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The Story of Passover

Around 3,000 years ago the Israelites were slaves in Egypt which was then ruled by King Pharaoh. Moses who was a Jewish shepherd was asked by G-d to go to Pharaoh and ask for his people to be freed. Pharaoh wouldn't listen to Moses, so Moses warned him that G-d would send plagues down on to the Egyptian people if he would not do as he asked.

Again Pharaoh took no notice of his request, so as warned a series of ten terrible plagues were sent to the Egyptian people. These were blood, frogs, lice, flies, cattle disease, boils, hail, locusts and darkness and the slaying of the first born. Pharaoh again did not listen to Moses until the final awful plague, when he at last decided to give the slaves their freedom. When the slaves heard that they were free they were in such a hurry to leave their homes they did not have enough time to bake their bread, so they took the raw dough with them on their journey through the desert and it quickly cooked in the heat into hard crackers called matzos. We remember this during Passover and eat only matzos, no bread at all. Though the Israelites were free they were still being chased by the Egyptian army, and when they reached the Red Sea they thought they were trapped, however one of the greatest miracles happened. G-d parted the waves of the Red Sea to enable Moses to lead the Children of Israel safely through, and then closed the great walls of water - trapping the chasing army. Imagine the water at your swimming lessons suddenly parting to leave a path for you to walk through and keep dry; it truly would be a miracle.

We remember the plagues and the Israeilites' journey during the eight days of Passover, commencing with two Seder nights with its' special plates and cutlery Family and friends gather and centre of the table will be the Seder Plate with Haroseth, Parsley, Roasted Egg, A Shank Bone and Bitter Herbs, wine is drunk and an extra glass is poured for the Angel Elijah. Three pieces of Matzo are placed in a cover and the middle piece broken and one half (the Afikomen) hidden -- to be found by one of the children after the meal who then claims his/her reward. The youngest child present at the table recites the Ma Nishtana (Four Questions) reading from the Hagadah, which tells the Passover story with songs for all to sing as well. The Four Questions are: - Why do we eat unleavened bread? Why do we eat bitter herbs? Why do we dip our food in liquid and why do we eat in a leaning position?

The answers to these questions tell us that we remember the matzos being baked in the sun, the bitterness and tears of slavery and that we must always appreciate the comfort and freedom we have today unlike the Children of Israel who were slaves at that sad and terrible time.