CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Jewish families in western Massachusetts and across the world are preparing to observe the eight-day festival of Passover starting at sundown Wednesday. The holiday commemorates the biblical story of Exodus and the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt.

The festival is also known as Pesach and the Festival of Unleavened Bread, according to the National Day Calendar. Its date changes annually because it is set according to the first full moon in the Hebrew calendar month of Nissan.

The roots of the holiday are found in the Old Testament. While traditionally a Jewish observance, many Christians have also begun participating in Passover celebrations.

The holiday starts with the Passover Seder, which is a ritual feast. The event includes reading, singing, washing hands, drinking wine, and eating specific foods.

A traditional Seder meal includes roasted lamb, flatbread called matzah, bitter herbs like horseradish, and vegetables dipped in saltwater. These items are arranged on a Seder plate.

The food and wine are ingested in a specific order during the meal. The procedure is written in a book called the Haggadah, which also includes the consumption of four cups of wine.

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