Help! The guy in the next office cubicle just invited me to join his family for a Passover ‘seder.' I was too embarrassed to ask more and hastily agreed. Now, I don't know what I'm in for...

First, let's back up a little. Before you start worrying about the ‘seder,' let's delve into a bit of history. More than 3,000 years ago, the Jews or Israelites as they were called then, served as slaves in Egypt.

The story unfolds: from Canaan, the Israelites started dwelling in Egyptian territory when Joseph (Israelite-servant-turned-second-in-command-to-Pharaoh) brought his father's household to live with him as there was a terrible famine in his homeland. Once Joseph's generation was succeeded and a new Pharaoh came into power, the status quo was no longer maintained. The Egyptians saw how the Israelites prospered-they grew in numbers and the Egyptians were afraid the Israelites would overpower them one day. Hence, the Israelites were put to forced labour and harsh slave masters appointed over them. It came to the point that the Egyptians were even desperate enough to practice infanticide by ordering midwives to kill all Israelite newborn boys.

As anyone with half an imagination will tell you, this was not a very pleasant scene for the Israelites. Deeply oppressed and crying out for help from God, a deliverer was raised in the form of a man named Moses. Although many signs and wonders were shown, yet Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites from their bondage, culminating in the final plague-the death of every firstborn in the land-man or animal. But the Israelites were spared from this as they were told to mark the sides and tops of the doorframes of their houses with blood taken from a sacrificial lamb. The blood was to be a sign for them on the houses and when destruction passed through the land, it would pass over the Israelites' homes.

And that was how the Passover came to be instituted.

It is essentially a time of celebration, for rejoicing in the fact that the Israelites were finally brought out from captivity. A full celebration would probably last eight days and Jewish families invite friends and family members over on the eve of the first two days for a seder, a meal featuring symbolic food items and a religious service.

Okay, I get the part about escaping from slavery and all but I still don't understand what to expect at a seder.

Well, do expect a bit of reading. But not just any reading from any ol' book, mind you. Rather, this is done out loud, from the Haggadah while seated around the dining table. In Hebrew, ‘Haggadah' means ‘story' and true to form, this tells the story of the Jews' experiences from slavery to freedom.

Other than that, seders usually include prayers, songs and the favourite part-a huge Passover meal! But you can also expect to find some food items on the table that may seem to be a strange combination by usual dining standards.

Such as...?

You should not be alarmed at the sight matzos and horseradish sitting pretty beside a lamb's shankbone, a roasted egg, parsley or celery and a mixture made up of wine, crushed apples, almonds and cinnamon.

Notable for more than taste alone, these items remind the Jews of their ancestors' slavery and eventual deliverance. Each carries a symbolic meaning. For instance, the horseradish is a bitter herb that brings to mind the bitterness of the suffering the Israelites endured at the hands of the Egyptian taskmasters. In addition, it also serves as a poignant touchpoint to remember modern day Jews who are not given the freedom to practice their beliefs, that is, the bitter experience of this lack of freedom.

You should probably also know that during seder ceremonies, a piece of the parsley or celery is dipped into salt water which symbolises the tears shed by the Israelite slaves during their years of bondage.

Most significantly, the shankbone represented the sacrificial lamb used in Jewish sacrifices and probably has to do with the lamb that was sacrificed and whose blood was used to spare the Israelites from the final plague. Matzos too are a special reminder of the events of that night's hasty escape to freedom-thin and made without yeast, they are similar to the unleavened, flat bread eaten with the first Passover meal when there was no time to wait for the bread to rise before baking it.

Thanks, I think I get the whole picture now. But I would be a lot calmer if someone could tell me what to bring along as a gift for the host. Are guests even expected to bring anything to a seder?

It probably would not hurt to pave the way to your first Passover seder with a nice, kosher gourmet gift basket. These make lovely tokens of appreciation and really show thoughtfulness apart from an awareness of cultural and religious sensitivity. Many retailers both on and off the Internet carry a wide range of kosher products in their gift baskets. Alternatively, you could make one up by picking out the right products. If unsure, always check the labels to see if they are certified kosher items, that is, prepared according to the rules of Jewish laws. Just think of it as the Jewish equivalent of the Muslim requirement of ‘halal' items.

Enjoy the seder!