Passover

Passover is one of the better known Jewish holidays. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. This holiday celebrates the Exodus from Egypt after 400 years of slavery. The name "pass over" refers to the act of God "passing over" the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborns of Egypt.

The grain product eaten during Passover is called Matzah. It is a flat bread, cooked very quickly. This is the same bread that Jews made for their flight from Egypt, it is flat because they did not have time to let their bread rise because they were in such a rush.

Passover lasts for seven days, but eight if you live outside of Israel. There is also a minor fast for all firstborn males to commemorate the the fact that the firstborn Jewish males were spared during the final plague over Egypt.

This year, Passover will happen on April 3, 2007.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html