TOP TEN BEST PASSOVER PRACTICES

Top Ten Passover Practices:

Set up an hourglass timer at one end of your Seder table. Don't let more than five minutes pass without someone asking a question.
Have participants sign their Haggadah. Each year you can look back and see who has been with you in the past; remember funny stories, and be touched by people wo can no longer be at your table. If you are not comfortable writing during the Seder, try to have people sign before the holiday begins!
Make a Haggadah with your family. Assign everyone a page or section one month before. Collect and collate each section and photocopy enough for all your participants. Adults and teenagers can be responsible for the text and children for the drawings.
Bring in props. This can happen in a number of ways. Buy them at your local Judaica store (you can literally buy a "Bag of Plagues") or make them with your family. And props don't necessarily have to just be the plagues: be creative and turn your whole house into a Jewish/Egyptian home!
Personalize your Seder experience. Assign everyone a section of the Haggadah to study before they arrive. During the Seder people can bring readings or questions to the group, depending on what they were assigned.
Think about incorporating new traditions into your Seder. Learn about "The orange on the Seder plate" or Miriam's Cup rituals. Regardless of whether or not you decided to add them to your Seder, then can at least open the door for more questions.
Designate a huge platter as a freedom plate. Ask everyone to bring to the Seder something that symbolizes freedom for them. Have everyone put their item on the plate at the beginning of the Seder, and talk about it. (You may want to give size guidelines such as "the object should be able to fit in a pocket.")
Ask each person to bring a poem or reading that relates to the Seder. Ask your guests to retell the story of the Exodus in their own words or to present a skit. You can also ask them in advance of the Seder to research customs of different communities for a specific part of the Seder.
Try to have more than one version of the Haggadah at your Seder. While many Haggadot have essentially the same pieces, some include extra questions or phrase sections differently. Looking at the differences can help bring out more questions. Encourage people to explain what strikes them about the differences.
Make Pesach fortune cookies for dessert. Create fortune cookies by tying two pieces of chocolate covered matzah together with a colorful ribbon. In between the matzah, include a note: it can be a silly joke, a Jewish fact, or a wish for the coming year. Don't forget to have everyone read theirs aloud!

SEDER TIPS

The following tips will help to create a more meaningful Seder:

GIVE HOMEWORK – Have all of your participants prepare something in advance of the Seder which they will contribute at the Seder. Children might prepare a few songs; teenagers their own creative skit about the Exodus such as a take-off on a television show. Adults can be given a topic to prepare in advance such as the role of women in the Exodus of theories about the plagues or the parting of the Red Sea.

STRATEGIC PLANNING – A great Seder does not happen spontaneously. Map out in advance what parts of the Seder you will include or leave out. (There is no requirement to recite every word from the Haggadah.) Where will you follow the Haggadah and where will you allow for creativity? How will you allow for the participation of those at your table? Coordinate your timing with the person in charge of the kitchen so that you are not blamed for burned tzimmes or cold chicken soup. Give attention to how you will conclude the Seder after the meal so that everyone is not asleep right after dessert or ready to go home.

HORS D'OEUVRES – In addition to the traditional dipping of the Parpas (green vegetable) in salt water at the beginning of the Seder, I recommend that you provide a plentiful array of additional vegetables and dips. This will take the edge off of everyone's hunger and is also in keeping with the earliest haggadot which indicate the variety of vegetables that were dipped at the beginning of the Seder.

TELL THE STORY – The main requirement of the Seder is to tell the story of leaving Egypt. Don't limit your imagination. If you are creative, use drama, voices, costumes, or puppets to retell the story. Let the children do a skit or have the adults imagine the night of leaving Egypt and act out their preparations. Don't try to read every word of the Haggadah.

ASK QUESTIONS – Don't limit yourself to the four questions in the Haggadah. One of the best ways to elicit the telling of the story of the Exodus is by asking questions. We have learned a lot and had a lot of good laughs by asking questions such as: What was a typical day during the plague of frogs? If you could only pack three things when you left Egypt, what would you take? What would be the first thing you would say after emerging from the far side of the Red Sea? In a different vein, go round the table and ask people to share one way they feel enslaved or one aspect of their lives in which they would like to feel freer this year. The level of self disclosure is up to each person, but it is a great way to equalize participation around the table.

EAT THE MATZAH IN SILENCE – There is much noise at the Seder table as there should be. Traditionally a Jewish meal is begun by silence between the washing of the hads and the motzi. Invite everyone at the table not to speak from the fime the first person washes until the motzi is made. You will focus more intently on the eating of the matzoh and the meal itself might feel more like a religious celebration.

SING – Even if you do not know many songs, the children will know songs from Nursery School or Religious School. Invite a grandparent to share a family melody. Be creative! Have your guests try to sing all the verses of Chad Gadya in one breath or do it with the sound effects of each animal or object which is mentioned. Be prepared that finding the right sounds for God and the Angel of Death is a real challenge. Cantor Chesler can help you with songs, and tapes are available in Jewish book stores.

The Details of Passover are Overwhelming – How Do I Begin?

(edited from a Passover Guide by Rabbi Raphael Rank)

Passover symbols Pesach doesn't just happen. Like every other celebration in life, in requires planning and preparation. If you don't come from an observant family, all the rules and regulations may seem overwhelming. If you find yourself doubting whether you could ever successfully prepare for Pesach, read on. This sections of the Guide will help you understand what needs to be done in order to create Pesach.

SPRING CLEANING
Your observant friends may have told you about all the cleaning that they do prior to Pesach. Pretty impressive, isn't it? Nevertheless, at the risk of disillusioning you, it must be said that much of what they do, you do too, but you may call it "spring cleaning."

A simple way to affirm your identity as a Jew is to continue your ritual spring cleaning, but this year, use Pesach as your deadline for completion. House cleaning is what an observant Jew does before Pesach. You can do that, too. But this year, add a special dimension to the cleaning: ridding your house of chametz.

GET RID OF THE OBVIOUS CHAMETZ
Without delving into the technicalities of chametz, consider the bottom line: During Pesach, Jewish homes should have no breads, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, pizza, or pasta products. That means cleaning out the freezer as well. We do not eat these products within the home or outside the home for the entire eight days of the festival.

WHY SHOULD I BOTHER?
Good question. Of course, we don't ask why we should engage in spring cleaning. The answer there is somewhat clear. The house has been locked up for the winter. Bedding needs laundering, windows need washing, rooms need airing, etc. We engage in spring cleaning to freshen up our physical space. But like our homes, our neshamot or souls also require a cleaning. We get rid of chametz to freshen up our spiritual space. Some rabbis have likened chametz to "sin," noting that the term itself even sounds like "het," the Hebrew term for sin. Because leavening causes fermentation that makes a product swell, chametz is likened to pride or arrogance. We get rid of all the bread and pastas for eight days, all the chametz around us, and remember that a humble life is a refreshing life – the most successful life to lead.

BUT I CAN'T EAT MATZAH FOR EIGHT DAYS!
Surprise – you don't have to . According to the rabbis we are obligated to eat matzah on the first two nights only. The rest of the week we may eat matzah, but are under no obligation to do so.

SO IS THAT WHAT A SEDER IS – A MEAL WITH MATZAH?
A seder without matzah would certainly be pointless. But it is good to remember that a seder is more than just a meal. It's a discussion about who we are as a people. And who we are, in large part, has to do with a story regarding our enslavement in and redemption from the land of Egypt. Somewhere in Jerusalem, there's a Jew who sits on the ground wearing a colorful skullcap, speaks Arabic, sells teapots, prays three time a day and has never been to New York City. He is our brother. He is our brother by virtue of the fact that together with him, we are equally grateful for the miracle that God rendered in redeeming our ancestors, and thus us, from the land of Egypt. That's the message that ought to be discussed at our seder tables.

WHO IS GOING TO LEAD ALL THIS DISCUSSION?
Another good question. Who is your family's natural discussion leader? There usually is one who enjoys a good debate or discussion. It's time to tap into his/her talents. Hold a family meeting and appoint someone the leader.

IN SUMMARY

Clean the house;
Get rid of the chametz;
Eat matzah on the first two nights;
Make sure the seder is more than just a meal;
Make a commitment to do a little more each year.

Remember – this is only the beginner's list, but make sure that you and your Pesach seder grow each year.

ELIJAH'S WALK--Here is a new and creative idea. Elijah is the harbinger of the Messianic era, but we can't just sing and expect him to walk through the door. Why not take an Elijah Walk to show our resolve to work toward the future. One family did this with their guests and walked down the block to their Jewish neighbors asking them where they were in their Seder. They had just finished dinner and joined the family on their walk singing Eliyahu Hanavi. By the time the walk was done three more families and their guests had joined the walk and 60 people were signing Passover songs in the street. If you are super organized maybe you could plan a progressive Elijah walk and dessert with families in your neighborhood. The idea is a little wild, but you will never forget the experience.

HAGGADAH SUGGESTIONS--Don't waste time having everyone find the same page in ten different Haggadot. The Conservative Movement Haggadah, The Feast of Freedom, is available from the HJC Judaica Shop. The pictures in this Haggadah are fantastic sources for discussion, and the commentary helps in understanding the Seder.

A wonderful new Haggadah with enough material to sustain different Seders for ten years is A Different Night. If you buy this Haggadah also purchase the Leader's Guide which includes sections titled The "Jazz Haggadah", "Young Children at the Seder", "Short Cuts Through the Haggadah", and "Recalling Great Seders" and much more. This is the best Haggadah available if you are planning a family Seder. It can also be obtained through our Judaica Shop or by contacting the American Friends of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Englewood, N. J.

Don't be scared off by the expense of buying 20 Haggadot. We bought ours 15 years ago for $200. That works out to an approximate cost of $13/year--far less than we spend each year for Passover food.

Good luck with your Seder, and please contact me or any one of the professionals in the synagogue if we can help you with your Seder.

SAJES and the Bagels, Blocks, and Beyond Program also have some suggestions:

Creative Ideas For Pesach:

Have a "Chametz Party" before Pesach to use up all of your opened bags of chips, cereals, candy, etc. Invite family and friends to bring theirs as well. Play some Pesach tapes and eat away!

A new twist on finding the afikomen: Your children hide it and the adults have to find it.

Instead of just placing out a cup for Elijah, set a place at the table for him. For even more fun, have a friend or relative come dressed as Elijah to enter at the appropriate time, There are many wonderful stories written about Elijah that this "actor" could tell.

Fill Elijah's cup by passing it around the table for each participant to help fill with some of their own wine.

Ask grandparents or an older relative to describe what Pesach was like when they were younger.

Before Pesach, buy inexpensive toys, stickers, pogs and snacks to be used as incentives (or bribes). Distribute these to quiet children, reward good behavior as well as participation.

For a dramatic touch, when it's time to open the door for Elijah, have a grownup accompany the children with a candle from the Seder table. (This shouldn't be done on a Friday night.)

After the Seder has begun, hang a sign on the door from Elijah saying "I was here, where were you?"

Put a fresh flower at every place setting so all can experience the beauty of spring.

Have children and guests talk about what it must have been like to be a slave in Egypt. They can even act this out.

Every year, before the Seder, when the family is dressed in their best clothes, take a family portrait. Do this every year and take out the previous year's pictures to see how your family has grown.

Start a Pesach Memory Scrapbook. Fill it out during the week of Pesach with notes about your Seder, your guest list, who found the afikomen, a recipe that was a hit, or even something that you need to remember to buy for next Pesach.

Start making your own Family Haggadah for next Pesach. Take black and white photographs of your family portraying scenes from the Haggadah ( e.g. dipping parsley, saying the four questions, finding baby Moses, pointing to the Seder plate, etc.) Make a text to accompany the pictures, paste in the pictures, and photo copy your new Family Haggadah!

A tip for next year's Seder: On Tu BiShvat, plant parsley seed in cups or pot. They will grow in time for the Seder to be used as centerpieces, or even used the Seder plate for home grown rather than store bought parsley.

If you have younger children, you can play the game "I Spy With My Little Eye" items that are on the Seder table.

If you have older children, perhaps they can become leaders for the second Seder. If they can't read yet, have them chose who will read what.

Use one of the many innovative Haggadot that are available today. There are Haggadot which use puppets, several that are for children, and many for families that incorporate fun suggestions for children. Seders do not have to be boring!

Incorporate some of the silly songs from this packet into your Seder, either at intervals during the Seder itself, at the beginning of the Seder, or at the end. Your children will probably learn some fun songs in school. Please use them!

Above all, make the Seder enjoyable, as well as a learning experience for your family. We're never to old to do both!

How Children Can Help

Pesach is full of wonderful opportunities for your child's participation:

Your children can help you clean for the holiday. They can help clean their own room, clean out the car of chametz, or help you in the kitchen.

Take them shopping with you for Passover foods. Show them what Kosher for Passover symbols look like. Go on Passover food hunt in your local supermarket.

Have your children help you make some of the crafts.

Your child can help you prepare the Seder plate- chop nuts in a nut chopper for charoset, add cinnamon and wine to the charoset, grate horseradish, make the salt water, wash the parsley, etc.

Use puppets that your children can color and cut out to use at the Seder.

Your children can decorate a plastic tablecloth from a party store with permanent magic markers to use at the Seder. They can draw frogs, kiddush cups, matzahs, etc.

Make a dessert with your children. If you're not a cook, buy a kosher for Passover mix at the store. There are even special children's mixes available this year.

Give your children the task of coming up with a seating arrangement for the Seder.

Children can help you unpack dishes, peel vegetables, polish the silver, set the table, etc.

Take a plain color pillowcase and have your child decorate it with fabric paints to use as there pillowcase for reclining at the Seder.

Boys can take an inexpensive kippah (yarmulke) and decorate it with fabric paints. He will be more than happy to wear his kippah during the Seder since he designed it himself. Girls and/or boy can use fabric paints to decorate a matzah cover or afikomen bag made out of felt or a handkerchief.

Ideas compiled by Ronni Ihm for SAJES and Bagels, Blocks, and Beyond

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