Passover begins soon. For many Jews, the celebrations will occur amid anxieties and divisions

PassoverisamajorJewishholiday,celebratedoversevenoreightdayseachyear,commemoratingtheexodusofancientIsraelitesfromslaveryinEgypt,asrecountedintheBible.ItisconsideredthemostwidelyobservedofanyJewishholiday,symbolizingfreedomandthebirthofaJewishnation. Thisyear,thecelebrationsagainoccuramidanxietiesanddivisionsamongmanyJewsrelatedtotheunresolvedIsrael-HamasconflictinGazaandthespecterofwidespreadantisemitism. WhenisPassoverthisyear? Passover—knownasPesachinHebrew—beginsatsunsetonSaturday,April12,andendsafternightfallonSunday,April20.Bytradition,itwillbecelebratedforsevendaysinIsraelandforeightdaysbysomeJewsintherestoftheworld. ADVERTISEMENTWhatarekeyPassoverritualsandtraditions? FormanyJews,PassoverisatimetoreunitewithfamilyandrecounttheexodusfromEgyptatamealcalledtheSeder.ObservantJewsavoidvariousgrainsknownaschametz,areminderoftheunleavenedbreadtheIsraelitesatewhentheyfledEgyptquicklywithnotimefor