Jewish holidays are important to the Jewish faith and culture. Purim is a holiday that celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them in the ancient Persian Empire. It is celebrated with feasting, gift-giving, and the reading of the Book of Esther. PASSOVER is a seven-day festival that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated by eating unleavened bread, abstaining from work, and participating in a special meal called a Seder.