By Pascalle Farr
Not everyone in Brooklyn is Jewish and understands the religion and culture. It’s okay. Don’t be embarassed.
Brooklyn Chatter created a Judaism 101 Guide to Help you greet your fellow Jews who are celebrating Passover. But first, here’s a quick schooling on the holiday.
The Jewish holiday celebrates the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt. It is observed for seven or eight days, depending on where you live. During the first two nights, Passover is celebrated with a Passover seder. If you’ve never been to a seder, it includes the retelling of the story of Exodus from the Bible or Torah.
Passover this year started at sundown on March 27 and ends at sundown on April 4, 2021. The dates change every year under the Hebrew calendar, which doesn’t line up with our calendar. The holiday typically takes place in early spring.
If you want to stick with the Brooklyn vibe and not try to greet someone in Hebrew, “Happy Passover” is perfectly kosher. If you really want to sound relatable, you can wish someone a “kosher and joyous Passover.” In Yiddish, you would say “gut yontif,” which means “good holiday.” You can also say “chag sameach,” which means “happy festival.” Chabad.org gives you more background on pronunciations.
