Welcome to our special LAST DAYS OF PASSOVER issue.
a) The Biblical Festival of the 7TH (+8TH) DAY OF PASSOVER begins on Thursday, April 19, at sunset, ends with the close of Shabbat 49 hours later.
b) The 7th day of Pesach is also a full-fledged Torah holiday. It celebrates the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea and our crossing on dry land (see articles #1-2, 6-7).
c) From the 2nd night of Pesach through the night before Shavuot seven weeks later we "Count the Omer" - see articles #4-5.
d) The Eighth Day of Pesach, celebrated only outside of Israel. It's theme is the Final Redemption and Moshiach, as is explicitly discussed in the Haftorah reading of the day — see article #3.
e) Articles #2-3 are from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The 117th anniversary of his birthday was last week on Nissan 11 (April 16).
f) We held over the Annual Tree blessing from last week on the home page — a nice family activity during the weekdays of the festival, if you haven't recited it yet.