PESACH

In Hebrew, Pesach means "to pass over".  Passover will be celebrated this year from April 10 to April 18.  Passover is the Festival of Freedom which commemorates the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and their transition from slavery to freedom. 

The main ritual of Passover is the seder, a festive meal that involves the retelling of the exodus through stories and songs and the consumption of ritual foods: matzah, unleavened bread (represents the fact that the Israelites had to leave quickly and couldn't wait for the bread to rise), maror, bitter herbs (represents the bitterness of slavery), harroset, mixture of apples, nuts, raisins, and spices (represents the mortar the Hebrew slaves used in building for the Egyptians), karpas, celery, parsley, or other green vegetables (represents spring), and a roasted egg (represents mourning).  The Haggadah outlines the stories and rituals of Pesach.

The appropriate greeting for Passover is Chag Sameach which means "Happy Holiday".