A Virtual Passover Seder Unlike All Others, Again!

A Seder Unlike All Others, Again!
Temple Beth El’s virtual Community Passover Seder is on Saturday, March 27 at 6 pm. This year, we will have a Seder unlike all others, again. In past years, many of us have gathered with our Temple community or with loved ones around a large Seder table. This year, again, many of us will set far smaller tables, as we connect with family, friends, and community through technology. This Passover, again, we are physically distant, but we can remain socially close. See our Passover Guide page for dates and times.
For some of us, this is the first time we are preparing a Seder plate. It need not be fancy or elaborate. Your meal can be as simple or as gourmet as you desire. What matters most is that you are home, safe, and healthy.
If you are new to our community, or are just non-Jewish and curious.
See our Introduction to Passover.
We are having brochures available in a couple of local supermarkets which will have a suggested Passover shopping list along with the schedule of Passover events that we will be holding virtually, again, this year.
How do you set the seder plate?
There are typically six items on a Seder plate. If you don’t have a seder plate, you can place these items on any plate you have.
1) Beitzah, Roasted egg
2) Zeroa (A Shankbone or Beets)
3) Karpas (Parsley)
4) Maror (Horseraddish, ground or whole)
5) Chazeret (Romaine lettuce or another green)
6) Charoset (A sweet apple-wine dish)
What else do you need?
1) Matzah
2) Grape juice or wine
3) Salt water
4) A Haggadah (service booklet) – TBE has its own Haggadah, which will be used during this year’s virtual Seder
5) A comfortable chair to sit in (or a pillow to make it more comfortable)
What about the Afikoman?
Unlike almost all other years (except last year), we do not have a physical world (Temple, homes) in which to hide, and then search for, the Afikoman. We are going to do things a little bit differently this Seder. Go to our special “Find the Afikoman page.” Follow the instructions on that page to find the Afikomen (plural, on purpose) that are hidden there.
Show me the Haggadot!
Here is TBE’s Haggadah for 5781, our 2nd annual – and hopefully last, G-d willing, for another century – virtual Seder “Unlike all others, Again!”
There are also other Haggadot for your viewing pleasure. This list is small, but illustrative:
- The CCAR’s Passover Resources
- PJ Library’s Passover hub
- Make your own Haggdah at Haggadot.com
What are some other awesome resources?
- Send a free Passover ecard from https://reformjudaism.org/ecards
- The Union of Reform Judaism has created wonderfully comprehensive Passover materials at https://reformjudaism.org/how-make-your-virtual-seder-lively-engaging-and-meaningful
- You may not have anyone to hide the Afikoman from this year, but you may wish to take part in BBYO’s Great Afikoman Hunt
Looking for recipes?
- See these phenomenal recipes for Moroccan Moufleta and Moroccan Couscous with figs, dates, and apricots to celebrate Mimouna (a Sephardic celebratory meal to end the holiday of Pesach) or see the recipes themselves
- Also see Temple Beth El’s Passover cooking series with Eliot Swartz’s Zoom sessions recorded on Facebook during which Eliot made Tzimmes kugel and flourless chocolate cake or see the recipes themselves
- You can make your own matzah
- The Union of Reform Judaism has several other Passover recipes
Let me hear the music!
Cantor Davidson has put together this collection of wonderful Passover melodies:
Ha Lachma Anya by Peri Smilow
Ma Nishtana, and a fun kid version by Jason Mesches
V’hi She-amda, the traditional or Yonatan Razel versions
Kos Miriam by Peri Smilow
Adir Hu, from PJ Library
Chad Gadya traditional
Alberto Mizrachi & Jack Mendelsohn sing Moshe Oysher
Echad Mi Yodea traditional Hebrew version
Additional Fun Videos for your viewing pleasure:
Passover Songs Mashup: https://youtu.be/f0qsy32Hk4s
Adele/Bieber Passover Mashup: https://youtu.be/QwKBIzzlzvY
Maccabeats Bieber Passover: https://youtu.be/x1jRAf0u9Kc
Six13 P-A-S-S-O-V-E-R: https://youtu.be/5qSXrnkSeKs
Six13 Chozen (Frozen parody): https://youtu.be/iwBuNtd4xAY
Six13 Lion King Passover: https://youtu.be/qervY5HSzqM
Dayenu Coming Home: https://youtu.be/E_RmVJLfRoM
Six13 Seder Crew: https://youtu.be/LhR13I6UE1c
Six13 Uptown Passover: https://youtu.be/7Q7Jo7FkLH4
A Thriller Passover (for Michael Jackson fans) at https://youtu.be/Tzrrk2ToFr0
BimBam (or Godcast) and Jason Mesches Passover are great resources for young families
We hope that you have a meaningful and joyful Passover. We may be still be confined to our homes, but we are free to celebrate our traditions in ways that we find fulfilling. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the temple, or to email us, your clergy, at rabbikail@bethelsp.org, or cantor@bethelsp.org.