Pesach Traditions from Around the World

Pesach celebration (Photo: Shutterstock)

Jews all over the world celebrate the holiday of Passover (Pesach). There are many different customs and traditions about this holiday that have been passed down through the generations. These customs vary based on what country they came from originally. Throughout the centuries, Jews have moved around the world, yet many of them keep the ancient traditions of their ancestors alive today.

When do Jews celebrate Passover in 2024? All Jews celebrate Pesach on the same dates; that doesn’t vary. Pesach 2024 will begin at sundown on Monday, April 22, 2024 and end on Tuesday night, April 30, 2024 (Monday,  April 29th in Israel). Everyone has a seder on the first night of the holiday but that seder will look different depending on the family’s traditions.

 

One major food  issue on Passover is “kitniyot”, which Sephardi Jews eat but Ashkenazi Jews do not eat on Passover.  Kitniyot is a Hebrew word that is defined as legumes, which includes beans, peas and lentils. When used in reference to Pesach the word kitniyot also includes: seeds and grains such as corn, rice, sunflower seeds as well as peanuts and soy. Rabbis in Eastern Europe during the 13th century advised Jews to avoid kitniyot because they were often grown near chametz (products with leavening agents that are forbidden on the holiday). This has become an established custom for Ashkenazi Jews but Sephardic Jews never adopted this custom. Sephardi Jews eat kitniyot so their diet doesn’t change that much for Passover. 

The basics of the seder are the same for everyone. They recount the story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the miracles that happened. There are four cups of wine and the traditional foods on the seder plate. These foods represent the different aspects of the story of Passover. The foods on the seder plate vary according to the family’s traditions. The foods on the seder plate were influenced by what foods were available in the country the family’s ancestors originated. These customs were passed down through the generations. 

Sephardim eat rice on Pesach (Photo: Envato)
 

Moroccan Jews

Moroccan Jews have their own seder customs. The head of the house passed the seder plate, which is clear, over the heads of each guest while reciting a blessing. Another custom is to take a large bowl filled with a mixture of water and wine and pour it out while reading the 10 plagues, to symbolize the Nile turning red. Mimouna is probably the most well-known of the Moroccan Passover customs. Mimouna begins on the night Passover ends when Jews open up their home to friends and neighbors. They prepare a lavish spread of traditional Moroccan cakes and sweetmeats. 

 

Ethiopian Jews

The Jews from Ethiopia would read the story of the Exodus straight from the Torah because they didn’t have Haggadahs (the book that Jews read at the seder). They have a tradition of breaking all of their earthenware dishes and utensils and purchasing new ones for the holiday. Instead of the familiar square or round matzah, Ethiopian Jews bake large, round, and slightly soft matzah called "qita."

Sephardim (Spain, Portugal, North Africa and Middle East)

Sephardic Jews have many of their own customs. The holiday of Passover probably has the most differences in customs between the Sephardic and Ashkenazi communities. Jews in Spain wear white clothing to the seder while the one who leads the seder wears a white robe. The leader of the seder walks around the table with the seder plate three times and taps each guest on the head. This tradition actually started in Spain and was later adopted by the Moroccan Jewish community. 

 

Many Sephardic Jews have a tradition to whip the wrist of the person sitting next to them at the seder while singing Dayanu. This is to symbolize the whips that the Israelite slaves experienced. This tradition began with the Jews in Spain and many Sephardic Jews continue to do so today, including those from Iran and Afghanistan.

 

Yemenite Jews

The matzah, or unleavened bread, at most seders looks the same. This is the “bread of affliction” that is very thin symbolizing that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry so there was no time for the bread to rise. The Yemenite matzah looks very different, more like laffa bread than matzah. This thicker, softer matzah is thought to be more like what the Israelites in the Exodus story actually made. 

Pesach seder plate (Photo: Envato)
 

Maintaining Family Traditions

While many Jews celebrate Passover with a seder, that can look very different depending on the family’s traditions. The main differences in traditions on Passover have to do with food. Not only what types of foods are permissible but also in what types of food people make. Many families have traditions passed down about what to make for the meal at the seder. There are certain Passover foods that are made each year; It’s not Passover until we have our “fill in the blank” with whatever comfort Passover food you have each year. 

 

There is a lot of cooking and planning in order to make Pesach and host a seder. Many families choose to take a vacation and join an organized Passover program. There are programs in countries all over the world. If you spend Passover in Morocco then you can expect an amazing Mimouna celebration at the end of the holiday. Pesach programs try to accommodate different customs and traditions. While people enjoy taking a Passover vacation, they don’t want to leave behind their family’s traditions.