April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is celebrated every year on April 1st, and has been celebrated for several centuries by many cultures, though its exact   origins remain a mystery. April Fools' Day traditions include playing hoaxes or practical jokes on others, often yelling “April Fools!” afterward, to clue in the subject of the April Fools' Day prank.

 Passover is a major Jewish holiday and celebrates the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

Passover begins Saturday April 12th and ends the seven day festival at sunset on Saturday, April 19th for Reform and progressive Jews living inside Israel. For Orthodox, Hasidic, and generally Jews outside Israel, the festival lasts 8 days, ending at sunset on Sunday, April 20th. On these seven (or eight) days,  all leavening, whether in bread or any other mixture,  is prohibited.    

Only unleavened bread, called matzo, may be eaten. The matzo symbolizes both the Hebrews’ suffering while in bondage and the haste with which they left Egypt in the course of the Exodus. Passover is also sometimes called the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

CELEBRATE APRIL 2025

Earth Day is a global event, on April 22, that highlights the importance of protecting the environ-

ment. The event began in 1970 in the United States, and it now includes a wide range of events globally, including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.

Earth Day was set up in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a United States senator and environmentalist, and Denis Hayes, a graduate student at Harvard University. Both had growing concerns about

growing concerns about environmental damage in the United States, such as that caused by a large oil spill in 1969 in Santa Barbara, California. They created Earth Day as a way to engage the pubic with environmental concerns. Each year, Earth Day has a theme. The theme for 2025 is Our Power, Our Planet, with an emphasis on renewable energy and global generation of clean electricity.

Easter is the highest holiday in Christianity. It commemorates Jesus’ resurrection three days after his crucifixion and death. Many Christians believe that, by Jesus’ death, our sins are forgiven by God.

The term ‘Easter’ gets its name from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolizes the spring season and fertility.

The first Easter service for the year is the Service of Light. The worship typically starts in darkness on the preceding Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Light is brought into the church with candles to signify hope based on the resurrection. The service culminates with the lighting of a Paschal candle, signifying the risen Christ.

Easter Lilies are popular decorations. Their white flowers are one of the earliest to bloom in the spring and symbolize beauty, rebirth, hope, purity, and holiness - the spiritual essence of Easter.

The Holy Week April 13 - 20, 2025

Easter also signifies the end of Lent, the 40-day period of fasting, preparation, and penitence observed by the faithful. Easter season starts Easter Sunday and lasts 40 days until Pentecost.

Easter eggs represent new life and also symbolize the shape of Jesus’ tomb. The Easter Bunny is the symbol for fertility, and bunnies are used to celebrate the coming of spring. Rabbits breed the most during the spring and are remarkably prolific procreators, making these furry creatures a natural representation of fertility.

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant, and last, entry into Jerusalem. When Jesus last entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him with palm branches. Palm Sunday is celebrated in virtually every Christian church. It marks Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem before he was persecuted, crucified, and resurrected. The observance occurs toward the end of Lent, meant to create reflection on Christ’s suffering.

Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples before he was arrested, and is celebrated in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant churches. It includes the sacrament of Holy Communion to commemorate the Last Supper.

Good Friday is observed as the day that Jesus was crucified, also called Holy and Great Friday, in the Orthodox tradition. During Lent, crosses in the sanctuary are draped with purple cloth, which is a symbol of royalty. Churches with stationary crosses, that can’t be moved, drape them in black, a symbol of death. Many good Friday services end with the church bell tolling 33 times, for each year of Jesus’ earthly life.

Easter is celebrated April 20th, the culmination of Holy Week. The date is determined by the moon. Easter is the Sunday after the first full moon of spring. March 22 is the earliest Easter can occur in any given year, and April 25 is the latest.