Mimouna
A table set with traditional foods and symbols of the holiday. The dish in the center is Mofletta.
Official name	Hebrew: מימונה
Observed by	North African Jews
Significance	Celebration of the end of prohibition of chametz
Begins	21st day of Nisan in Israel; 22nd day of Nisan outside of Israel
Ends	22nd day of Nisan in Israel; 23rd day of Nisan outside of Israel
Date	21 Nisan, 22 Nisan, 23 Nisan
Related to	Passover

Mimouna (Hebrew: מימונה Arabic: ميمونة) is a traditional Moroccan Jewish celebration held the day after Passover. It marks the start of spring and the return to eating chametz, i.e., leavened bread and bread by-products, which are forbidden throughout the week of Passover.

Origin of name

Some believe the source of the name is Rabbi Maimon ben Yosef, father of the Rambam, Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, and the Mimouna marks the date of his birth or death.^[1]

Others say that the name Mimouna derives from the Arabic word for “wealth” and “good luck,” or the Hebrew word “emuna” (faith) or “ma’amin” (believe). ^[2]

Customs

The celebration begins after nightfall on the last day of Passover. In many communities, non-Jewish neighbors sell bread products back to Jewish families as a beginning of the celebration. Moroccan and Algerian Jews throw open their homes to visitors, after setting out a lavish spread of traditional holiday cakes and sweetmeats. One of the holiday favorites is Mofletta.^[1] The table is also laid with various symbols of luck and fertility, with an emphasis on the number "5," such as five pieces of gold jewelry or five beans arranged on a leaf of pastry.^[3]

In Israel, the Mimouna has become a popular annual happening featuring outdoor parties, picnics and BBQs. After settling in Israel, Jewish immigrants from North Africa (Maghrebim) celebrated the Mimouna with their families. In 1966, it was introduced as a national holiday, and has been adopted by other ethnic groups, mainly in the Mizrahi sector.^[4]