As a nation steeped in Jewish heritage and history, people in Ukraine are preparing to celebrate Passover.
The Jewish festival of unleavened bread is celebrated by millions around the world to mark the exodus from Egypt.
The idea of the Passover is to relive the exodus as if it were happening right now. The songs and the foods are all a reminder and hold great meaning. Today, the holiday has taken a different meaning as thousands of Jewish Ukrainian refugees (re)live the story.
According to the estimates from Chabad, one of the largest Hasidic Jewish organizations in the world, tens of thousands of Jews have fled Ukraine, and about 80% remain in the country.
Traditionally, on the evening of the first night of Passover, Jews hold a Seder, which refers to a family meal. In Ukraine, Chabad plans 52 public Seders welcoming about 9,000 people.
The symbolism
The unleavened bread is a reminder of the night when Jewish people escaped Egypt from slavery in the middle of the night, following Moses, before the Pharaoh changed his mind. The bread symbolizes that there wasn’t enough time for it to rise.
The bitter herbs are a reminder of the tears the Jews cried as enslaved people, and the red wine is to celebrate their escape.
Passover begins at sundown on Friday, which will be followed by Easter this Sunday.
