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Passover

A Holiday Rich in Tradition

By Tamar Weiss

When browsing through a Haggadah, one sees many rituals and traditions that will be performed throughout the night. A particular light motif present throughout the book is the educating of young minds as to the meaning behind Passover, and retelling the actual history of the rise from slavery. This includes a recount of the 10 plagues.

Ilona Lachterman, an educator and mother of five children ranging in age from 8 to 19, points out that the essence of this night is communicating and transmitting the heritage and continuity of the Jewish people. The various symbols and passages in the Haggadah are geared to spark the interest of all minds, and particularly young ones. She notes that "visual aids facilitate the grasping of concrete ideas for young minds."

She suggests using toy bugs when portraying the plague of lice, and raspberry syrup mixed with water for the plague of blood, as examples. Ilona also finds that older kids may enjoy preparing a skit to be performed at the Seder; they can act out the plagues, or any component discussed in the Haggadah. A good way to keep conversation and communication flowing between family members of different ages is to have older participants (including older siblings) ask questions of the younger ones. All members of the family can prepare questions regarding Passover in advance and place them in a decorative bowl, and each participant draws a question, making a game (with prizes prepared in advance for smaller children) out of a learning experience.

Parents also may wish to involve the entire family in the physical preparations for the Seder. Ilona stresses that it's important to remember to assign age-appropriate tasks when doing this. For example, small children often enjoy helping in food production, and the preparation of the traditional Charoset (a chutney-like dish reminiscent of the mortar that was once placed on the bricks by the slaves) is ideal. The kids can enjoy grinding the nuts and apples while pretending they are making mortar. Older kids with artistic flair might want to arrange the table and the traditional Seder plate.

Want to see more?

• Share your favorite Passover recipe at the Recipe Share Board.
• The Art of Family Dinners