Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center presents an exhibition on the Passover history and tradition. The history of this celebration is well-known: it is largely reflected in the culture (including popular culture), and is an integral part of the contemporary cultural landscape. Some fragments are familiar to everyone — this is the story of the enslavement of Jews in Egypt, of the ten plagues, of the waves opening to let the Jews pass, of the wanderings in the desert, and of the Holy Tables of the Law revealed to Moses on the Mount Sinai.
What is Passover?
Passover is a celebration of the liberation — physical as well as spiritual. The emotional aspect of the celebration is as important as the strict observance of the Passover traditions. According to one of these traditions, during Passover Jews cannot eat and even have at home any of the products that undergo fermentation — for example, bread, pasta, porridges, and many others.
At the same time, there should always be matzo — unleavened bread — and bitter greenery with wine at the festive table. These products are a part of the Seder, a Passover feast in the family circle. It is always accompanied by the reading of Haggada — tale of the Egypt enslavement, the Exodus, and miracles accompanying the liberation. All these elements are there to remind us of an extraordinary power of human spirit that is able not only to break the chains of slavery but also to lead to the true faith, albeit through obstacles.
Celebration of Freedom
Installation at the Jewish Museum is an illustrated history of the Passover. It will present artifacts from various cultures: unique Moroccan and Iraqi manuscripts, illustrated German Haggadas of the early XX century, Eastern European artifacts of the Passover feast, contemporary photography, and many others. The display will include exhibits from the Gross Family Collection (Israel), Museum of the Jewish History in Russia, and Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center.
The installation is located inside the main exhibition of the museum, you can visit it with a ticket to the main exhibition.