A Parent's Guide
To
Passover
C
hag Sameach!!! (Happy Holiday). Please enjoy this booklet to use at home with your child. We hope that you will share in the learning that takes place at the Tucson J. This booklet is intended to expand your knowledge on the Jewish holiday, Passover, and to give you some great ideas for fun activities that will help you reinforce the holiday at home. Enjoy!
Significance
Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) commemorates a number of events with the Exodus from Egypt some 3000 years ago. The Bible, in the book of Exodus, relates that after living in Egypt for several generations the Jews were enslaved by a King who did not recognize their rights as sojourners. They were forced to build cities and monuments while under the yoke of the ruthless taskmaster. Finally, G-d chose Moses, a Jewish boy raised as an Egyptian Prince to lead the Jews out of slavery. Despite the "signs and wonders" which G-d instructed Moses to show the Egyptian King the Jews were not allowed to leave Egypt until G-d had decimated the land and its inhabitants with ten deadly plagues.
The term Passover refers to the "passing over" of Jewish houses by the angel of death which G-d sent to carry out the 10th plague, the killing of all Egyptian first-born. The actual Exodus, however, was accomplished by G-d (not Moses) as G-d delivered the Jews from the hands of their pursuers by parting the Red Sea and causing it to drown the Egyptian army as it charged through. This was the formative experience of the Jewish people which prepared them to accept The Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai.
Observances
The Bible relates that the Jews left Egypt "in haste" and did not have time to let their dough rise. To commemorate this, and also to symbolize the poverty and oppression in slavery, the Bible commands the Jewish people to abstain from eating leavened bread during the entire holiday. It also prescribes the eating of matzah, unleavened bread, during this period. To help crystallize the significance of the events surrounding the events the Exodus for the Jewish people, the Rabbis established a festive meal, the Passover Seder. In Israel, one meal is observed, and elsewhere, two. The central part of the meal, besides the various symbolic foods, is the recitation of the Haggadah, a Rabbinic text relating how the Jewish people matured through their experience as slaves. The meal is characterized by matzah, the symbol of haste and powerlessness, the four cups of wine which stand for freedom, and the bitter herbs which serve as a reminder of the bitterness of slavery. All in all, the Passover Seder is an incredibly moving experience as well as a time for true joy and celebration.
The Passover Seder Plate and Symbolic Passover Food
The Passover Seder Plateis the centerpiece of the Passover meal and is the heart of the Passover Seder. The foods that are placed on the Seder Plate are integral to the telling of the Passover story. There are six different foods on the Passover Seder plate and each serves the purpose of retelling the story of Exodus.
Matzah
Matzahis one of the most iconic elements of Passover. During the Exodus from Egypt, the Jews fled so quickly that there was no time to waste waiting for bread to rise. Instead, they ate unleavened matzah in their desperate escape from slavery. What was once an act of necessity is now celebrated in triumphant, everlasting joy. Jews choose to eat matzah in honor of their ancestors, and to celebrate their freedom. This special bread is included on the Seder plate, or next to it.
Bitter Herbs
MarorandChazeretare bitter herbs, such as romaine lettuce, endives, or horseradish, which are eaten to remind the participants of the bitter and frightening journey of Exodus.
Charoset
Charosetis a sweet-tasting mixture of apples, cinnamon, wine, and nuts. Charoset is symbolic of the mortar that the Jewish slaves used when being forced to build Egyptian storehouses. The bitter maror is dipped into the charoset before being consumed. When tasted together, the participants remember the struggle of the Jewish slaves, and pay homage to their hardships. The bitterness of the maror tells the tale of a life of strife, while the sweet-tasting charoset invokes the very building blocks of a slave’s daily existence. While it may seem strange that the charoset, which tastes so delightful, should be used to reinforce the building clay of the slaves, it is a reminder that Passover is a time of celebration of the Jewish slaves’ freedom.
Karpas
Karpasis a vegetable, often celery or potatoes, which is dipped into salted water or vinegar. The plain, bitter taste of this food also reinforces the brutal life of the Jewish slaves, which was fought with scarcity and pain. The participants at the Passover Seder meal taste the pain of their ancestors. The vegetable serves a secondary purpose - the promise that spring is on its way. Like many of the elements of the Passover dinner, the dual nature of the dish both reminds us of the past struggles of our ancestors, and celebrates their successful journey to freedom.
Zeoah (Shank Bone)
Zeroahis the second-to-last dish on the Passover Seder Plate. Zeroah is the only meat included on the dish. Usually, zeroah is a shank bone of meat or poultry. In ancient Jeruselum, the Jews celebrated the first night of Passover by sacrificing a lamb in the Temple, roasting it, and consuming it on the eve of the Exodus. The lamb was known as the “Pesach” offering. After the temple was destroyed, the zeroah became part of the Seder Plate to invoke the offering of Pesach. For vegetarians, the Pesach sacrifice can be represented by a beet.
Beitzah (Egg)
Beitzahis an egg which has been roasted to symbolize another ancient Jerusalem sacrifice - the Korban Chagigah. The Chagigah was a meat sacrifice, yet on the Seder Plate it is represented by an egg for two reasons. The egg is symbolic of mourning and represents sadness after the Temple’s destruction and in knowing that no sacrifices could be offered there. Another meaning behind the Beitzah is that it celebrates Spring, renewal, and rejuvenation.
Matzah Pizza Recipe
What you'll need
- 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce
- 1 regular matzah
- oregano
- garlic powder
- cheese
- Toppings such as olives, tomatoes, chopped pepper
How to make it
- To make some, heat the oven to 350º. For each serving, spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce on 1 regular matzah, then, if you like, sprinkle on oregano, garlic powder, and toppings such as olives, tomatoes, or chopped pepper. Top the pizza with cheese (we used 2 triangles to form a Star of David) and set the matzah on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Passover Crafts
The Plagues
Elijah's or Miriam's Cup
Seder Plate
Afikoman Bag
Matzah House
Passover Songs Sung at the Tucson JCC
Baby Moses
Where is Baby Moses (3x)
Where is Baby Moses
In the River Nile
He's floating in a basket (3x)
He's floating in a basket
In the River Nile
The princess she is bathing (3x)
The princess she is bathing
In the River Nile
She finds the Baby Moses (3x)
She finds the Baby Moses
In the River Nile
She takes him to the palace (3x)
She takes him to the palace
In the River Nile
There our Moses grows up (3x)
There our Moses grows up
In the River Nile
Oh Listen, King Pharaoh
Oh listen, oh listen
Oh listen King Pharaoh
Oh listen, oh listen
Please let my people go
They want to go away
They work so hard all day
King Pharaoh, King Pharaoh
What do you say?
NO, NO, NO, I will not let them go (2x)
The Frog Song
One morning when Pharaoh awoke in his bed
There were frogs on his bed
And frogs on his head
Frogs on his nose
And frogs on his toes
Frogs here, frogs there
Frogs were jumping everywhere
Dayenu
Ilu hotzi hotzi anu
Hotzi anu mi mitzrayim
Hotzi anu, mi mitzrayim Dayenu
Chorus
Day-Day-enu (3x)
Dayenu Dayenu Dayenu
Ilu natan natan lanu
Natan lanu et hashabbat
Natan lanu et hashabbat Dayenu
Chorus
Ilu natan natan lanu
Natan lanu et hatorah
Natan lanu et hatorah Dayenu
Mah Nishtanah (What Is So Different)
Chorus
Mah nishtanah, what is so different
Halaylah hazeh, on this night?
Mikol Halaylot, on all other nights?
Mah nishtanah halaylah hazeh mikol halaylot.
On all other nights we eat all kinds of bread, just matzah on this night.
On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night the bitter one we bite.
On all other nights we don't dip our food, but on this night we dip it twice.
On all other nights we sit up straight in our chairs, but on this night leaning is nice.
Chorus
Ending:
Mah nishtanah halaylah hazeh mikol halaylot.
Mah nishtanah halaylah hazeh mikooooohhhl ha-lay-lohhhht. Let's Eat!