What Is Matzo?

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
When the Jews left Egypt and were liberated from slavery, they were in such a hurry that they couldn’t wait for their dough to rise before baking. To commemorate the Jews’ haste in leaving Egypt, we do not eat hametz, or any leavened grain products, for the duration of the Passover holiday. Matzo is made from a dough of flour and water that must be mixed, rolled and baked within 18 minutes, the time frame in which leavening is assumed to have begun.
Insider tip: The best Passover breakfast around is matzo spread with butter and salt or with cream cheese and jam. Matzo is also an excellent base for personal pizzas – just spread with tomato sauce, add some chopped veggies, sprinkle with cheese, and bake till the cheese is bubbly and browned.
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Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
- Alyssa Katz, Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
