1 | Holiday Calendar & Candle-Lighting Times ???
| Phase | Key Date(s) 2025 | What Happens | Sample Times* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedikat Chametz (search) | Thu Apr 10 (night) | Hide 10 bread pieces, search by candlelight | local nightfall |
| Bi’ur Chametz (burn) | Fri Apr 11 | Finish by local late-morning | 12 :40 PM (Jer) |
| Eat/own chametz deadline | Sat Apr 12, 10 :30 AM (Jer) | — | — |
| Erev Pesach & 1st Seder | Sat Apr 12 | Holiday begins at sundown | Jer 7 :44 PM; TA 7 :46 PM |
| 1st Day | Sun Apr 13 | Full festival; 2nd Seder (Diaspora) that night | Exit Jer 7 :45 PM |
| 2nd Day (Diaspora) | Mon Apr 14 | Full festival | — |
| Chol HaMoed | Tue Apr 15 – Fri Apr 18 | Work-lite mid-days | — |
| 7th Day | Fri eve Apr 18 → Sat Apr 19 | Splitting-the-Sea commemoration | Entry Jer 6 :30 PM; Exit 7 :49 PM |
| 8th Day (Diaspora) | Sat eve Apr 19 → Sun Apr 20 | Yizkor & finale | Exit after nightfall |
| Chametz permitted again | Sat Apr 19 (Jer 7 :49 PM) or Sun Apr 20 (Diaspora) | — | — |
*Times shown for Jerusalem; see your city’s luach for minute-level accuracy. Source: Israel Hayom Passover 2025 Guide ?cite?turn1view0?
2 | Diving Deeper: The 2025 Seder Plate
Spotlight on Charoset
| Tradition | Hero Ingredients | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ashkenazi | apples · walnuts · sweet wine | Turns shards of memory into sweetness. |
| Sephardi | dates · figs · pistachio · cayenne | Layered flavors mirror layered exile stories. |
| Yemenite | raisins · black pepper · sesame | Pepper’s heat = defiance against oppression. |
2025 twist: Prep all three, hold a “taste-vote,” and ask, Which blend tastes like freedom to you?
3 | Beyond the Haggadah: Interactive Seder Ideas
Freedom-Chain: Guests write a modern injustice on paper links, then break them during “Dayenu.”
Fifth-Child Seat: Reserve a place for a present-day refugee’s story.
#SederSnap: Share one symbolic photo + reflection in a family chat after Havdalah.
4 | Preparing Home & Heart
Kasher your kitchen in three zones: high-heat self-clean; boiling-water surfaces; sealed storage.
Set the table with white linen, spring greens, and mismatched cups for creative flair.
Mindset ritual: Write one “slave thought” to burn with the chametz; keep one “freedom intention” under your plate.
5 | The 49-Day Journey: Counting the Omer
Start: Night of Apr 13.
End: Night of May 31; Shavuot arrives June 1 (Eve) – 3.
Weekly focus: Loving-kindness → Discipline → Harmony → Endurance → Humility → Bonding → Nobility.
Hack: Set a nightly phone reminder with the blessing + day count.
6 | Passover for Every Reader
Exodus for Today
Pharaohs now wear corporate logos or inner doubt. What “Moses moment” will move you past them?
Taste of Tradition ???
Matzah Brei: crumble, soak, fry, honey – breakfast in 5 minutes.
Date-nut Charoset Bites: blitz & roll for an energy snack.
Passover Around the World
Kurdish Jews rinse rice 13 times; Hungarian Jews deck tables in gold; LA art collectives paint every wine cup uniquely. Freedom wears many colors.
7 | Creative Angles
If Our Ancestors Could See Us: Would they marvel at virtual Seders spanning five time-zones—or warn us of new digital chains?
Passover for Inter-Faith Homes: Center on universal liberation; invite each guest’s heritage dish (chametz-free).
Passover Playlist: From classic “Dayenu” to Debbie Friedman’s “Miriam’s Song,” curate a 12-track Spotify set.
8 | Luxury Escape After the Seder ???
Ready to swap matzah crumbs for ocean breezes? We are renting luxury villas at The Maruca Group—come and book your private slice of paradise. Whether it’s Miami Beach or a sun-kissed island, our concierge team kasher-checks kitchens on request and stocks kosher-for-Passover wines upon arrival. Freedom tastes even sweeter when it comes with a sea view.
Join the Conversation
Which Seder symbol resonates with you in 2025?
Share your family’s charoset recipe (#GlobalCharoset).
What inequality will you pledge to break this Omer?
Chag Sameach – may your Festival of Freedom usher in renewal, resilience, and radiant hope.
