LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - Jewish families across western Massachusetts and the world are ready to observe the first evening of Passover at Sundown on Saturday. Saturday marks the first day of this week-long holiday. It celebrates the freedom of Jewish people-- who were enslaved more than three t housand years ago in Egypt. For the first night of Passover, the Jewish community will be enjoying a ritual meal called Seder. This is a 15 step feast that aims to tell the story of Exodus and recount the history of Israel. And ahead of the holiday, the LYA prepared and handed out to-go seders for families to take home with them. 22News spoke to one of the Rabbis, Chaim Kosofsky, who told us that a part of the message of Passover, is hope. "We can relate to the exodus to overcome the things that keep us back," he says. "Those often imaginary, maybe not so imaginary red lines that we think that we're not able to overcome, that we can't pass over and conquer." The LYA will be hosting their Seder night on Saturday and Sunday. It will include special seder foods, activities, and traditional songs. The rabbi says the hostages who are still left in Gaza will also be on their minds and in their prayers during this holiday. The 8-day holiday will end on April 20th. Local News Headlines ‘Credit for Life’ readies Springfield students for real life UMass Amherst employees protest for fair pay to help make ends meet Forum addresses transportation issues faced by residents in western Massachusetts NOAA reports March 2025 as third warmest on record WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. ...read more read less