Passover resources in Richmond and online help keep holiday traditions

Passover is the major Jewish spring festival which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, lasting seven or eight days from the 15th day of Nisan. This year it starts on Friday, April 15, 2022. Those observing the springtime holiday do not consume (or even own) bread, or anything that contains grain that has fermented, to mark that significant journey the Israelites undertook in haste from slavery to freedom.

Passover celebrations usually include a traditional plate with five symbols: horseradish, celery, egg, bone, maror, and charoset, as well as matza – all of which recall the Exodus from Egypt.

Jews kick off the holiday with Seders, festive dinners full of symbolic food. It is traditional to join together with family, friends and strangers, extending Biblical-levels of hospitality.

Join Beth El for a congregational seder. It will be in person and on Zoom, with a carry-out option. Space is limited: Use provided link to reserve your spot or order your carry-out. Reservations required. VIRTUAL ATTENDEES: Please register even if you are not ordering food.

There are many resources to maintain the traditional flavors and try some new ideas culinarily. Spiritual and communal leaders are offering resources and events for those who observe Passover to remember or relearn the specific stories and liturgy and to come together as a community.

FREE! All are welcome regardless of religious or congregational affiliation.
Attendees can expect games and giveaways, including seder plates and holiday candles; kosher-for-Passover desserts; family-friendly activities; and a contemporary take on the seder Maggid with Storytime & Song, led by Rabbi Patrick and Kehillah’s musical leader Robin Rio. To RSVP! Click “Find Tickets”

Cooks United

So if Passover celebrations are falling on you and you need some resources and recipes check out:

•Bonappetit.com

•Delish.com has a fine selection of Passover themed recipes that go beyond your mother’s matza ball soup and your Bubbie’s brisket.

•Fine Cooking magazine offers recipes you could never imagine let along pronounce for the ambitious cook.

Numerous other cooking sites have their repertoire of Passover recipes including Publix and The New York Times. The list is quite endless.

Order In

If you’re not up for cooking, some local businesses are offering menus include Fresh Market.

Spiritual Learning

If hosting the Passover celebration is falling on you and you need to brush up on the traditions and concepts to lead the Seder with panache check out online resources like Chabad or My Jewish Learning. Numerous Richmond area synagogues are offering communal Seders including Temple Beth El.

Need to switch thing up a bit at your Passover Seder? A network of Jewish educators offered these ideas:

• Treat your Seder like dinner theater. Enter the dining room through an old sea themed shower curtain. Someone has to part the sea. At each place setting have a pair of sunglasses (darkness) plastic frogs, little craft white pom poms (hail) etc to interact with for each plague. Have someone dress up as Pharaoh and the little kids get palm fronds to fan him/her. Give him grapes etc. every eldest in the family gets a dot of red food coloring in their glass and when they pour water into, it turns red.

•Try a “reverse seder” – https://www.haggadot.com/haggadah/moholo-reverse-seder

•Explore this Passover meditation guide – https://www.haggadot.com/haggadah/passover-meditation-guide

•Make your seder active with these skits – https://www.haggadot.com/clip-search?type=clip&key=skit

•Lighten the mood with these Haggadah games: https://www.haggadot.com/blog/sedergames

•These coloring posters are very cool: https://reallybigposters.com/…/passover-seder-coloring…

•Make the seder conversational with this Hillel college-level conversation guide.

•Become judgemental with a matzah taste test where you buy several different brands of matzah and compare them.

•Gamify the seder with www.escapetheplagues.com

•Get creative at your seder by creating a series of Passover-related activities like a relay race and a scavenger hunt…being inside and outside.

•Test your Passover knowledge with the game: Chutzpa Cards https://chutzpahcards.com/

•Check out the contemporary resources at Jewbelong: https://www.jewbelong.com/holidays/passover/

If you hear of Passover resources to include in this list email: news@rvaonthecheap.com

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