Members of the ancient Samaritan community read from a holy book during the pilgrimage for the holy day of Passover at the top of Mount Gerizim near the West Bank town of Nablus, early Sunday, April 20. Passover began on April 14 this year and ends on April 22.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Members of the ancient Samaritan community read from a holy book during the pilgrimage for the holy day of Passover at the top of Mount Gerizim near the West Bank town of Nablus, early Sunday, April 20. Passover began on April 14 this year and ends on April 22.
Ariel Schalit/AP
According to tradition, the members of the ancient Samaritans are descendants of Jews who were not deported when the Assyrians conquered Israel in the eighth century B.C. Here a man climbs to the top of Mount Gerizim on April 20.
2014 Passover celebrations —
According to tradition, the members of the ancient Samaritans are descendants of Jews who were not deported when the Assyrians conquered Israel in the eighth century B.C. Here a man climbs to the top of Mount Gerizim on April 20.
Ariel Schalit/AP
Ultra-Orthodox Jews watch others recite the Cohanim prayer, or priestly blessing, in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Thursday, April 17.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Ultra-Orthodox Jews watch others recite the Cohanim prayer, or priestly blessing, in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Thursday, April 17.
ABIR SULTAN/EPA/LANDOV
A man raises Torah scrolls during the Cohanim prayer at the Western Wall on April 17.
2014 Passover celebrations —
A man raises Torah scrolls during the Cohanim prayer at the Western Wall on April 17.
THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images
Jewish men draped in prayer shawls perform the Cohanim prayer at the Western Wall on April 17.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Jewish men draped in prayer shawls perform the Cohanim prayer at the Western Wall on April 17.
THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images
A barrier separates men and women as they pray in the Cave of Machpelah, or Cave of the Patriarchs, in Hebron, West Bank, on Wednesday, April 16. The Cave of Machpelah is the burial site that the biblical patriarch Abraham purchased for his family.
2014 Passover celebrations —
A barrier separates men and women as they pray in the Cave of Machpelah, or Cave of the Patriarchs, in Hebron, West Bank, on Wednesday, April 16. The Cave of Machpelah is the burial site that the biblical patriarch Abraham purchased for his family.
Debbie Hill/UPI/Landov
An Israeli boy rides a donkey past shuttered Palestinian shops near the Cave of Machpelah on April 16. Thousands of Israelis and tourists visit the contested town of Hebron to pray beside the graves of the patriarchs and matriarchs.
2014 Passover celebrations —
An Israeli boy rides a donkey past shuttered Palestinian shops near the Cave of Machpelah on April 16. Thousands of Israelis and tourists visit the contested town of Hebron to pray beside the graves of the patriarchs and matriarchs.
Debbie Hill/UPI/Landov
A woman prays in the Cave of Machpelah on April 16.
2014 Passover celebrations —
A woman prays in the Cave of Machpelah on April 16.
Debbie Hill/UPI/Landov
Ultraorthodox Jews burn leavened items in a final preparation before the start at sundown of the Jewish Passover holiday, in the city of Bnei Brak, central Israel, on Monday, April 14. All leavened food, such as bread, is forbidden to Jews during the weeklong holiday, which commemorates the Israelites' exodus from Egypt some 3,500 years ago. Because of the haste with which the Jews left Egypt, the bread they had prepared for the journey did not have time to rise. To honor their ancestors' plight, the religious avoid eating leavened food products throughout Passover.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Ultraorthodox Jews burn leavened items in a final preparation before the start at sundown of the Jewish Passover holiday, in the city of Bnei Brak, central Israel, on Monday, April 14. All leavened food, such as bread, is forbidden to Jews during the weeklong holiday, which commemorates the Israelites' exodus from Egypt some 3,500 years ago. Because of the haste with which the Jews left Egypt, the bread they had prepared for the journey did not have time to rise. To honor their ancestors' plight, the religious avoid eating leavened food products throughout Passover.
JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Rabbi Berl Goldman of the Lubavitch-Chabad Jewish Student and Community Center addresses more than 600 attendees during the Passover Seder at the Chabad House in Gainesville, Florida, on April 14.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Rabbi Berl Goldman of the Lubavitch-Chabad Jewish Student and Community Center addresses more than 600 attendees during the Passover Seder at the Chabad House in Gainesville, Florida, on April 14.
Brad McClenny/Gainesville Sun/Landov
A table setting for the Passover Seder at the Chabad House in Gainesville. The story of Exodus is told during the <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Freligion.blogs.cnn.com%2F2011%2F04%2F18%2Flet-my-people-go-understanding-the-passover-seder%2F">traditional meal</a>.
2014 Passover celebrations —
A table setting for the Passover Seder at the Chabad House in Gainesville. The story of Exodus is told during the traditional meal.
Brad McClenny/Gainesville Sun/Landov
Israeli Jewish worshippers pray during a Passover ceremony in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 14.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Israeli Jewish worshippers pray during a Passover ceremony in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 14.
PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images
An Ultraorthodox Jewish youth burns leavened items in final preparation for the Passover holiday on April 14.
2014 Passover celebrations —
An Ultraorthodox Jewish youth burns leavened items in final preparation for the Passover holiday on April 14.
Oded Balilty/AP
An Israeli man immerses cooking items into boiling water to make them kosher for Passover in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, on April 14.
2014 Passover celebrations —
An Israeli man immerses cooking items into boiling water to make them kosher for Passover in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, on April 14.
JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Members of Ohev Sholom prepare shmurah matzah for Passover in Washington on April 14. The kitchen must be entirely cleaned of chametz, or leavened food producs.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Members of Ohev Sholom prepare shmurah matzah for Passover in Washington on April 14. The kitchen must be entirely cleaned of chametz, or leavened food producs.
Juana Arias for the Washington Post/Getty Images
Israeli Jewish worshippers light candles as they perform a ceremony for Passover in Kathmandu on April 14. Hundreds of Jewish travelers in Kathmandu attended the celebration as food supplies delayed for weeks by a diplomats' strike arrived just hours before the feast.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Israeli Jewish worshippers light candles as they perform a ceremony for Passover in Kathmandu on April 14. Hundreds of Jewish travelers in Kathmandu attended the celebration as food supplies delayed for weeks by a diplomats' strike arrived just hours before the feast.
PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images
Israeli Jewish worshippers gather in a hall for Passover in Kathmandu on April 14.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Israeli Jewish worshippers gather in a hall for Passover in Kathmandu on April 14.
PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images
Israeli Jewish worshippers pray during a ceremony for Passover in Kathmandu on April 14.
2014 Passover celebrations —
Israeli Jewish worshippers pray during a ceremony for Passover in Kathmandu on April 14.
PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images