Most people think Passover is just the Seder dinner. It is not.
Passover 2026 runs from the evening of April 1 all the way through April 9 - meaning as of today, the celebration is still very much underway. The two big Seder nights are behind us. But for Jewish families around the world, the most meaningful stretch of the holiday is right now.
What Is Chol Hamoed?
After the first two days of Passover - which are full holiday days with no work permitted - the middle days begin. These are called Chol Hamoed, when normal work is allowed, but the spirit of the holiday continues. Families visit, matzah is still on every table, and the restriction on leavened bread remains in full effect through the final day.
Think of it less like a single dinner and more like a week-long posture of remembrance - every meal, every day, carrying the weight and the joy of freedom.
Then Comes the Counting
The moment Passover began, a 49-day countdown quietly started. Called the Counting of the Omer, it is a nightly practice that began April 2 and runs all the way to May 20 - counting up, day by day, toward the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, when the Torah was received at Sinai.
The idea is that the physical freedom achieved at the Exodus was only the beginning - the count toward Shavuot represents the journey from liberation to purpose, from leaving Egypt to receiving the law that would shape a nation.
For Christians, that thread is unmistakable. Freedom without direction is just wandering. The Exodus pointed toward Sinai. The cross pointed toward Pentecost. The count matters.
Related Article: Passover Guide 2026: Meaning, Dates, Traditions, and How to Celebrate the Jewish Holiday
