When you think of Passover in films or on television, do you have a favorite? Here are some of ours. From Larry David in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” to Leighton Meester in “Gossip Girl,” the Journal has you covered. We even threw in a few for the kids.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
“The Seder”
Season 5, Episode 7
Airdate: November 13, 2005
Streaming: HBO Max
Larry David inadvertently invites a sex offender Rick (Rob Corddry) to his wife Cheryl’s seder. Jeff Garlin’s brother-in-law (Stephen Tobolowsky) is accused of rigging the Afikomen.
Family Guy
“Family Goy”
Season 8, Episode 2
Airdate: October 4, 2009
Streaming: Hulu
Lois Griffin learns that her mother is a Holocaust survivor and as a result, learns she is Jewish herself. Lois then hosts her first Passover seder, much to the chagrin of her boorish husband Peter.
Gossip Girl
“Seder Anything”
Season 2, Episode 21:
Airdate: April 20, 2009
Streaming: HBO Max
Dan Humphrey takes a catering job for extra money, and his first day as a waiter is at the Waldorf family seder. Blair Waldorf’s stepfather, Cyrus Rose (Wallace Shawn), attempts to host a Seder, but things get awkward and heated as a love triangle between Dan, Serena and Gabriel comes to a head.
Rugrats
“A Rugrats Passover”
Season 3, Episode 26
Airdate: April 13, 1995
Streaming: Currently unavailable
Grandpa Boris gets accidentally locked in the attic with the kids during the Passover Seder. He decides to pass the time by telling them the story of Passover.
South Park
“Jewpacabra”
Season 16, Episode 4
Airdate: April 4, 2012
Streaming: HBO Max
Cartman feigns interest in Passover and spreads rumors of a murderous Jewish creature, much to Jewish classmate Kyle’s disdain. After a series of hijinks, Cartman dreams that he is in Ancient Egypt experiencing the Ten Plagues.
Saturday Night Live
Host: Jerry Seinfeld — “Elijah the Prophet at a Seder”
Season 17, Episode 18
Airdate: April 18, 1992
Streaming: Peacock
Elijah the Prophet, played by Jerry Seinfeld, actually appears at the Seder of a Jewish family. And he’s not very kind to them.
Saturday Night Seder
Airdate: April 11, 2020
Streaming: YouTube (Buzzfeed’s “Tasty” channel)
This might be too soon for those still reeling from the memory of the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic. But three years ago, a celebrity-studded, song-filled virtual Passover Seder took place on the fourth night, and was hosted by Jason Alexander. Nearly 50 familiar faces took part, including Mayim Bialik, Fran Drescher, Ben Platt, Richard Kind, Henry Winkler and IKAR Rabbi Sharon Brous.
Sesame Street
“Passover”
Airdate: 1991
Streaming: YouTube
Kid-friendly option and quite the throwback to Sesame Street 32 years ago.
Sesame Street
“It’s Passover, Grover!”
Season 2, Episode 2 (Shalom Sesame)
Airdate: March 7, 2011
Streaming: Prime Video ($1.99 to rent, $7.99 to buy)
Another kid-friendly option, from the Israeli version of “Sesame Street,” with one segment featuring actor Jake Gyllenhaal explaining the Afikomen.
And for the sake of space, we’ve listed a few of our favorite Passover films and where you can watch:
“Prince of Egypt” (1998)
Streaming: Peacock, or rent on Amazon.
“When Do We Eat” (1995)
Streaming: Tubi, The Roku Channel, or rent on Amazon.
*Co-written by Nina Davidovich and the Accidental Talmudist Salvador Litvak.
“Uncut Gems” (2019)
Streaming: Showtime
“The Ten Commandments” (1956)
Streaming: Rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+; airing Saturday, April 1 at 7:00 PDT on ABC Television.
