Through the Hebrew Catholic Year, by Judy Bratten The most well-
known and elaborate of the Jewish feasts, Pesach commemorates
the miraculous exodus of the Jewish people from the land of
Egypt under the leadership of Moses. It is also a springtime
celebration, provoking a flurry of cleaning in the traditional
Jewish home as the mother removes all trace of leaven and
prepares for the Seder, the ritual Passover meal. Passover
includes the weeklong Feast of Unleavened Bread when particular
foods are prohibited while other symbolic foods are eaten. The
Hagaddah, a collection of scripture readings, prayers,
rabbinical commentaries, songs and poetry is the guide for the
Seder and sets the tone for the entire eight days. The Feast of
First Fruits, which occurs during Passover, was a feast of
thanksgiving in biblical times for the first grain of the
season. With its direct association with Easter, Passover is a
very special holiday in our family. It is also a time of spring
cleaning, a culmination of our Lenten purifi