Passover is a major Jewish holiday, celebrated over seven or eight days each year, commemorating the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt, as recounted in the Bible. It is considered the most widely observed of any Jewish holiday, symbolizing freedom and the birth of a Jewish nation.
This year, the celebrations again occur amid anxieties and divisions among many Jews related to the unresolved Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and the specter of widespread antisemitism.
Passover — known as Pesach in Hebrew — begins at sunset on Saturday, April 12, and ends after nightfall on Sunday, April 20. By tradition, it will be celebrated for seven days in Israel and for eight days by some Jews in the rest of the world.
For many Jews, Passover is a time to reunite with family and recount the exodus from Egypt at a meal called the Seder. Observant Jews avoid various grains known as chametz, a reminder of the unleavened bread the Israelites ate when they fled Egypt quickly with no time for dough to rise. Cracker-like matzo is OK to eat; most breads, pastas, cereals, cakes and cookies are off-limits.
A year ago, for many Jews, any celebratory mood was muted by the scores of hostages captured by Hamas in Israel and held in Gaza. Many Seder tables, in Israel and elsewhere, had empty seats, representing those killed or taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023.
Even after the recent release of some hostages, others remain held. Hopes for a formal end to conflict have been dampened by the collapse of a ceasefire and resumption of fighting.
As was the case last year, there also is intense concern in some countries about a high level of antisemitic incidents.
More than 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the United States were reported between Oct. 7, 2023, and Sept. 24, 2024 — the most ever recorded by the Anti-Defamation League.
The Secure Community Network, which provides security and safety resources to hundreds of Jewish organizations and institutions across North America, has been issuing frequent advisories ahead of Passover.
Specifically, the group has warned of possible threats from white extremist groups, including some organizing along the U.S.-Canada border. SCN said key extremist anniversaries, including Hitler’s birthday on April 20, coincide with the holiday, raising concerns about the risk of violence targeting Jewish communities.
One notable change this year: Pro-Palestinian protests that roiled many college campuses in spring 2024 have been fewer and less disruptive, in part because of Trump administration pressure.
“Since January there has been a marked change in the seriousness with which hate on campus is being dealt by the federal government as they set out clear consequences to the previous inaction of university leaders," said Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union.
However, some Jewish leaders have been dismayed by the Trump administration's threats and funding curbs directed at universities it considered too tolerant of antisemitism.
“None of this is about fighting antisemitism,” Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a social media post. “It’s about gutting our education institutions and democracy under the guise of fighting antisemitism. And it ultimately makes Jews less safe.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and the city’s Museum of Tolerance are hosting a special Seder for interfaith leaders and community members directly affected by recent wildfires. Organizers invited various first responders, civic leaders and elected officials, seeking to honor “the spirit of community resilience and the enduring strength of togetherness.”
The fires destroyed or damaged dozens of houses of worship and other faith-based facilities.
Interfaith Seders have been organized in many other cities, including Houston, Dallas, New York, Phoenix, and Milwaukee.
“We understand that now more than ever, Jewish communities across North America must open their doors to forge stronger friendships," said Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Jewish Federations associate vice president of interfaith and intergroup initiatives.
The New York-based Met Council, a Jewish nonprofit operating various anti-poverty programs, says it has delivered free kosher-for-Passover food to more than 250,000 Jewish Americans burdened by skyrocketing grocery costs. The packages, distributed at 185 sites in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida, included traditional Passover essentials such as matzo, kosher chicken, gefilte fish, tuna, and grape juice.
Chabad-Lubavitch, a global Hassidic Jewish organization, plans a parade of more than 100 converted RVs known as “Mitzvah Tanks” through New York City's streets. The aim, says Chabad, is “to spread kindness and celebrate Jewish heritage,” as well as distributing traditional matzo.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
FILE - Freshly baked handmade matzo is seen after being prepared by first graders from Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School of the Nation's Capital at the JCrafts Center for Jewish Life and Tradition in Rockville, Md., April 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, file)
President Donald Trump President Donald Trump on Friday wrapped up a Mideast tour in the United Arab Emirates with a breakfast for business leaders and a visit to an interfaith place of worship named for the Abraham Accords he negotiated.
As part of the accords, the UAE and some other countries in the Middle East recognized Israel. Trump departed Abu Dhabi after his visit to the Abrahamic Family House .
During his visit to the region, violence flared in the West Bank and Gaza. Israeli strikes killed at least 64 people Friday, adding to the more than 120 people who died in recent days.
Here's the latest:
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One before take off, the president said the U.S. has given Iran a proposed agreement.
It was the first public acknowledgement of a significant development in the high-stakes negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“They have a proposal,” Trump said. “But most importantly, they know they have to move quickly, or something bad is going to happen.”
He did not give specifics.
The protesters expressed support for Daniel Yahalom, a reserve soldier who is serving five days in prison for refusing to participate in what he called an unjust fight.
He’s part of a small but growing number of Israelis who are refusing to show up for service as the war drags on and Israel intensifies its operations in Gaza.
The Israeli military confirmed Yahalom was going to prison and said he was not the first to receive a prison sentence for refusing to serve during the current Israel-Hamas war.
“This boy always cares about others even before himself ... He cares about the suffering of our brothers who are dying underground, and he is willing to pay the price,” said his mother Haya Yahalom.
President Donald Trump has boarded Air Force One in Abu Dhabi as he ends his Mideast trip.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi’s ruler and the leader of the United Arab Emirates, met Trump at the airport. The men shook hands and spoke for a few moments.
Trump also said goodbye to other officials. He looked back, saluted and pumped his fist in the air before boarding the aircraft to head back to Washington.
President Donald Trump has said “a lot of people are starving” in Gaza, a rare acknowledgement of the humanitarian crisis in the territory as Israel’s war with Hamas is on the verge of escalating anew.
Speaking to reporters at a business forum in Abu Dhabi on the final day of his trip to the Middle East, Trump said he was looking to resolve a range of global crises.
“We’re looking at Gaza,” he said. “And we’ve got to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving ... There’s a lot of bad things going on.”
At least 48 bodies were brought to the Indonesian hospital and another 16 bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital, health officials in Gaza said, as strikes overnight into Friday morning hit the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and the city of Khan Younis.
The strikes came as U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up his Middle East visit that skipped Israel and offered no prospect for a ceasefire in the war-battered territory.
There had been widespread hope that Trump’s regional trip could usher in a ceasefire deal or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza. An Israeli blockade of the territory is now in its third month.
An Israeli official said the strikes on Friday were preparatory actions in the leadup to a larger operation and meant to send a message to Hamas that it will begin soon if there isn’t an agreement to release hostages. The official was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity.
— Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel
The interfaith complex in Abu Dhabi features a mosque, church and synagogue — houses of worship for the three Abrahamic faiths.
It was built after the United Arab Emirates signed onto the Abraham Accords in 2020, during President Donald Trump’s first term. The agreement –- which Trump has encouraged other Middle Eastern and North African countries to join –- saw the UAE recognize Israel.
The visit to the white-marble place of worship on the shores of the Persian Gulf is set to conclude Trump’s first major foreign trip of his second term.
“I think it’s time for us to just do it,” Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi.
Trump reiterated that he wasn’t surprised that Putin skipped a U.S. orchestrated meeting in Turkey between Ukrainian and Russian officials. Putin didn’t want to go because he’s not there, Trump said.
Trump added that a meeting with Putin would happen “as soon as we can set it up.”
“ I would actually leave here and go,” said Trump, who noted his daughter Tiffany just gave birth to her first child. “I do want to see my beautiful grandson.”
Trump says he’s had an “incredible” trip to the Middle East but that “now it’s time to go back home.” He added: “My daughter had a baby and I’m going to go home and see that baby.”
Tiffany Trump gave birth to a boy.
“She’s doing great and the baby’s great.”
An Israeli official said Cabinet members are meeting Friday to assess the negotiations in Qatar and to decide on next steps. The official was not authorized to brief media on the meeting and so spoke on condition of anonymity.
At an event to highlight business partnerships between the UAE and US companies, Trump gave himself a big pat on the back.
“I’m just thinking we have a president of the United States doing the selling,” Trump said to business leaders as they walked him through a presentation on investments that are benefitting the American economy. “You think Biden would be doing it? I don’t think so. But I think its so important. I have to be a cheerleader for our country.”
President Donald Trump has arrived at a business forum being held at Qasr al-Watan, a ceremonial palace in Abu Dhabi.
Trump entered and listened to a presentation from Sultan al-Jaber, the head of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., as well as officials from Exxon Mobil Corp. and Occidental, two oil firms.
Al-Jaber then presented Trump a memento that included a drop of oil in it.
“This is the highest quality oil there is on the planet,” Trump told those watching.
He then drew laughter when he said: “And they only gave me a drop -- so I’m not thrilled.”
Hostage families called on their government Friday to work with President Trump to release those still held in Gaza.
A statement from the hostages forum, which supports the families said people woke up with “heavy hearts” amid reports of increased attacks across Gaza at the end of Trump’s visit to the Middle East. There were widespread attacks in northern Gaza Friday as Trump was finishing his visit to Gulf States but not Israel.
Israel says about 23 of the hostages are said to be alive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed earlier in the week to push ahead with a promised escalation of force in Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip to pursue his aim of destroying the Hamas militant group, which governs Gaza.
The hostage families called on Netanyahu to “join hands” with Trump’s efforts to release the hostages.
“Missing this historic opportunity for a deal to bring the hostages home would be a resounding failure that will be remembered in infamy forever.
Trump is wrapping up his four-day visit to the Middle East, but he’s keeping a close eye on what’s going on back in Washington.
Before heading out Friday morning to the Qasr Al Watan presidential for the final engagements of his trip, the president took to his Truth Social platform to hammer “Radical Left Sleazebags” after Supreme Court justices on Thursday heard more than two hours of arguments debating how the lower courts should handle Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship.
“I hope the Supreme Court doesn’t fall for the games they play,” Trump added. “The people are with us in bigger numbers than ever before.”
President Donald Trump is kicking off the final day of his Middle East trip with a meeting of U.S. and UAE business executives alongside UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Energy, health care, aviation, entertainment and other business leaders will be in attendance to highlight ties between the two countries -- a central focus of Trump’s trip to the region. Trump will then tour the Abrahamic Family House, a complex that houses a church, mosque and synagogue and is a symbol of interfaith tolerance. Trump has encouraged other countries in the region to join the Abraham Accords and recognize Israel, as the UAE did in 2020. The president will then depart back to Washington.
Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people in Gaza on Friday morning, as U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up his Middle East visit.
An Associated Press journalist counted the bodies at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, where they were brought. Survivors said many people were still under the rubble.
The widespread attacks across northern Gaza come as Trump finishes his visit to Gulf states but not Israel.
There had been widespread hope that Trump’s regional visit could usher in a ceasefire deal or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza. An Israeli blockade of the territory is now in its third month.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes.
President Donald Trump will make several stops before taking off on Air Force One to end his Mideast trip on Friday.
He’ll attend a business summit in the morning in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Trump later will visit the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. It is home to a mosque, a church and a synagogue. The UAE built it after diplomatically recognizing Israel in an agreement known as the Abraham Accords, as Christianity, Islam and Judaism are all known as the Abrahamic faiths.
Etihad Airways announced Friday it would purchase 28 wide-body Boeing aircraft during a visit by President Donald Trump to the United Arab Emirates.
Etihad is the government-owned airline of Abu Dhabi that also flies East-West routes like Emirates, the long-haul carrier in neighboring Dubai.
Etihad said in a statement that the sale included “a mix of Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft, powered by GE engines and supported by a services package.”
Boeing did not immediately acknowledge the deal.
Trump was due to address a business conference in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the last day of his Mideast trip that’s also taken him to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which booked a major Boeing order for its long-haul carrier, Qatar Airways.
Tia Goldenberg contributed from Tel Aviv
President Donald Trump tours the St. Francis Church at the Abrahamic Family House, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan participate in a business roundtable at Qasr Al Watan, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump attends a business meeting and roundtable at Qasr Al Watan, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Friday, May 16, 2025. At right is Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
President Donald Trump tours the St. Francis Church at the Abrahamic Family House, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan talk at Qasr Al Watan, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrive at Qasr Al Watan, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and Sheikh Khaled Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, right, tour the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
