An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. – Benjamin Franklin
Bedikat Chametz
We turned it into a kind of treasure hunt the kids “hide” some chomets, too. - We give people little notes and pens. Before the seder starts, we ask everybody to list their internal “chametz” that they would like to burn. We then pass around a tin box where everybody puts their notes. Se go outside and burn it with the blessing for burning the hametz.
- We sing “We are going on a hametz hunt” (to the tune of Going on a bear hunt/ Going on a lion hunt)
- We use lasagna noodles for bedikat hametz because they don’t leave crumbs.
Biur Chamets – Silence your ego – www.silenceyourego.tublr.com
Ice Breakers/Games to Do During the Seder:
- Catch the Phrase – At the start of the seder, everyone picks a card which has three words on it. Two are closely related to pesach, and the third one is a little random. The goal is to ask a question or say a sentence at the seder using all three of your words, without getting caught. You win if a full minute passes after you use the words and no one accuses you of completing your task. This encourages thought, discussions, and question-asking — in a unique way. Add rules as needed. For example, you’re disqualified if you wrongly “catch” someone three times. (Sari Margolis) Sample cards:
- matzah, noodles, jump
- pharaoh, hail, slippers
- freedom, slave, garden
- wine, four, radio
- sons, questions, airport
- sing, praise, feather
- generation, story, roof
- wash, bracha, leg
- sandwich, bitter, umbrella
- custom, tradition, gloves
- Egypt, Israel, restaurant
- afikomen, hide, paint
- darkness, frog, necklace
- thank, dayenu, maze
- charoset, haggadah, stairs
- macaroon, potato, circus
- sea, staff, electricity
Six Degrees of Sederation: Have two bags–one has a bunch of papers or cards with Pesach-identified nouns (Moshe, charoset, liberation, Miriam, parsley…), and the other has a bunch of papers or cards with totally random things on it (the US Supreme Court, Nigeria, an iPhone, bananas, a rainbow flag, ice). Divide people into teams of 2-4. Each team picks one from each bag, and then everyone has one minute to come up with Six (or Fewer) Degrees of Sederation that connect the two. E.g. Charoset and iPhone–that’s easy, Apple/apple in one! Parsley and Nigeria…hmm, Nigeria is in Africa, Egypt is also in Africa, between Egypt and Israel is the Reed Sea, some say that dipping the parsley in salt water is symbolic of b’nei yisrael crossing the Reed Sea!
Pesach Grab Bag– Place about 10 interesting items in the bag. (Older children, specifically, enjoy the creativity involved in choosing unique items) Every so often during Maggid, pass the bag around and have someone choose an item out of the bag. The person has to say how that item is connected to Pesach. After the person answers, the original person who put that item in the bag explains why he thought the item was connected.
Part A. Telling the Events
- Bibliodrama: There are many ways to go about bibliodrama, one suggestion is to build a character by going around the table and asking each person to answer a question about a former slave leaving Egypt. Below you will find a set of questions that you can use to help in the creation of your own seder bibliodrama. (Gidon Isaacs)
- Do you believe that you will actually leave Egypt and make it to freedom?
- If you could say one thing to Moses what would it be?
- What special things are you bringing with you out of Egypt?
- What does it feel like to see the Sea of Reeds in front of you?
- What does the sea look like when it is parted?
Experiencing the Freedom
Is freedom free? What are you trying to break free from in your own life?
How is it possible to feel like we were slaves when we are living in the lap of luxury?
Thanksgiving
Making the Seder Meaningful
Part A. Setting the Mood – The Way of the Free
Part B. Piquing the Interest of the Children
Part C. Question and Answer Format
Part D. Tailor-made Education
Passover finger puppet – Link Here
10 Plagues Passover Craft – Link Here
