at which the Jews fled Egypt when they learned of their freedom -- there was no time to allow their bread to rise.

The beautiful traditions of Passover are handed down from generation to generation. What better way to carry on these traditions than by handing down meaningful, handmade holiday serving pieces that can grace the tables of your family for generations to come? Our Passover collection is the work of Jewish artisans who so lovingly preserve the traditions of our faith in each of their exquisite pieces.