Create a Fun Seder that Children will Enjoy!

“I’ll be Moses this year,” Uncle Steven, CFO of a multi-billion dollar company, bellows.
“I’m Jacob!” cries Jamie, an ambitious second-grader. “Pharoah shall be… me.” Bubie Minnie, a die-hard feminist, states plainly.

BELZ FAMILY SEDER MADNESS
That’s the way the 30 to 40-member Belz family seders begin every year, since as long as my Mom can remember.
Roles are assigned gracefully (or grabbed!) by the more energetic of the extended family members, who then receive the honor of performing the paragraphs pertaining to the famous Haggadah personality they’ve chosen. Oh, yes, I do recall the year my Dad, originally from Casablanca, convinced everyone to read their paragraphsin their maiden tongue. Out loud. In front of everyone. What a ‘balagan’ that was! We had a French Pharaoh, Yiddish Moses, Dutch Abraham, Spanish Rabbi Eliezer, Hebrew Rabbi Akiva and, wait for it, Philipino Rabban Gamliel! Nobody understood anything, but I’m sure the laughter and memories made up for it…

KEEPING 3 TO 21-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN INTERESTED

This year will be a tad toned-down, as I decided to hold a relatively private Seder in the comfort of my home, with only my husband and five sons. (I’m not sure how we’ll split the roles of the four sons this year, but it’ll be ok!) Ranging in age from 3 to 21, my sons’ priorities for Seder night differ enormously.
Nursery-age Noam is spellbound when I pull out my ten-plague finger puppets! (You can buy them on Amazon). The blood, frogs, lice, wild beasts, pestilence, etc. really come to life on the tips of my fingers.But my husband and I must also shower our 19 and 21-year-olds with age-appropriate attention, lest they become bored! Gasp! So, as we delve into deep penetrating commentaries on the Haggadah with our eldest sons,
we leave the younger three to play with a few of aJudaica’s educational toys: Wood Jewish Holidays Puzzle, 3D Hebrew Jerusalem Book and Alef Bet Puzzle.

HAGGADAH FUN FACTS

The Haggadah, read at the Seder table on Pessach evening, is one of the most popular Jewish books of all time.
There are well over 3000 editions of the book with a huge variety of illustrations, commentaries, bindings and printing styles.
Many are collectors’ items – to be admired rather than used!

According to Jewish tradition, the Haggadah was compiled during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods, although the exact date is unknown. The word Haggadah comes from the commandment – “And you shall tell (v’Higadeta) your children on that day…” Although the minimal fulfillment of this mitzvah is a simple recounting of the going out of Egypt
and explaining a few of the Pesach symbols, proper fulfillment requires much more. Over the centuries additions have been made to the Haggadah to enhance this mitzvah. Many of these additions gained such wide acceptance that they became part of the Haggadah.
One of those additions is the Chad Gadya. Another is ‘Dayeinu.’

TRANSMITTING THE TRADITION OF FREEDOM

On the night of the Passover Seder we transmit our history to the next generation. By reliving the story of the Exodus we internalize the message to all future generations. That is why the Passover Seder is the center point of the Jewish calendar, and celebrated by the vast majority of the Jewish people worldwide. The pivotal event of Jewish
history that transformed a large “family” into a nation was the Exodus from Egyptian bondage.
These fundamental ideas were all substantiated by the Ten Plagues which showed God’s power over all nature, G-d’s warnings and punishment to the Egyptians, and it all was prophesized in advance by Moses.
‘Freedom’ in Judaism means being free from the yoke of physical drives or the rule of man, to be able to perform the will of G-d. By relating to the Almighty we elevate our existence above the physical, animal realm. That is the Jewish concept of freedom.

So clean out the rest of your chametz, buy a set of felt Ten Plague puppets and an Alef Bet Puzzle, rereada Haggadah… and get ready for another fantastic Seder night!