THE QUARANTINE SEDER: A Haggadah Companion Introduction1 Passover will be different this year for almost everyone This resource is designed to help you plan a memorable around the world. Many people will be leading a Seder for Seder befitting this year’s unusual circumstances. But the first time. Many Seders will be small. There will be please don’t see it as a to-do list, or as the be-all and end-all more Seders this year than ever before in history! of what your Seder should look like. We all have enough to worry about. Pick and choose what will be helpful and fun Many of us are grieving the Seder that will not take place and relaxing for you and your family, and drop all the rest. this year, and the people we were looking2 forward to Remember: this is a holiday that celebrates freedom! celebrating with. The Talmud teaches, “The gates of tears are never closed” – even when we pray for something that cannot take place. Grieving our losses can open the space to explore new opportunities for what is possible during this time of social distancing. 1 Written by Dr. Ronit Ziv-Kreger, Momentum Director of Education and Leadership Development, inspired by Momentum Trip Leaders, staff, and years of Seders with wonderful educators, rabbis, friends and family. 2 Hagigah 5. A Small Seder – Is it legit? Isn’t the Seder all about passing the Exodus story from generation to There’s more to the Seder than We can choose to get creative, generation? What’s the point of having the number of participants, and both in the planning stages and a Seder when the different generations there are precedents for tiny during the Seder itself. can’t come together? Two thoughts on Seders. this question frame this Haggadah companion: There’s more Choose to get creative – to the Seder planning in advance 3 The Talmud teaches that this time of year and this While we provide different ideas for the planning phase, we particular month are not only about the redemption recommend keeping it simple so that you can focus on the from Egypt which occurred many years ago, this is also a spiritual opportunity that the Seder is meant to offer you. propitious time for the future redemption as well. The Seder provides a spiritual opportunity. Preparation: An important part of Jewish ritual in general, and of Passover in particular, is preparing. This year, We are living in a historic moment; we’re all facing a unleash creative opportunities to embrace the voice of challenge together. How can human consciousness be each family member, including those who may not be with affected by this unprecedented global situation? What are you during the Seder. How might children play a role in your deepest hopes? How might we experience this year planning your family Seder? as an emergence from bondage to freedom? The story of the Seder moves from dis-grace to the grace of praise. This Surprise questions and notes: One way to bring in the transition is not only from Egypt to the splitting of the sea, voice of those who will not be at your Seder is to have family but also from our current situation to a future we dream of, members and friends send each other stories, blessings, aspire to, and aim toward. and questions to read during the Seder. A central aspect of the Seder is asking questions. These are Advance ritual check-ins: As part of your preparation, questions from the future4 generation, from the children, leverage the days leading up to the Seder by checking in but the Talmud teaches that when children are not present, with family and friends in ritually rich ways. Some people adults should ask each other – and even a person having the may plan to have a video call the day before the Seder at a Seder alone should not miss the spiritual opportunity to ask time that accommodates different time zones, during which him- or herself questions. family members and friends can share stories and maybe even sing together. Rabbi Yochanan ben Yosef Treves (16th century) composed a guide for the Seder in the aftermath of great persecution Shared learning: Have your whole family join one of the Momentum webinars when many families were split apart. He taught that most together from wherever they are, and people think that Maggid , the storytelling portion of the then have a group conversation about the teaching. Seder, refers to the biblical verse that instructs us: “Tell your children.” This explanation might not have resonated Cooking “together”: One can even cook “together” with with people who were alone, so he offered a second friends or family members. You can all make the same explanation: The word Maggid is related to Aggadah, the recipe and send photos to each other, or talk via phone or spiritual, story-like parts of the Talmud, making the case video while cooking. that the Maggid section of the Seder is about inspiring ourselves and learning lessons. Have children call grandparents to learn family recipes, or better yet, have a video conversation to enjoy the shared ritual preparation from afar. Engage your children with creating edible ten plagues! 3 Rosh Hashanah 11a. 4 Pesachim 116a. Collaborative supplement or book: Using Google Docs, Plan for royalty: Jewish tradition sees the dining6 table you can collaborate with family members and friends on as our home’s sacred space. The Talmud teaches that the making your very own Haggadah supplement. Invite each transformational power of the altar, which stood in the person to contribute a section or a story. Teens may be Holy Temple in Jerusalem, is now most available at our willing to interview a family elder to add their voice. Those table. How might you make the table special? who can’t join together can still print out the document and use it at their own Seder. To make your own Passover book, What different spaces in your home might be fitting for Bookcreator.com this example check out and . different parts of the Seder? Can your Seder include times to move and stretch your body? Can you make the leaning, Make-at-home, do-it-yourself workshop: Consider a which is part of the Seder, a nod to royalty and comfort? crafting and Jewish learning opportunity for Pesach with Perhaps you can hold the Seder on the couch, or somewhere online Atiq: The Jewish Maker Institute, which offers an you’ll be really comfy. Kids can have fun designing an workshop for all ages. The workshop explores what it adventurous setting for storytelling and royal comfort. means to be free and offers guidance for crafting modern, Smaller Seders allow for new flexibility. interactive Seder objects inspired by the traditional texts Storytelling props and games: Consider engaging children and your own unique perspectives. Their aim is to connect in preparing fun props to use during the storytelling this you to the Seder experience, to your own sense of freedom, year. This can include puppets, Legos, cartoons, plays, and to each other. Instructions are written for teens and costumes, a Moses basket and baby doll, a bag full of adults, but the workshop itself is kid-friendly. Children ages plagues, and the like. Older children might enjoy creating 7 and up will get the most out of this workshop, but younger a game for the Seder, such as Pesach Bingo or Jeopardy, ones can still enjoy crafting alongside everyone else! matzah mosaics, or an “Escape Room” adventure of short videos leaving Egypt. Plan an afikoman scavenger hunt with clues Activities for young children: Include PJ Library favorites connected to the Seder plate items (karpas-vegetables, egg, and holiday books. Check out these . Mah shankbone, charoset fruit and nut mixture, and maror- Some children may want to learn or brush up on the Year of Nishtanah bitter herbs). Check out the Try it Out section of the , the Four Questions song, while others may Growth’s Passover chapter . prefer building a tent, booth, or fort like the Israelites had Yoga poses that in the desert. Children can learn or lead Helping those in need: Include in your planning for the go along with the Passover story . You can print the script Seder a way to care for those who are in need. There are and invite the children to do the poses during the Seder. many who are suffering now in different ways. How might Baby Moses song They also might enjoy learning a simple . we share what we have in order to care for others who need Torah Godly Play’s Children and adults might like soulful our help, especially in advance of the holiday? telling of the Passover story, which5 ends with a series of conversation-starter questions . Search for leaven: The night before the Seder is traditionally the time for a symbolic, seek-and-destroy wonderful Haggadah PJ Library also offers a with an option mission in which families search their homes to ensure for a free PDF printout to help guide the Seder in a child- that all chametz-leaven has been removed. Make this friendly way. If you are leading a Seder with children, it’s adventurous for the children by hiding ten wrapped really worth it! Cheerios or pieces of chametz around the house. At nightfall the search begins. As each piece of chametz is short video found, it's collected in a paper bag. Here’s a of the ritual. The search concludes the next morning with reciting a blessing and burning the chametz.