by Lily Lebwohl
Why is this year different from all other years? Ten ways to top last year’s Passover Seder!
With our second pandemic Passover approaching, some worry it might be difficult to keep the Seder enjoyable and meaningful due to the lack of people. Keeping the conversation going and catching up is easy to do with people you only see once a year; it is not so easy with family members you see every day. After experiencing one Seder during COVID-19, let’s get it right this time. Here are 10 prompts to get the conversation started this Passover:
- Speaking of reclining, what is the most informal thing you’ve seen someone do on Zoom? (Think: someone teaching in their pajamas.)
- Rabban Gamliel says there are three things that you must have during the Seder to fulfill your obligation of the holiday; pesach (the shank bone), matzah and maror. What are a couple of things that you do to fulfill your obligation to keep your community safe? (For example, wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer, etc.)
- We eat charoset, a sweet mixture of nuts, fruits and spices to remember the brick and mortar that the slaves used to build pyramids in Egypt. In 20 years from now, what should we eat to remember COVID-19?
- At the end of the Seder, we say “בשנה הבאה בירושלים” (next year in Jerusalem). Next year, where do you want to travel when it is safe to do so?
- Some say that the reason we have four cups of wine is because of the four promises that God made to the Jewish people: והוצאתי והצלתי וגאלתי ולקחתי (and I took you out, and I saved you, and I redeemed you, and I brought you). What would these sayings be in the era of COVID-19? (For example, and I isolated, and I tested negative, etc.)
- Every student behaves in their own unique way on Zoom. While some stay unmuted the whole meeting, some are constant chatterboxes and others may not participate even once while keeping their camera off. How would the four sons, Chacham (wise), Rasha (evil), Tam (simple), and She’eino yodea lishol (the one who does not know how to ask), participate on a Zoom call?
- There are 14 steps of the Seder and only 12 months of 2020 (thank goodness there were not 14). What was one significant event in your life or in the world throughout every month of 2020?
- In addition to having the children asking the four questions that everyone knows the answer to, if you were able to ask each president four questions what would you ask them?
- The plagues that happened in the Torah are outdated and probably would not happen today. What are 10 modern-day plagues that are occurring or have occurred in our society?
- During Urchatz, we wash our hands but do not make a blessing, while later during Rachtzah, we do. Should there be a blessing over hand sanitizer? If so, what would it be?
Although times may be tough right now, a lot has improved since last year’s Seder and we have plenty to be thankful for.
Have a happy and safe Passover!
חג כשר ושמח
