When is Passover 2026? Dates, traditions, how is it celebrated?

Passover is a Jewish holiday observed every year to celebrate the Hebrew’s exodus from slavery in Ancient Egypt. Passover 2026 begins on the evening of Wednesday, 1 April and ends on Thursday, 9 April. According to Senior Rabbi David Wolpe, modern observance relies on intentionality and creativity, as families around the world adapt traditional Seder rituals and food rules that preserve identity and hope.

Key takeaways

• Passover occurs from the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan to the 22nd.
• Passover has a specific schedule: it starts at sundown and ends at nightfall.
• The first Seder of 2026 will be on 1 April, while the second one will be on 2 April.
• Passover observance varies widely, ranging from strict religious practice to primarily cultural or symbolic celebrations.
• Jewish communities outside Israel or major centres often plan Passover to secure kosher supplies and host meaningful Seders.

Read also

AFCON 2025: Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic confident in stopping Nigeria in crucial quarterfinal

What is Passover?

Passover is one of the most significant Jewish festivals and holidays. The celebration has been passed from generation to generation.

The first celebration occurred about 1200 BC as a festival commemorating the emancipation of Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt. The Passover means the plague that killed firstborns in Egypt passed over the Jewish homes, sparing their children's lives.

The ceremony is also a way to celebrate Jewish freedom as a nation under God through the leadership of Moses. The festival lasts for seven or eight days, depending on location.

When is Passover 2026?

The 2026 Passover begins at the evening of Wednesday, 1 April 2026 and ends at nightfall on Thursday, 9 April 2026.

The event has a specific start and end time: it starts at sundown and ends at nightfall. Passover dates differ every year since they follow the solar and lunar cycles.

Read also

Cubana CP takes over the streets, reveals "only way" to end sit-at-home in South East

How is Passover celebrated?

The public holiday is marked by gathering family and friends for the celebration. Passover has some key elements that include the following:

• Removal of Leaven (Chametz). Jewish homes must be cleaned, and all leaven, which symbolizes sin, must be removed. This process involves thoroughly cleaning from top to bottom, removing any food containing leaven.
• Ceremonial handwashing. The family gathers around the table, washes their hands using a special laver, and wipes themselves with a clean towel.
• The woman of the house puts the Passover candles on before the Passover Seder begins.
• The Haggadah reading. Haggadah is a text that retells the Exodus story alongside prayers, blessings, and narration of the significance of the Passover.
• The Passover Seder meal is taken.
• Breaking of the Afikomen. This tradition involves three pieces of matzah in a three-compartment bag. The middle is taken out and broken into two, and one piece is wrapped with linen and hidden to be retrieved later.

Read also

AFCON 2025: Obi reacts as Super Eagles protest unpaid allowances, threaten to boycott travel for Algeria tie

Passover 2026 first Seder

Seder is the centrepiece of the celebration of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The Passover meal is taken on the first two nights of the feast.

The first Passover Seder of 2026 will be held on 1 April after sundown, and the second Seder will occur on 2 April at nightfall.

The Passover food prepared during the Seder are symbolic, and they include:

• Matzah (unleavened bread). It is made quickly to prevent it from rising and consists of flour and water only. It contains no leavening substance and is traditionally made from wheat, spelt, rye, barley, or oat.
• Bitter herbs (often horseradish).
• Four cups of wine.
• Charoset (a mixture of fruits and nuts).
• A roasted shank bone or chicken wing.

The Festival of Unleavened Bread in ancient times involved sacrificing a lamb, which was roasted and eaten during the Seder meal. This tradition ceased after the Second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, but its significance remains.

Read also

GNI fire: Tragedy as family announces burial arrangements for three siblings burnt to death

Do all Jews observe Passover the same way?

No, Jewish people around the world do not observe Passover the same way. According to David Wolpe, Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, the differences are shaped by a mix of religious denomination, family traditions, cultural background, and personal conviction. He explains that Jewish families approach Passover either through traditional observance or a more symbolic/cultural way:

At one end of the spectrum are Jews who observe the holiday according to detailed halakhic (Jewish legal) requirements—eliminating leaven (ḥametz), holding a full ritual seder, and refraining from certain foods and activities for the duration of the festival.

At the other end are Jews for whom Passover is primarily cultural or symbolic: they may attend a seder, recall the Exodus story, or emphasize themes of freedom and justice without adhering to formal ritual constraints. Between these poles lies a broad continuum of practice.

While this diversity of custom has widened in modern times, it is a longstanding feature of Jewish life. Even within traditionally observant families, practices differ based on inherited minhagim (customs) passed down over generations. Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi, and other Jewish communities have preserved distinct liturgical texts, melodies, foods, and ritual emphases.

Read also

Meet Meg Donnelly's boyfriend, Drake Rodger, and their slow-burn romance story

How do Jews outside Israel celebrate the Passover?

For Jewish communities living outside Israel or major Jewish population centres like New York or Los Angeles, Passover often requires greater intentionality and creativity, according to Rabbi Wolpe. He shares how these communities adapt during the celebration:

• Access to kosher foods: When "Kosher-for-Passover" foods are not available, families have to plan and rely on mail-order supplies or local improvisation.
• Smaller or more inclusive Seders: In smaller communities, the Seder (the special Jewish ceremonial dinner during Passover) is often more friendly. These gatherings may include interfaith family members, friends, or neighbours, making the Seder a powerful moment of shared identity.
• Distance and technology: While being far away from home or major Jewish centres, technology has bridged the gap for families to join Seders via video, digital Haggadot (the text for the service), and access Jewish learning online. “In this sense, Passover outside the centres mirrors the Jewish story itself—rooted in tradition, adaptive in form, and sustained by memory across distance and throughout time.”

Read also

Plane crash survivor narrates narrow escape from death: "All my fingers got broken"

What to know about Passover food rules

Passover food rules can often be confusing, especially when some Jewish families appear to follow stricter practices than others. Rabbi Wolpe says the simplest way to understand these differences is to separate core biblical prohibitions and communal safeguards. He explained further:

All Jews who observe Passover agree on the core rule: eating leavened grain products (ḥametz) made from wheat, barley, rye, oats, or spelt that have fermented is prohibited. Where differences arise is in how communities historically defined the risk of fermentation and cross-contamination, and how cautious they chose to be in avoiding it.

A well-known example is kitniyot—foods like rice, corn, and legumes. Ashkenazi Jews traditionally avoid these during Passover, not because they are forbidden by the Torah, but because medieval communities feared confusion with true grain products. Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews never adopted this restriction and continue to eat these foods.

As the expert points out, what looks like a “stricter” rule is often just a family staying true to their inherited customs, a practice that is itself a sign of religious devotion.

Read also

Is Easter in the Bible? Bible verses that mention and reference Easter

How do you say Happy Passover?

Happy Passover greetings to your family, children and friends mean a lot during the celebration. Whether you are Jewish or not, you can wish your loved ones a happy Passover. Here is what to write and share.

• Happy Passover!
• Chag Sameach! (Happy holiday!)
• Happy Pesach to you and yours. (Happy Passover to you and yours)
• Chag Pesach Sameach! (Happy Passover)
• Sweet Pesach. (Sweet Passover)
• Chag Pesach kasher vesame’ach! (Have a kosher and joyous Passover)
• Thinking of you this Passover.
• Wishing you a kosher and joyous Passover.
• Wishing you a meaningful Passover.
• Happy Passover to you and your family!
• Thinking of you during this time of reflection and renewal.
• Here’s to a meaningful Seder and a Happy Passover.
• Zissen Pesach! (Have a sweet Passover)
• Wishing you peace and blessings this Passover.
• May Passover be joyous for you this year!
• Thinking of you as you celebrate such an important time of renewal.
• Wishing you peace on Passover.
• Keeping you and our friendship in my heart during this season of blessings.
• I hope you have a prosperous Passover surrounded by loved ones.
• Wishing you the best at Passover and always.

Read also

What does Halloween mean in the Bible? Can Christians celebrate the holiday?

• Sending you love and gratitude for our friendship this Passover.
• Wishing you a happy Pesach and a blessed spring!
• May Passover be an auspicious sign of a great life ahead for you!
• Happy Passover from my family to yours!
• Here’s to a full plate and a happy heart this Passover. Grateful for all your friendship has brought to my life.
• Let’s celebrate the freedom of Passover together and honour our history!
• Thinking of you on Passover and our beautiful memories together.
• I’m grateful for your presence in my life on Passover and always!
• Love and light to you on Passover and always!
• Have a glorious Passover celebration this year.

Why are Easter and Passover different in 2026?

The two celebrations differ because the Jewish calendar is tied to solar and lunar cycles. This makes the dates of Passover and Easter fluctuate each year. Different calendars use full moons, leading to varying dates for Western Christians' Easter, Orthodox Easter, and the Jewish Passover.

Read also

Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say about gambling in verses?

How often do Passover and Easter coincide?

Passover often coincides with Easter because they are both tied to solar and lunar cycles. In 2026, for instance, Easter Sunday falls on April 5th, during the Passover week.

What does the year 2026 mean in Judaism?

2026 is the Hebrew year 5786 called the Year of the Vav. It symbolizes connection and alignment.

Why is Passover significant to Jews?

Pesach is meaningful because it commemorates the Jewish people's deliverance from Ancient Egypt, where they had been enslaved. The story has been passed from generation to generation.

FAQs

1. What is Passover in the Bible? Passover means the last plague that freed Israelites from Egyptians that killed firstborns in Egypt and passed over the Jewish homes. It spared Jewish children.
2. When does Passover end? Passover 2026 ends on 9 April 2026.
3. Was Jesus crucified on Passover? No, Jesus was crucified during Easter which is celebrated by Christians. Passover is a Jewish holiday marking the day Jewish children were spared while the plague killed Egyptian firstborns.
4. How long is Passover 2026? Passover 2026 lasts for 8 days. It begins on 1st April to 9th April 2026.

Read also

When is Eid el Fitr 2024 in Nigeria and how is it celebrated?

Passover is one of the most essential celebrations among the Jewish people. The feast commemorates their emancipation from slavery in Ancient Egypt. Passover 2026 will occur on the evening of Wednesday, 1 April 2026 and end at nightfall on Thursday, 9 April 2026.

Legit.ng published an article about Easter in 2025. Easter Sunday is one of the Christian holidays. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his death on Good Friday. The ceremony takes place 40 days after Lent. When is Easter in 2025?

Easter is the most important and sacred day in the Christian calendar. The day is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon. The date of the holiday changes every year. Find out when Easter is in 2025.

Source: Legit.ng