At sundown on April 5, 2023, Jewish communities in Canada and around the world will observe the beginning of Passover, also called Pesach. On the first night of Passover, friends and family come together for a special dinner called a seder to eat symbolic food like matzah, drink wine, and to retell the story of the Exodus from bondage in Egypt from the Haggadah. Spanning eight days, Passover is one of the most anticipated holidays, celebrating freedom as well as hope and rebirth.
The most common food served on Passover is matzah, an unleavened bread made of flour and water. According to tradition, the flour must be ground from one of the five grains specified in Jewish law for Passover matzah: oat, barley, rye, wheat, or spelt. As of December 2022, stocks of oat (+90.8%), barley (60.9%), rye (+32.8%), and wheat (+32.6%) were all up compared with the same date in 2021 thanks in large part to improved growing conditions in Western Canada.
Other traditional foods served on Passover include maror, gefilte fish, tzimmes, and desserts such as macaroons and sponge cake.
Approximately 335,000 people reported being Jewish in the 2021 Census. Additionally, 24,585 reported Hebrew and 13,620 reported Yiddish as their mother tongue. The Hebrew greeting for “Happy Passover” is “Chag Pesach Same’ach.” Another and more Yiddish form of greeting is “Gut Yontif!”
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).