Passover is a great time to teach children both in the classroom and in the home about the Seder table. Here are Passover craft ideas.
Passover celebrates the Jewish exodus from Egypt. It commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery. On the first and in many homes, the second night of Passover the Haggadah – the book that tells of the exodus- is read out loud. This meal is called a`Seder’, meaning order, because the meal itself has an order of prayers, songs and symbolic foods all reminiscent of the exodus. A special meal of unleavened bread called matzah is eaten, along with bitter herbs and spring greens. Symbolic foods remind the participants of the bitterness of slavery. Jews eat unleavened bread call matzah, because the ancient Hebrews did not have enough time to rise their bread before they left Egypt. Children in a special song ask – `Why is this night different from all other nights?’ In many households the middle matzah is hidden and the children are rewarded with small presents or money when they find it. There are many special songs, prayers and customs, which make the Sedar night special.
Here is a project for the entire class. Students make, set and prepare a special sedar Passover table with place settings, a sedar platter, a matzah holder and flowers. Decide how many tables your class will have and divide the students into those groups. Or if you’re a parent have the children make the decorations for your own family Seder.
You'll need:
- Place mat sized heavy light colored paper
- Crayons or and felts
Each child draws a spring or Passover picture on one paper of anything with a spring or Passover theme. If you can, laminate the finished placemat.
Seder Plate: The symbolic foods are often displayed on a special plate. 1 per table.
- Show pictures or the actual item of the food – chazorot, celery, romaine lettuce and egg. Explain the importance of each.
- Draw circles for each symbolic food item.
You'll need:
- One large round or oblong paper serving platter
- Crayons or and felts
Children within the circles – as much as possible- draw the symbolic food items.
Helpful Hints
- Children could cut out the food items and then paste them to the platter.
- Or the teacher or parent could make cut outs of these items that the children color and paste to the platter.
- Children could decorate the borders.
Matzah Holders
Three matzahs are stacked together but a napkin usually separates them or a special cover or platter. 1 per table.
You'll Need:
- 3 office file folders
- Paste or glue
- Pencil crayons and/or felts
Glue the folders together. Decorate the top folder with pencil crayons and felts. Place matzah in-between folders.
Helpful Hints:
- If you need to cut the folders use a paper cutter to get a straight cut.
- Have each child draw a flower.
- Children could write their name on it.
Flowers:
No religious significance except they look nice and this is a spring celebration. 1 per table.
Cut up a Styrofoam egg carton
You'll need:
- 2 pipe cleaners
- Cut up egg carton (the round part)
- 1 toilet paper roll
Poke a pipe cleaner through a cut up egg carton. Cut the Styrofoam to look like a flower (see diagram). Place two flowers in a toilet paper roll.
Now the children can set the table, with their own placemats, seder plates matzo holder and flowers!
