About Passover (Pesach)
Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays, a week-long festival celebrating freedom and the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Its name recalls how the tenth plague "passed over" the homes of the Israelites. More than a historical commemoration, Passover is a yearly retelling of a foundational story of liberation that has resonated across cultures and generations.
The festival opens with the Seder, a ceremonial meal held on the first night (and the second night outside Israel) that follows the Haggadah — a set order of readings, songs, blessings and symbolic foods. The seder plate holds bitter herbs for the bitterness of slavery, charoset for the mortar of bricks, and a roasted bone, while matzah, the unleavened flatbread, recalls the haste of the escape. For the whole week observant families avoid leavened bread (chametz) entirely.
Passover falls on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Nisan and lasts seven days in Israel and eight in the diaspora, so its Gregorian date shifts each year but always arrives in spring, usually around April. Like all Jewish holidays it begins at sundown. Whether you are planning your Seder or simply counting down to the festival of freedom, add Passover to your own page and watch the days tick down above.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Wednesday, April 21, 2027next |
| 2028 | Monday, April 10, 2028 |
| 2029 | Friday, March 30, 2029 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, April 17, 2030 |
FAQ
When is Passover?
Passover begins on the 15th of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, usually in April, starting at sundown with the first Seder. The countdown above shows the days, hours and minutes until it begins.
Why is Passover celebrated?
It commemorates the Exodus — the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt — and is named for how the final plague "passed over" Israelite homes. It is a yearly celebration of freedom.
How is Passover marked?
With the Seder, a ceremonial meal following the Haggadah with symbolic foods, the eating of matzah instead of leavened bread, and the retelling of the story of the Exodus over a week of observance.
What is the Seder?
The Seder is the festive ritual meal held on Passover's first night (and second night in the diaspora), structured around the Haggadah with readings, songs, four cups of wine and the symbolic seder plate.