Pesach Information and Service Times 5785|2025

Pesach begins April 12 at sundown; ends at nightfall on April 20, 2025.

Passover is celebrated by Jews every year, commemorating the anniversary of our miraculous Exodus from Egyptian slavery, as told in the Torah.
On the first two nights of Passover (just the first night in Israel), we hold a Seder. After candles have been lit, we enjoy a ritual-rich 15-step feast, which centers around telling the story of the Exodus.

Some highlights include: Drinking four cups of wine, dipping veggies into saltwater, children kicking off the storytelling by asking the Four Questions (Mah Nishtanah), eating matzah (a cracker-like food, which reminds us that when our ancestors left Egypt they had no time to allow their bread to rise) and bitter herbs, and singing late into the night.

Beginning on the evening preceding 15 Nissan, Passover lasts for 8 days in the Diaspora and 7 days in Israel.

On Passover, Jews may not own or consume chametz, anything containing grain that has risen. This includes virtually all breads, pastas, cakes and cookies. Prior to the holiday, homes are thoroughly cleaned for Passover, kitchens are purged (here’s how to kosher the kitchen), and the remaining chametz is burned or sold.

Following the intermediate days, when work restrictions are somewhat relaxed but chametz remains forbidden, we celebrate the final two days of Passover (just one day in Israel), during which we look forward to the future redemption through Moshiach (Messiah).

Passover is important to Jews, as it celebrates our birth as a nation.

Things you need to know about Pesach 

It is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of Pesach in order to make the most of the holiday.
This supplemental reading material is a must-have; it is filled with useful information.
Download now!

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SERVICE TIMES

NOTE: Please don’t eat Chametz before Yom Tov ends.

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PESACH SUPPLEMENTS

Leading the Seder conversation is a challenge. Let Beth El’s Seder Supplement help you. Consider printing copies of these handouts in advance to spark a Passover discussion at the Seder table. The first handout is for all the guests: it contains a Torah text study and a series of quotes for discussion. While the second handout is for the Seder leader. This one contains Rabbi Freedman’s insights on the Torah study, as well as a series of Seder trivia questions to keep things interesting. Enjoy!

They are two PDF handouts that you can download below:

Download First handout for the guests:

Text Study: The Seeds of Oppression
What motivates Pharaoh to enslave the Israelites? |Torah: Exodus 1:8-14

Download Second handout for the Seder leader:

Text Study: The Seeds of Oppression
What motivates Pharaoh to enslave the Israelites? | Torah: Exodus 1:6-14

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PESACH RESOURCES

·         Exploring Judaism, the digital home for Conservative/Masorti Judaism, provides numerous online resources to help you prepare for Passover including The Passover Preparation Checklist, Passover Kashrut Questions and Answers, Engaging Kids of All Ages in the Passover Seder, and more. https://www.exploringjudaism.org/holidays/passover/

·         How do we celebrate and strive for freedom during a year of so much pain, suffering, and uncertainty? This Passover resource offers insights by Hartman scholars, Tal Becker and Shoshana Cohen, as well as reflections from Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders, created by the Shalom Hartman Institute and the Alliance for Middle East Peace. https://www.hartman.org.il/program/pesach-5785/?mc_cid=bd4c42ac7b&mc_eid=fa8a67dc0a

·         As you prepare for Passover, we invite you to explore The Seder’s Call: Moving Beyond the Table, a collection of thought-provoking essays to deepen your holiday experience. This year’s edition examines the Seder not just as a retelling of the Exodus, but as a call to reflection and action. How do its themes of liberation and responsibility shape our commitments today? What do we want to take away from this night of storytelling, memory, and ritual? https://www.jtsa.edu/blog-content/the-seders-call/

·         Enhance your Pesach experience with halakhic guides, Torah insights, and fun activities from Hadar. https://www.hadar.org/torah-tefillah/seder-resources

Passover Resources from our Joseph and Mae Gray Cultural & Learning Center