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PASSOVER THEME

BACKGROUND

As with many Jewish festivals, Passover (Pesach) has both agricultural and historical origins. Passover celebrates the harvest of barley, the first of the ancient agricultural year’s cycle of crops.
Passover also commemorates the Jewish people’s passing over from slavery in Egypt to freedom. As the story is told, the children of Israel lived peacefully in Egypt for many years. But there arose a Pharaoh who decided to make the Jewish people slaves. This Pharaoh was Seti I. During this period and the following reigns of Ramses II and Merneptah, the Jewish people had to work hard and long to build Pharaoh’s cities and pyramids. God heard the cries of the slaves and sent Moses to speak to Pharaoh to let the Jewish people go. Pharaoh refused, so God sent many terrible plagues to the land of Egypt. Each plague, however, passed over the Jewish people
without harm. Finally, after the tenth plague, Pharaoh ordered the Jewish people to leave
immediately. As the Israelites reached the Red Sea, Pharaoh changed his mind and ordered his army to bring back the slaves. Whether by miracle or a change in the wind, the water of the sea parted, and the Jews passed over the sea to dry land on the other side. The water closed as Pharaoh’s army approached and the Jewish people were at last free.
Highlights of the Passover observance are the eating of matzoh throughout the festival, and the festive meal (Seder) ushering in the holiday at which the Passover story (Haggadah) is read. Seder (SAY-der) means order, since the Haggadah follows a set pattern for observance and eating. Passover is observed for eight days.
During Passover, Jewish people do not eat food that contains leaven or yeast, such as bread. This restriction is to remind Jews of the hasty departure from Egypt when there was no time to let any bread rise. The home is meticulously cleaned to get rid of all leaven crumbs. Any products containing leaven (called hametz) are put away in a cupboard. Traditionally, the night before Passover there is a ceremony called the Search for the Leaven. This search is great fun and is usually done by children. Since the house has been thoroughly cleaned in preparation for Passover, parents scatter a few bread crumbs in various spots in the home. Using a feather, wooden spoon and candle (or flashlight), the children search and sweep up any crumbs they find. The house is then declared ready for Passover. The Search for Leaven is also a symbolic reminder that we should take time to search the crevices and crannies of our hearts for ill feelings or deeds.
On the first two evenings of Passover, the Seder is held. The Seder is entirely a home ritual. Jewish people retell and relive the Passover story through this observance. Because the story is told with food, Jewish people smell, taste and feel the Passover story happening as it did to Jews long ago.

Passover Foods
Before the group meets, gather or make the following foods to be eaten during the group meeting:
• Matzoh: large crackers sold in boxes. Two boxes will be plenty for 20 the kids and leaders.
• Gefilte fish: ground fish (usually whitefish) mixed with matzoh meal to make fist-size balls. Slice them up so every child can have a taste.
• Macaroons: come in tall cans in many flavours. A real treat for the kids.
• Haroset: break up a piece of matzoh and put a spoonful of haroset on it for eating. The recipe for
haroset is as follows: — 10 Delicious apples, peeled and cut into fine pieces
— 250 mL cup chopped almonds or walnuts — 45-60 mL of honey
— 500 mL grape juice to moisten the above ingredients — cinnamon to taste.
Raisins can be substituted for nuts. Mix ingredients together in a large bowl and refrigerate overnight so the grape juice can soak into the apples.
 
 

CRAFTS:

Red Sea Picture
Holding a piece of construction paper lengthwise, fold the edges so they meet in the middle of the paper. On the outside, draw waves or cut blue paper to resemble waves; glue them on. Open the fold to resemble the parting of the Red Sea and draw the Jewish people fleeing from Pharaoh. the kids can draw people walking, riding on animals and carts, and carrying their belongings.

GAMES & ACTIVITIES:

Search for Hametz
Scatter bread crumbs around the meeting area. Give each lodge a number of white turkey feathers (available at craft stores), a wooden spoon and flashlight. Send the kids off to look for the crumbs.
 

SONGS:

Let My People Go
When Israel was in Egypt’s Land,
Let my people go!
Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
Let my people go!
Chorus: Go down Moses, way down in Egypt’s land;
Tell old Pharaoh, “Let my people go!”
The Lord told Moses what to do,
Let my people go!
To lead the children of Israel thro’,
Let my people go!
Chorus:
When they had reached the other shore
Let my people go!
They sang the song of triumph o’er
Let my people go!
Chorus:
 

STORIES:

Have any good stories? Let us know!
 

FOOD SUGGESTIONS:

Have any good food ideas? Let us know!
 

TIPS/NOTES: