In 2026, Passover begins on the evening of Wednesday, April 1 and concludes at nightfall on Thursday, April 9. The first Passover seder is on the evening of April 1, and the second Passover seder takes place on the evening of April 2.
What is Passover?
Passover is the holiday that celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It is among the most widely observed Jewish festivals — and arguably the most significant. Passover commemorates what may be the most defining event in Jewish history, the redemption from Egyptian bondage, which was itself the precursor to the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Among the unique features of the holiday is that it calls upon Jews not merely to remember the Exodus, but to relive it through the Passover seder, an extravagant feast of symbolic foods and rituals that aims to reanimate the story for every generation.
How Do You Celebrate Passover?
The main ritual of Passover is the seder — a festive meal that involves the re-telling of the Exodus through stories and song and the consumption of ritual foods, including matzah and maror (bitter herbs). The seder’s rituals and other readings are outlined in the Haggadah, a guide that exists in many different versions available in print and online. You can also create your own.
The other central observance of Passover is the avoidance of all leavened products (known as hametz) and the eating of matzah, unleavened bread that is a reminder of the haste in which the Israelites left Egypt, leaving them no time for their bread to rise. Many Jews will clean their homes thoroughly before the holiday to rid it of hametz and either sell or burn any hametz that remains.
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What Are Some Passover Practices?
The central Passover practice is a set of intense dietary changes, mainly the absence of hametz, or foods with leaven. (Ashkenazi Jews also avoid kitniyot, a category of food that includes legumes.) In recent years, many Jews have compensated for the lack of grain by cooking with quinoa, although not all recognize it as kosher for Passover. The ecstatic cycle of psalms called Hallel is recited both at night and day (during the seder and morning prayers). Additionally, Passover commences a 49-day period called the Omer, which recalls the count between offerings brought to the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. This count culminates in the holiday of Shavuot, the anniversary of the receiving of the Torah at Sinai.
What Are Passover Foods?
Matzah is the primary food associated with Passover. There are also a number of ritual foods that are eaten at the seder — most notably haroset, a mixture of fruit, nuts, wine and cinnamon that is reminiscent of the mortar that the Israelite slaves used to build. As with other major Jewish holidays, customary foods include matzah ball soup, brisket, gefilte fish with horseradish, kugel and tzimmes. In addition, there are a number of special Passover dishes reflecting the particular dietary restrictions of the holiday, including matzah brei, Passover popovers, coconut macaroons and chremslach pancakes. A more extensive collection of Passover recipes can be found here.
Your Passover Questions, Answered
What does it mean to keep kosher for Passover?
Is quinoa kosher for Passover?
Which alcoholic drinks are kosher for Passover?
Are meat substitutes kosher for Passover?
Are nuts and seeds kosher for Passover?
Are non-dairy milks kosher for Passover?
How do I sell my hametz?
More Passover Resources
10 Tips for a Less Stressful Passover
How to Clean Your Home for Passover
Why Passover Is Important
How to Set a Seder Plate
10 Passover Customs From Around the World
9 Things You Didn’t Know About Passover
How to Make Passover Cleaning Manageable
Why the Exodus Was So Significant
The Catch Phrase Of the Exodus is Always Misquoted
Tips for Celebrating Passover On a Budget
Must-Know Passover Words and Phrases
Future Passover Dates
In 2027, Passover will begin on April 21 on April 29.
In 2028, Passover will begin on April 10 and conclude on April 18.
Last year, Passover was celebrated from April 12, 2025 to April 20, 2025.
