JCC Association's Early Childhood Curriculum Project 'This New Month'

The Fast of the Firstborn (April 17, 2008; Nisan 12, 5768)

First born sons fast on the day before Pesach (the 14th of Nisan) to commemorate the deliverance of the Israelites from the tenth plague, which killed all first born Egyptians.

Pesach (Passover) (April 20 - 27, 2007; Nisan 15 - 22, 5768)

The first of the three pilgrim festivals. Pesach, which lasts for 8 days, has both an agricultural origin (festival of the barley harvest) and a historical origin - celebrating the exodus from Egypt.

Passover Terms

Afikoman - Literally - dessert. At the start of the Seder, the middle of the three matzot (plural for matzah) is broken with the larger piece hidden away for later; this piece is called the Afikoman. The children look for it and exchange it for gifts at the end of the meal. The seder ends with the eating of the Afikoman hence it is the dessert.

Haggadah - Literally "telling", The Haggadah tells the story of the birth of the Jews as a people. It deals primarily with the events in Egypt, which led from slavery to liberation. In traditional circles the Haggadah is supplemented by additional readings. Many communities write complementary or new Haggadot which extend the message of Pesach to universal and contemporary parallels.

Mah Nishtana - Traditionally translated as "The four questions ..," the basic questions asked by the children near the beginning of the Seder. The rest of the evening is spent answering these questions.

Seder - Literally "order", the traditional meal with it’s detailed ritual and traditions that is the focal point of the Passover celebration.

Omer (April 21, 2008; Nisan 16, 5768)

Originating from the offering of the first barley harvest made in the Temple on the second day of Pesach. The Omer is counted for 50 days from the second day of Pesach (the 16th of Nisan) until the festival of Shavuot. It is a period of semi-mourning and with the exception of Lag BaOmer, no weddings take place in this period.

Yom Hashoah - Holocaust Rememberance Day (May 1, 2008; Nisan 26, 5768)

The day set aside to commemorate the victims of the Nazis. The day was determined in the early 1950’s and was not folded into one of the other days of mourning on the traditional calendar, due to the uniqueness of the Holocaust. The choice of the date was a compromise as the events being commemorated continued for several years. (Yom HaShoah is normally celebrated on the 27th of Nisan.) The date of Yom HaShoah was chosen to fall within the period of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, but not on the start of the uprising, as that date overlaps with the celebration of Pesach.