Passover is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish festivals across the globe. It is a Jewish holy day, which marks the deliverance of the Israelites from the slavery of the Egyptians. The festival is also known as Pesah, Pesach or the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Passover season begins on the 15th day of the Nisan month of the Hebrew calendar corresponding to dates in March or April in the Gregorian calendar. The weeklong festival witnesses various traditions with which the occasion is observed. Passover in Canada too is celebrated across eight days though the week is not a declared holiday. Nonetheless, the spirit of the festival is not let down and is noticed with immense vigor and galore. Read on to know more about Canadian traditions of Pesach.
Passover Celebrations In Canada
Passover is celebrated across eight days in Canada. The first day of Passover is observed with great honor and spirituality. People who cannot afford to organize Passover observances are invited by their acquaintances for the Seder meal or for the entire Passover holiday. Although Passover is not a public holiday in Canada, most of the Jewish businesses and organizations prefer to stay closed for the Passover period. While most of the Jewish people prefer marking Passover with family and friends, some of them silently ride down to hotels or resorts for the Passover vacation, as they consider the place to meet the cleanliness and food purity standards as per the Jewish rituals.
People celebrating Passover in hotels or resorts or on a ship cruise, merge Seder traditions with other activities, thereby making the celebrations even more enjoyable. They switch to some popular and adventurous activities, such as skiing in the Canadian mountains or admiring the natural wonders of Canada. However, there are some Jewish who like to rather utilize the festival in studying the Jewish law and culture under a supervised rabbi. The last day of Passover in Canada is marked as the end of the holiday with even more religious ceremonies.
Most of the Jewish people desire sticking to the Sabbath observances during the last of the Passover holiday. Some Canadian Jews even opt for a leave to celebrate this day. Just like the Seder meal that is taken on the first day of Passover, the Canadian Jews eat a ceremonial Seder meal on the last day as well. The story of the Jews being freed from Egypt is narrated along with following the consumption of various symbolic foods as per the customs. The unleavened bread is replaced with ordinary bread during this meal, thereby bringing the occasion to an end. After-dinner blessings are recited and traditional songs are sung thereafter.
