Celebrating the First and Last Days of Unleavened Bread

There is so much excitement and joy about Passover, that the Feast of Unleavened Bread often gets overlooked because of that. I wanted to share some ideas for group celebrations of this set apart time, because Scripture tells us to assemble together for the first and last days of this seven-day feast. Whether you are joining with your family, friends, small group, or congregation any of these activities would work well to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

How to celebrate Unleavened Bread with your congregation, group, or Bible study:

-Get together for leftovers from Passover. The day after Passover is the first day of Unleavened Bread, and it's also a Sabbath. Avoid cooking or spending the day preparing more food by serving up leftovers from your Passover meal. Yes, Scripture tells us not to let the leftovers from sacrificial lamb remain until the next day, but it doesn't tell us we can't have leftover salads, etc. (Also because of the Messiah, we should not be sacrificing animals!) If your menu is similar to this one, the salads, hummus, dips, and veggies all keep well as leftovers.

-Make omer counters. The counting of the omer starts on First Fruits, which typically lands during Unleavened Bread. Have everyone bring supplies to make their own omer counter. There are many different ways you could do this, but a few ideas are: scratch off omer counter, DIY flair omer counter, or this omer counter from Torah Sisters. Even having kids make paper chains would work well!

-Movie night. Have a movie night at your congregation or at home with friends. Watch The Ten Commandments or another film of the Exodus story, or other faith-based movie. Popcorn is unleavened and would be an appropriate snack to serve.

-Worship night. There's never a bad time to worship YHWH, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is no exception. Join with your congregation or Bible study for a time of worship together. It would be special to have live music, and if you're a singer or musician, this would be a great time to use your talent. Or stream some great recorded worship songs that you enjoy. Take time at some point in the evening to pray together as well.

-Read Scripture. Why not get together for a Bible study focused on a topic like bread or leavening or something else related to this time? You could also take turns reading aloud the Exodus story or the details of the Messiah's resurrection. If there are kids in your group, they could be directed to perform a skit of a pertinent Bible story. For younger kids, consider doing a puppet show or incorporating fun visual examples into the Bible stories you tell.

-Have an unleavened potluck meal. If you make homemade unleavened bread, it is nice and soft, and you can serve it with regular sandwich toppings. Unleavened sandwiches and soup or salads would be a group-friendly meal where most of the work could easily be done ahead of time.

I hope you are able to join with others to celebrate YHWH's set apart time of Unleavened Bread. If it's just you or your family, these ideas can still be applied to enjoy this time! Take time to worship, rest, celebrate, and have fun during Matzah Week!

More ideas for celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread:
My Matzah Week - What Celebrating Unleavened Bread Looks Like
12 Ways to Celebrate Unleavened Bread
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Unleavened Bread 

The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Unleavened Bread

You can take part in and celebrate the Creator's set apart time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread...even if you never have before! The Biblical holidays were given to all believers, and they are a joy to take part in. Here's how to get started.

What you need to know about the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

-It is seven days long and starts immediately after Passover.

-The first and last days are considered Sabbaths and we are not to work on them.

-During this time we are not to eat regular leavened bread or have it in our homes.

-The Hebrew word for unleavened bread is matzah, and these terms are used interchangeably. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is also called Matzah Week or the Feast of Matzah.

-You can have flour, etc. in your home as long as you are not leavening it. I don't get rid of my flour because I use it throughout the week of Unleavened Bread to make unleavened bread. Of course, it would not be appropriate to make leavened bread with it.

-It is a time for feasting, rejoicing, worship, and celebration.

Spiritual significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

-Matzah Week is when the Israelites hit the road when they fled Egyptian slavery. That YHWH freed his people from slavery is worth remembering and celebrating! During the Feast of Unleavened Bread in Exodus, his people were in that in between place of leaving Egypt, yet not yet entering into the fullness of his promises.

-The bread they ate was unleavened because YHWH changed their circumstances so quickly that they didn't even have time to let their bread rise. No matter how hopeless a situation in our lives may seem, our God can turn that around.

-The Messiah rose from the dead during Unleavened Bread!

-The principle of leaven is very powerful. If you've made bread using sourdough starter or yeast then you know the small amount of this changes the end product significantly! While it can be easy to think that little things in our life don't matter, they can make a huge difference for good or bad. 

-Leaven is typically seen as sin in the Bible. Like sin, leaven shows up in more places than we would expect and we are called to make an effort to avoid it. During this Feast we are to examine ourselves and our lives extra closely and get rid of anything spiritually leavened.

-Unleavened bread is seen as a symbol of the Messiah's physical body. He was sinless (unleavened), and the piercings and dark spots that appear on both homemade and boxed matzah are fitting symbols of him being beaten and bruised for us. Don't forget that Yahusha described himself as the "bread of life." (John 6:35)

How to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread:

-Take a look through your pantry and freezer and take note of what you have that is leavened. This includes things like sandwich bread and frozen pizzas, and also fermented wheat products including soy sauce and beer. Think about storing these things on a certain shelf or area of the pantry so that you can use up anything leavened before the set apart time starts. If you don't have time to use it all then share your bounty with friends, or a food pantry. Burn or throw away the last bits of leavened bread if necessary. 

-As you go through the process of removing leaven from your home, consider how we are called to examine our hearts and actions for spiritual "leaven." Pray and ask YHWH if there is something he would like to clear out of your life as you are cleaning your cupboards of leaven. These questions are a good guide to spiritual preparation for this time.

-Get a recipe to make your own unleavened bread, or order or purchase boxed matzah bread. Boxed matzah is similar to a large cracker, whereas homemade matzah is soft, comparable to naan bread. This is my recipe made with einkorn flour, but you could substitute all purpose or whole wheat flour.

-Think about incorporating matzah into at least one meal a day throughout the week. It's appropriate to eat unleavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread! There are many ways to enjoy matzah. Eat it with sandwich toppings, alongside a bowl of soup or curry, make matzah pizzas, or turn it into matzah toffee! See this post for other ideas for serving unleavened bread.

-Take at least the first and last days of Unleavened Bread off from work, errands, and household chores. If possible, consider taking more time off from work to spend with your family or to make this holiday more special to you. Taking a day trip somewhere during the week can make it fun and memorable - I visited the Ark Encounter during Matzah Week a few years ago!

-Take joy in worshiping YHWH, and studying the Bible. Attend services at a congregation if possible, and watch children's Bible story videos - if you don't have kids do it for fun! 

-Not everything you do has to be 'spiritual' - make the week fun with things you enjoy. Go somewhere beautiful for a hike, play games or do a puzzle with family, make a craft or an omer counter, invite friends over for dinner, make special foods, and take time to relax.

There is some learning curve when you start to observe a new holiday, so give yourself grace about that. It takes time to get used to celebrating the times of the Creator and next year it will seem more natural and be even more fun! The Living God is honored by your efforts to take part in his set apart times!

Other posts about celebrating this holiday:
12 Ways to Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread
My Matzah Week - What Celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread Looks Like
Recipes for the Feast of Unleavened Bread

Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread

During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we are instructed to abstain from leavened products for the week. (See this post for details on leaven.) I've rounded up some totally delicious recipes that are free from leaven and appropriate during Unleavened Bread, or any other time of year.

Soups: 

Seriously Good Vegetable Soup from Cookie and Kate

One Pot Spiced Sweet Potato Lentil Soup from Minimalist Baker

Asparagus Potato Soup from A Beautiful Plate

One Pot Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew from Making Thyme for Health

One Pot Tuscan Style Beef Lentil Soup from Minimalist Baker

Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili from How Sweet Eats

Broccoli Cheese Soup from Cookie and Kate

Easy Butternut Squash Soup from A Couple Cooks

One Pot Everyday Lentil Soup from Minimalist Baker

Eggs and breakfasts:

Foolproof Shakshuka from Cookie and Kate

Healthy Breakfast Casserole from Love and Lemons 

Turkish Egg and Quinoa Breakfast Bowls from Half Baked Harvest

Frittata from Cookie and Kate

Grain Free Granola from My New Roots

Healthy Breakfast Smoothies from Love and Lemons 

Citrus Ricotta Breakfast Bowl with Honeycomb from Half Baked Harvest
*use grain free granola if you're avoiding oats

Berry Superfood Smoothie Bowls from Love and Lemons 

Salads:

Spring Nicoise Salad from How Sweet Eats

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing from Pinch of Yum

Simple Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette from Minimalist Baker

Mexican Kale and Quinoa Salad from Cookie and Kate

Abundance Salad with Savory Tahini Dressing from Minimalist Baker

Easy Green Goddess Dressing from Cookie and Kate

Mains:

Sheet Pan Chicken Shwarma with Sesame Sweet Potatoes and Hummus from Half Baked Harvest

Grain Free Burrito Bowls with Shredded Mexican Chicken from Minimalist Baker

30 Minute Cauliflower Rice Stir Fry from Minimalist Baker

Garlic Butter Creamed Spinach and Salmon from Half Baked Harvest

Sheet Pan Chickpea Tikka from Making Thyme for Health

Spring Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken and Veggies from Half Baked Harvest

Mujaddara from Cookie and Kate

Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowls from Pinch of Yum

Noodle Free Pad Thai from Minimalist Baker

Stuffed Delicata Squash from A Couple Cooks

Perfect Baked Salmon with Lentils and Lemon Herb Sauce from Pinch of Yum

Sides:

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes from Healthy Nibbles

Wild Rice Broccoli Casserole from A Couple Cooks

Creamed Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter Walnuts from Half Baked Harvest

Easy Refried Beans from Cookie and Kate

Corn Salsa from Making Thyme for Health

Eight-Minute Sweet Potatoes from Minimalist Baker

Simple Chickpea Salad from A Couple Cooks

Mayo-Free Deviled Eggs from Minimalist Baker

Garlic Spaghetti Squash with Herbs from Pinch of Yum

Roasted Asparagus from Healthy Nibbles

Here's my recipe for homemade einkorn matzah (unleavened bread).
More recipes for the Feast of Unleavened Bread here.
Don't forget dessert! Kosher for Passover desserts recipes here.