Need a Passover preparation push?

Here are a few online Passover resources

Passover is a holiday that’s as much about doubt as it is about certainty. In addition to the four questions, there are many others we ask ourselves during the celebration. Is it necessary to place pillows on our chairs to eat in a reclining position since the slaves were forced to eat in a hurried manner? Should we abstain from certain foods to honor the holiday or rewrite the rules? Do we consider matzah to be the bread of affliction or the taste of freedom? Must we teach the Exodus story to children because it’s an obligation or do we deem it a mitzvah? We can go on and on. Overwhelmed by uncertainty? Let the resources below provide some answers.

I Left with Moses!

ileftwithmoses.weebly.com

This resource is great for families. It contains a slew of children’s videos, readings, activities and ritual explanations. Both parents and teachers will find numerous Passover resources on this new site. While the site prepares children for the Seder with its “Let’s Do!” and “Let’s Practice” pages, it’s more than just a tutorial. Its ultimate goal seems to be to guide children in their quest to empathize with those less fortunate.

Passover children’s books

pjlibrary.org/Parents-and-Families/Reading-Tips-and-Resources/Jewish-Holidays/Passover/Passover-Books.aspx

PJ Library’s numerous Passover-related selections are for every age. If you read them, you’ll notice certain emerging themes. One that stood out included illustrated popular songs, such as The Afikomen Mambo and Dayenu. Another included the participation of cute animals, such as enthusiastic dinosaurs, hoppy bunnies, dog Moe, Kippi the Porcupine, Little Red Hen and Sheep Snowball. And we can’t disregard the creation theme – creations of all sorts, including a miraculous cleaning machine, matzah, matzah balls, matzah ball boy, birthday cake and haroset, make their appearance.

Downloadable children’s stories

ajws.org/what_we_do/education/publications/holiday_resources/passover_resources.html

American Jewish World Service (AJWS), a human rights and development organization, offers some downloadable Passover stories for kids, in case you don’t have the time to pop into a library. Written and illustrated by Nechama Liss-Levinson, the books are for kindergarten, elementary and middle school students.

“When the Storm Came to Plink” is intended for ages 3 to 6 years old. Its theme is transformation – from disaster to development. Children learn about gradual liberation from oppression, similar to what the Jews experienced after spending 40 years in the desert. It teaches the concept of working together and addressing long-term needs. The book is meant to be read before drinking the four cups.

“Afikomen Hunt: Now and Later” is for children ages 7 to 11. It touches on the issue of immediate assistance versus long-term help. Meant to be read when the matzah is broken, this story mirrors the message of the Passover one.

My Jewish Learning article on Haggadah options

myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Passover/The_Seder/Haggadah/New_Haggadot.shtml?p=0

Choosing a Haggadah is not as easy as it used to be. One can relate to Vladimir, the Robin Williams character in “Moscow on the Hudson,” who faints in a supermarket aisle, repeating “Coffee, coffee, coffee!” shortly after arriving in the U.S. Sharonne Cohen writes an in-depth article on various versions. She includes historical footnotes and explains what to expect in different types of Haggadot.

The examples she brings up include The New American Haggadah, The Survivor’s Haggadah, The Wolloch Haggadah, the Shir Hama’alot LeDavid Haggadah, the Open Door Haggadah, A Growing Haggadah, A Night of Questions, the Feast of Freedom, the Haggadah of the Roshei Yeshiva, the Family Participation Haggadah and the Liberated Haggadah.

Cohen also incorporates political Haggadot, such as Kibbutz, Universalist and Feminist, in her list. Additionally, the article explains the options for audiences that include recovering addicts and vegetarians. Overall, more than 3,000 versions of Haggadot are in existence.

The Gateways Haggadah

jgateways.org/Resources/GatewaysHaggadah

Access to Jewish Education and Behrman House Publishers intended this particular Haggadah to ease Passover celebration for children with special needs. It contains more than 150 communication symbols for songs and blessings, as well as a step-by-step Seder process captured in clear photos. Rebecca Redner, a curriculum specialist, created this resource to help not only special-needs kids, but also families with young children who can’t read yet.

If you would like to order directly from the publisher, you will find the Haggadah here: behrmanhouse.com/store/product-sku/929

Six parts of the Seder Plate

reformjudaism.org/interactive-Seder-plate

Reform Judaism offers a thorough explanation of the Seder plate. On its interactive site, you can roll a mouse to find out the Hebrew name of the food and its significance. Learn what symbolism the foods have, what substitutions are permissible and why we perform certain routines regarding food.

Food restrictions on Passover explained: hametz and kitniyot

reformjudaism.org/food-restrictions-passover-explained-chametz-and-kitniyot

Rabbi Eric Berk and Rabbi Paul Kipnes discuss permissible and forbidden foods. The article contemplates dilemmas regarding the consumption of hametz, a symbol of pride and self-importance. It also explains the Ashkenazim’s avoidance of legumes and beans – kitniyot – and discusses the reasons why two groups of rabbis now permit these foods on Passover.

Recipes for Passover

chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/32593/jewish/Recipes.htm

This site offers a vast array of recipes catered to the occasion. They lure with classic Passover foods, such as Matzah Balls, beguile with interesting salads, such as Baby Spinach and Portobello Mushroom, and entice with healthful soups, such as Cabbage Cranberry. In addition to side dishes; meat, poultry and fish entrees; dairy and desserts, the site provides Passover cooking tips. Get some help selecting wine, finding an allergy-free recipe and learning the nutrition facts of the dishes you consume.

IRINA MISSIURO is a writer and editorial consultant for The Jewish Voice.