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March 2007
Having a Child-Friendly Passover
Just as we take off our Purim masks and have our fill of hamentaschen, Passover is upon us. This year, Passover begins at sundown on the evening of Monday, April 2. At Passover, we retell the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, from slavery to freedom. The sage Maimonides teaches us that, “One must make changes on this night, so the children will notice and ask: Why is this night different?” The Passover Seder (Seder means “order”) is our way of telling this central story both for our own benefit, so we remember and reinterpret the themes of Passover, and especially for the benefit of our children. We have the opportunity each year to create a family-friendly Seder, where inquiry is the norm, and participants both garner meaning and have fun. A Seder is meant to be an inclusive experience. It is crucial to provide information ahead of time to guests who may be unfamiliar with the Seder. There are several excellent websites to choose from. One that I recommend is www.MyJewishLearning.com. This is a great site to learn about ways to customize the Seder to your family’s needs. You can also purchase CDs of the songs that you will be singing. They are available at your local Jewish Community Center or synagogue gift shop. The Haggadah (which means “the telling”) is a book that is our guide for the evening. It provides important signposts and information along the way. Make sure that everything in your Haggadah is both translated and transliterated to ensure full participation. There are literally hundreds of Haggadahs on the market. Here are some that I recommend for families with young children that also work well for the adults. A Family Haggadah: In Every Generation. By Shoshana Silberman, KarBen Publishing. This Haggadah comes with a CD of all the songs used for the Seder. The Jewish World Family Haggadah. The first contemporary Passover Haggadah featuring photographs of Jews around the world, by Shoshana Silberman and Zion Ozeri; ibooks, Inc. The photographs in this Haggadah are stunning and language is accessible to all. A Different Night: The Family Participation Haggadah. By Noam Zion and David Dishon. You can “choose your own Seder” in this Haggadah, from what they call the “rich menu” to the “bare bones Seder.” This Haggadah is full of ideas to make the experience meaningful and fun for all ages. During the Seder, we see a lot of references to the number “four.” There are the Four Children, the Four Questions and the four cups of wine. Here are my Top Four Suggestions to make your Seder fun for all, especially young children. 1. Make sure everyone eats a significant snack before the Seder. 2. Include the participants in the preparation. Assign parts, such as coming in the costume of a character from the story, or making up songs that are appropriate. Children can help set the table, make name cards, arrange the Seder plate, and create puppet shows and plays to help tell the story their way. 3. Start your Seder in the living room, sitting on couches or pillows. This allows you to tell the story in comfort, and not expect to eat until you go to the dining room table. 4. Create a place for the children to play during the Seder. Give children the opportunity to look at books, play with puppets, or build pyramids with blocks. Remember that children learn by telling more than they do by listening. Finally, on Passover, we remember that we were once “slaves in the land of Egypt.” It is a time to reflect on what keeps us enslaved, as well as to reach out to others who may be experiencing difficulty. Passover is, after all, The Festival of Freedom. Janet Harris is director of Early Childhood Education at the Osher Marin JCC
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