Seder Preparations

The Ingredients:

For the Seder plate:

• Matzah (preferably handmade). Make sure to have plenty on hand.
• Grated raw horseradish and/or romaine lettuce (for bitter herbs). Inspect the leaves of the lettuce to ensure that they are insect-free.
• A cooked egg and a roasted chicken bone. These two items are reminders of the two sacrifices eaten on Passover eve during Holy Temple times.
• A vegetable (depending on your family custom: parsley, onion, cooked potato, or other).
• Charoset (fruit paste): a mixture of apples, nuts and wine.

Other:

• Kosher Wine (grape juice works if you can’t stomach wine).
• The script, along with all the instructions you’ll need: a book called the Haggadah.
• Saltwater for dipping.
• A sumptuous holiday meal.
• Special cup for Elijah (optional; you can use a regular cup if necessary).

The Characters:

• That’s you. The haggadah is not a spectator sport. You are the experience. Before the Seder, prepare some Passover thoughts to share, and encourage every member of the family to do the same. Our Passover study section is a good place to start.
• Children play the most important role at the Seder. We do whatever we can to keep them awake and engaged. You might want to bring props to the table, such as a stuffed lamb.

Hot Tips:

• The easiest way to enjoy a great Seder is to go to one. Your local Chabad Lubavitch Center can arrange an invitation for you.
• The Seder is a Seder only when it happens after nightfall. Due to DST, that can be kind of late, so have your kids take a nap that afternoon.

For more detailed information on the Seder preparations, see our Seder Wizard at Passover.org