Pessah is one of the most important celebrations in Judaism and takes place in April. Women undertake the preparations; i.e. thorough cleaning, the best dinner service and other special things related to Pessah. In Ioannina it is customary to sterilise all the ordinary crockery in boiling water. Until World War II all the women of the neighbourhood did this together.
The Eve of Pessah was the time for bedikat hametz when the whole family searched the house from top to bottom to get rid of every crumb of leavened bread. The following morning these crumbs were thrown into the lake while prayers were said asking for forgiveness of sins. Housewives baked their own matzot, or unleavened bread. This was the only kind of bread eaten during the eight days of Pessah. There was a community bakery in Ioannina, which met the needs of the whole community.
Family gatherings were held on the first evening of Pessah, which was known as hova (a derivative of the Hebrew word Hov, meaning duty), and the eldest person there would read the story of the Exodus from Egypt, or Haggadah, in Hebrew and in Greek. On the table there would be a Seder tray or basket full of symbolic foodstuffs like bitter greens, lamb, haroset and eggs dyed with onion skin. At the end of the meal the wish 'be both a bride and a lady' was said to girls, and 'be a bridegroom' was said to boys.
