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Passover is a predominantly Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the flight for freedom of the Jewish people from the days of Moses.
The story is told at the end of the biblical book of Genesis when Joseph brings his family to Egypt. His family and their descendants enjoyed decades of prosperity and freedom. The Hebrews became so numerous that when new Pharaoh Ramses the Second came to power, he feared that the Hebrews might decide to rise up against the Egyptians. He decided that the best way to avoid this situation was first to enslave them. According to tradition, these  Hebrews were the ancestors of modern day Judaism and Israel.
Despite the Pharaoh's attempt to subdue the Hebrews they continued to have many children. As their numbers grew, Ramses came up with another and more insidious plan. He sent his soldiers to kill all the newborn male babies who were born to Hebrew mothers. This is where the story of Moses and later the birth of Judaism began. This is where the story of Israel began.
In order to save Moses from the grisly fate pharaoh had decreed, his mother and sister put him in a basket and set it afloat on the  Nile river. Their hope was that the basket would float to safety and whomever found the baby would adopt him as their own. His sister, Miriam, followed along as the basket floated away. Eventually it was discovered by the Pharaoh's daughter. She saved Moses and raised him as her own,.Yes, a Hebrew child was raised to be a prince of Egypt. The name Moses means raised from the water inHebrew.
When Moses grew up he saw an Egyptian guard beating a Hebrew slave. Moses came to the defense of the man and killed the Egyptian. Moses was forced to flee for his life, heading into the Sinai desert. In the desert he befriended the family of Jethro, a Midian priest. He married Jethro's daughter and had children with her. It is interesting that his children are rarely mentioned in holy writings and were just "common folk" He became a shepherd for Jethro's flock and one day, while out tending the sheep, Moses met G-D  in the wilderness. The voice of G-D called out to him from a burning bush.
G-D told Moses that he had been chosen to free the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. Moses was not sure he was fit to carry out this command. But G-D reassured Moses that he would had him.
The concept of one G-D was given to Moses and the Jewish people. The Jewish people were chosen to promote and protect the teachings and values of this faith and concept. Â Humble servants of the universal creator are expected to follow the values of the Torah in all aspects of their and our lives. Moses was known for his humility. Jews believe that he was the most humble of all people. He was blessed to receive the holy laws due to his kind and gentle spirit. Moses is referred to by the Hebrew word anav or meek. The word signifies complete gentleness and devotion to the one G-D which is the heart of Judaism.
The concept of one G-D was given to Moses and the Jewish people. The Jewish people were chosen to promote and protect the teachings and values of this faith and concept. Â Humble servants of the universal creator are expected to follow the values of the Torah in all aspects of their and our lives. Moses was known for his humility. Jews believe that he was the most humble of all people. He was blessed to receive the holy laws due to his kind and gentle spirit. Moses is referred to by the Hebrew word anav or meek. The word signifies complete gentleness and devotion to the one G-D which is the heart of Judaism.
Soon afterward, Moses returned to Egypt and demanded that pharaoh release the Hebrews from bondage. Pharaoh refused and as a result G-D sent ten plagues upon Egypt:
1. Blood - The waters of Egypt were turned to blood.
2. Frogs - Hordes of frogs swarmed the land of Egypt.
3. Gnats or Lice - Masses of gnats or lice invaded Egyptian homes and plagued the Egyptian people.
4. Wild Animals - Wild animals invaded Egyptian homes and lands, causing destruction and wrecking havoc.
5. Pestilence - Egyptian livestock were struck down with disease.
6. Boils - The Egyptian people were plagued by painful boils.
7. Hail - Severe weather destroyed Egyptian crops.
8. Locusts - Locusts swarmed  Egypt upon and eat any remaining crops and food.
9. Darkness - Darkness covered the land of Egypt for three days.
10. Death of the Firstborn - The firstborn of every Egyptian family were killed.
The tenth plague is where the Jewish holiday of Passover derives its name, because while the Angel of Death visited Egypt it "passed over" Hebrew homes, which had been marked with lambs blood on the doorpost.
1. Blood - The waters of Egypt were turned to blood.
2. Frogs - Hordes of frogs swarmed the land of Egypt.
3. Gnats or Lice - Masses of gnats or lice invaded Egyptian homes and plagued the Egyptian people.
4. Wild Animals - Wild animals invaded Egyptian homes and lands, causing destruction and wrecking havoc.
5. Pestilence - Egyptian livestock were struck down with disease.
6. Boils - The Egyptian people were plagued by painful boils.
7. Hail - Severe weather destroyed Egyptian crops.
8. Locusts - Locusts swarmed  Egypt upon and eat any remaining crops and food.
9. Darkness - Darkness covered the land of Egypt for three days.
10. Death of the Firstborn - The firstborn of every Egyptian family were killed.
The tenth plague is where the Jewish holiday of Passover derives its name, because while the Angel of Death visited Egypt it "passed over" Hebrew homes, which had been marked with lambs blood on the doorpost.
After the tenth plague Pharaoh relented and released the Hebrews. They quickly baked their bread, not even pausing for the dough to rise, which is why Jews eat matzah (unleavened bread) during Passover.
Soon after they left their homes Pharaoh changed his mind and sent soldiers after the Hebrews, but when the former slaves reached the Sea of Reeds the waters part so that they could escape. When the soldiers tried to follow them, the waters crash down upon them.
Once they have crossed the water, the Hebrews begin the next part of their journey, the search for the Promised Land. The story of Passover recounts how the Hebrews gained their freedom and became the ancestors of the Jewish people and the land of Israel.
The Jewish people experienced a second historical Exodus following the horrors of the Holocaust. The survivors of history’s greatest injustice and Jews throughout the world claimed the right to return to “Eretz Israelâ€. History has taught the people of the book that a national homeland is a necessity for survival and freedom..
Palestine was a British colony at the time. The Jews, Christians, and Muslims of Palestine were refused freedom and justice by the leaders of Great Britain. The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947 established both a Jewish and a Palestinian homeland. The members of the Arab League refused to accept the plan and invaded both Israel and Palestine in 1948. Some of those nations included: Syria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. These were nations whose citizens had never enjoyed democracy and true freedom, yet refused to give that right to their neighbors. Egypt is just now marching, hopefully, in the direction of democracy.
This year in Israel we are celebrated the sixty fourth Passover in the modern Jewish state. What are the major differences between celebrating Passorver in the diaspora and in Israel?In the Diaspora, the first two and last two days of Passover are "holiday" days and have significant restrictions similar to Shabbat or Sabbath. Here in Israel, only the first and last days are "holiday" days, which contributes to the fact that we only have one Seder in Israel as opposed to the second night elsewhere.
In America, most of the Passover food is free of "kitniyot" or pea and bean products generally not eaten by Ashkenazic Jews. Here in Israel, it's hard to find products for "Pessah" that don't have these ingredients, and therefore one has to read the labels very carefully. In America, finding a Kosher for Passover restaurant is like finding a needle in a haystack, but here in Israel, there are many places to eat for the holiday.
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This year, on Shabbat,  in Israel the cycle of Torah readings was different  from America and the Diaspora. That meant that for several weeks, our Shabbat Torah readings were not synchronized.
Is it a special mitzva to celebrate Passover in Israel? Â Yes, this is the main difference between celebrating Passover in the Diaspora and in the land of Canaan.
There is a special mitzva to celebrate Passover in Israel, given that it is one of the three pilgrimage festivals that called the Jews in the Holy Land to come to the Holy Temple to offer the Passover sacrifice there. We have many references to the Holy Land and the Holy Temple in the Passover prayer book or Haggada. Towards the end of the Seder or Passover meal, all participants sing "Next year in Jerusalem rebuilt!" It is understood by many of our great sages that the Exodus from Egypt had its culmination not in the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai but in G-D bringing the Jewish people into His land. Indeed, one of the most popular end-of-seder melodies called "Adir Hu" sings of G-D helping us to rebuild the Holy Temple, which was the epicenter of not only Jewish life in Israel but also of Passover celebrations throughout the millennia.
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Earl