A Beber Passover 2020

With Passover around the corner, we know many of you may have adjusted your plans for your seder and perhaps you are even re-structuring yours to be virtual. One thing we know about all us ‘camp people’ is that we are really great at being flexible and adaptive. As such, we’ve put together a guide for fun ways to celebrate Passover in your own homes and with virtual options. We hope you’ll share pictures, stories, recordings, and anecdotes with us at #beberpassover

Preparing for your Seder

1. Part of the fun of having a Seder with guests is the ability to cook together. You still can! Share these Beber Camp Passover recipes (See recipes listed below) with your virtual guests and cook them from your own homes. During the Seder you can compare notes on the flavors and share tips or secret ingredients!
2. It is customary before Passover begins to search and rid the house of traces of unleavened bread. Parents can make this a fun activity with the kids in the house by planting pieces of bread in each room and doing a treasure hunt with your kids to find them. If you’re up for a more adventurous activity and traditional experience, then you can follow the custom of searching with a candle, feather, and spoon to sweep the chametz into a paper bag. Bring the bag outside for burning of the chametz by placing it on aluminum and be sure to have cups of water with you, if needed. Before the search you may wish to recite the prayer for ‘biur chametz’.
3.  Whether this is the first Seder you’re hosting or you’re an experienced host, you’ll want to have a Haggadah to guide you. Try these kid-friendly Haggadot from PJ Library, this Progressive, interfaith, family-friendly Haggadah or this traditional one from Chabad.
4. Make your own Matzoh Holder!
5. Setting the table can be a fun way to engage your kids to help get the meal prepared. In addition to the plates, silverware, cups, and napkins, kids can use this checklist to set the Seder table:
   • 1 Beber Camp Passover coloring sheet along with a few colored pencils, crayons, or markers at each seat.
   • 1 pillow at each seat – During Passover we are encouraged to celebrate our freedoms and recline
   • 1 Haggadah at each seat
   • 1 Seder Plate – check out this video to see what to put on your Seder plate
   • 1 Matzoh Holder
   • 3 Kiddush cups – one at the seat of the person leading the seder and 2 in the center of the table. Of the two in the middle, one is for Elijah the Prophet and the other is for Miriam to honor her memory and all the strong women in our lives.
   • 1 Afikomen holder. This can be a cloth or paper napkin or even an envelope.
   • 1 Pitcher, 1 big bowl, and 1 hand towel, used for the hand washing. You can also consider using individual moist towelettes this year instead.

Virtual Seder Fun!

1. At the start of your Seder or as you get the technology setup, give everyone time using Play-Doh to mold a scene from the story of exodus. Everyone can present theirs to the family, then use them as centerpieces on your table for the rest of the Seder.
2. After the traditional four questions are asked, play a game of trivia with your virtual guests. The seder is all about telling the story of the history of the Jewish people so think of some of your own trivia tied to your family’s stories from recent decades. Have your guests submit their answers in the chat function of Zoom or be the first to just shout it out. (Examples of trivia questions tied to family history or Jewish history in your own family can be inclusive of things questions like: “Name the relative who was most likely to play ‘I Want It That Way’ at their Bar/Bat-Mitzvah party,” or “In the early 20th century, our family emigrated from which 3 European countries?”)
3. Tell the story of Passover with parodies to tunes from Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and more! Celebrate the talent from within our Beber Community by belting out this one from Frozen that’s written by a Beber Camp mom herself! You can send your favorites to your virtual guests ahead of time or you can have each group write their own.
4. Judaism is all about asking questions, right? Try these 20 table topics for your Seder as you enjoy your meals from your own homes.
5. The Afikomen doesn’t haven’t to be just for the kids in your house – conduct a virtual scavenger hunt. When it’s time for the Afikomen, have your virtual guests search their houses and bring back items they can share that represent different parts of the Passover seder. Use the following prompts or create your own:
   • During Passover we recline as royalty. Bring back your favorite stuffed animal, pillow, blanket, or something you see as symbolic of rest.
   • During Passover we eat Matzo instead of bread because the Jews had to leave Egypt before there was enough time for their bread to rise. Find something flat, or, for bonus points, find something in your house that’s unfinished…
   • We place a shank bone on the table to represent the lamb’s blood that Jews placed on their doorposts to indicate a Jew lived in that house and G-d’s angel should “Pass Over” their house as the 10th plague was being carried out. Does your home have a mezuzah? Is there anything else in your home that indicates you are Jewish? Collect those items or stories about them.
   • We traditionally drink 4 cups of wine during the Seder, bring back four of the same item.
   • It is customary at the Passover Seder to say “B’shana haba’a b’yerushaliyim” (“next year in Jerusalem”). Find something that represents Israel. Alternatively, learn someone else’s story of their connection to Israel and bring back their story to share with the group.
6. When it’s time to invite Eliyahu to drink from his cup, send your kids to the door to let him in. Have one person stay back to drop a tablet of Alka Seltzer in his Kiddush cup (and place a plate underneath his cup to keep the table clean). Invite your kids – and Eliyahu – back to the table and watch their excitement as they witness the prophet himself drinking from his cup!

Weeklong Fun & Nosh During Passover

Below you’ll find recipes for two great food options! Demonstrations for each item can be found on our Facebook page.

• 1 piece of matzah
• dark chocolate morsels (chocolate chips)
• any toppings of your choice (sprinkles, nuts, dried fruit)
• microwave safe bowl
• spoon
• small baking sheet

• 1 piece of matzah
• 1/4 cup cheese
• pizza or marinara (any tomato sauce)
• seasonings (maybe garlic, oregano or basil)
• veggies of your choice
• aluminum foil
• baking sheet
• spoon

Chag Sameach!