When is Passover (Pesach)?
In 2026, Passover (Pesach) falls on Thursday, April 2, 2026. It is an observance rather than a federal holiday, so federal offices and most businesses follow their normal schedules.
History of Passover (Pesach)
Passover, or Pesach, commemorates the biblical Exodus from Egypt and begins with the Seder, an ordered meal using matzah, symbolic foods and the Haggadah narrative. In 2026 it began at sunset on April 1; this occurrence marks the first full day, Thursday, April 2. In the diaspora the festival continues for eight days, not just the date displayed here.
Moroccan Jewish history gives the season a distinctive ending in Mimouna, held after Passover with open-door hospitality, sweets and mufleta in many families. Its precise origins are debated, so it is better documented as a Moroccan-Maghrebi custom than explained by one definitive legend. Morocco’s decree separately names Pesach for Moroccan Israelite public personnel.
Passover (Pesach) has a limited legal scope. Decree 2-77-169 lists the festival specifically for ‘Moroccan Israelites’ in the public administration, rather than as a closure for all personnel nationwide. This calendar therefore labels it an observance; Jewish residents and employees should check their institution, contract and congregation schedules.
How Passover (Pesach) is observed
Community and limited public-service observance beginning at sunset Wednesday, April 1; first full day Thursday, April 2, 2026. It is not a nationwide closure.
Traditions of Passover (Pesach)
Community practice
Observant families remove or avoid leaven, hold a Seder with matzah and the Haggadah, and adapt symbolic foods and melodies to family custom. Customs differ by region, language, religious practice and household resources.
Public programme
Synagogues and cultural institutions may organise services or heritage programmes; after the festival, some Moroccan Jewish families welcome guests for Mimouna. The official programme does not imply identical participation or political interpretation across Morocco.
Planning the day
Check sunset-based times and the full eight-day calendar with the congregation; this entry does not convert Pesach into a general public holiday. Essential services, transport and private businesses may follow their own published schedules.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Morocco cultural, civic or religious guidance. Government, regional, school and employer schedules in Morocco may differ; check the linked official source and current local notices before making time-sensitive plans.
History sources: Moroccan public-service legal database: consolidated Decree 2-77-169, Moroccan administration ministry: working hours and public holidays, Moroccan Labour Code, including Articles 217–223 on paid holidays, Morocco national portal: national and religious holiday calendar, Moroccan legal database: Pesach for Moroccan Israelite personnel, Encyclopaedia Britannica: Passover history and Seder, National Library of Israel: Moroccan Jewish Mimouna.
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