The Patch Passover Guide

With Passover beginning on Monday evening and continuing through April 26, I thought it would be a good idea to provide the meaning of some of the words and phrases associated with the Jewish holiday. 

If you're like me, you've seen signs popping up all over the place as Passover approaches and found yourself scratching your head if you happen to not be of the Jewish faith. Well, I've done some of the leg work to help you and me navigate our way through the holiday attempting to be well-rounded, culturally knowledgeable neighbors. Good luck!

afikoman: During the Seder, the matzo is broken in two and the larger portion, the afikoman, is hidden for children to look for and return for a prize.  

chametz: A fermented grain product (like bread) or a substance that causes fermentation (like yeast).  No chametz is allowed to be in the home during Passover.

haggadah: The text read during the Seder. It retells the Exodus story. 

kiddush: A blessing said over wine to sanctify the sabbath and Jewish holidays.  The Seder begins with a kiddush, and you are obligated to drink four cups of wine during the meal.  

Korban Pesach: The Passover sacrifice.  Traditionally, a lamb or goat was sacrificed and the entire thing, including the head, feet and inner organs, was eaten by a family or group of families. Luckily, this has been replaced by the symbolism of the Seder plate.  

kosher: A set of Jewish dietary laws.  Kosher laws change during Passover, so if you see a rabbi covertly rushing in and out of the grocery store, it's probably because they want to avoid answering a hundred questions about what people are and aren't allowed to eat.

maror: A bitter herb, usually romaine lettuce, horseradish, or green onions, eaten with matzo during the Seder. 

matzah or matzo: The unleavened bread eaten during Passover. In the Exodus story, the Israelites were in such a hurry to leave Egypt that the bread didn't have time to rise. 

Nisan: According to the Jewish calendar, it's the month of the year during which Passover occurs.

Pesach: The Hebrew word for Passover. It may refer to God "passing over" the houses of Israelites who had put the blood of a sacrificial animal on their doorposts during the death of the firstborn; the last of the ten plagues before the Exodus.

Seder: A ritualistic meal eaten during the first night of Passover. "Seder" means "order."

Seder plate: A plate used during the Seder to retell the Exodus story through six symbolic foods.