Last day of Passover in Australia

Passover festival is the way the Jewish celebrate their liberation from long years of Egyptian slavery. It is a festival that lasts for eight days where communal celebrations take place. Many Jewish people spend this important religious and cultural event in the company of their family and friends.

The Jewish Passover Celebration

Passover is one of the Jewish people’s most important cultural and religious events. The two significant parts of Passover celebration are the first and the last parts. The first part remembers the dividing of the Red Sea, while the last part commemorates the crossing of the Jewish people to the Red Sea. 

What Happens on the Last Day of the Passover?

The last day of Passover is celebrated the way major Jewish holidays are celebrated. There are candle lighting, special readings, religious gatherings, spiritual teachings, and other similar events. On the night of the seventh day or the last day of the Passover, many Jewish people keep vigil and do not sleep the entire night, an act that remember how the Jewish stayed awake and crossed the Red Sea. It has also become a tradition to feast on Passover food, or the Seder, on the last day of the Passover. The Seder is mandatory in the Passover celebration. The Seder meal unites the Jewish people around the world who are celebrating the Passover.

The Last Day of Passover in Australia

Passover is not a federal holiday in Australia, but the country pay its high respects to this Jewish festival. Unless it falls on a non-working day, public offices, government departments, commercial areas, and major establishments are on their regular operating hours on the last day of the Passover. Also, classes in schools are not affected by this event, unless it falls on a non-schooling day. Jewish schools, on the other hand, are closed for the Passover celebrations.

The Jewish Community in Australia and the Last Day of Passover

Over the years, it is observed that the celebration of the last day of Passover in Australia depends on where the Jewish people reside. For instance, Jewish people living in the rural side of Australia spend the last day of the Passover traditionally—candle lighting, religious gathering, scripture readings, and the like. The Jewish community that reside in the big cities, on the other hand, head to resorts and private destinations where they can spend quality and quiet time with their family and friends. Despite the difference, what is always common is the Seder meal. Whether on the rural side or the city side, Jewish people must partake on the Seder meal which is one of the most significant parts of Passover celebration.