This blog post was written by Delicious Guide, Ruthie Edelstein, who can’t wait for this virus to pass so that she can take you on a Delicious food tour ASAP.
Every year at the Passover seder, we sing the four questions and ask “Why is this night different from all other nights?” This year, think extra different. With the spread of COVID-19, another question is raised. How will this seder be different from all other seders? Social distancing has come at prime time when we usually gather joyously at extra-packed tables to celebrate our liberation from Egypt. Rather than trying to recreate the same exact seder that you have every year, consider embracing the change and accepting that this night will be especially different, even from previous seders.
Enter: the virtual Passover seder. While it may not seem that it will take as much preparation as a traditional seder, there is additional room for tech error. Follow these steps to be sure that your virtual Passover seder runs as smoothly as this one ;).
Encourage a Test Run
Once you choose your video chatting platform, you’ll want to make sure everyone is prepared before the big night. It is worth testing it out with those that may be a bit less tech savvy. Make sure that the tech-challenged in your circles have all the necessary information to join in (on time, in whichever time zone), with both their video and audio working. Be sure to send out meeting information in advance and know how long your platform allows a meeting to last - you wouldn’t want to get cut off in the middle of the four questions!
Sync Up on Reading Materials
This may be the year to put aside the traditional Haggadah and think about what is best suited for this temporary seder setup. Find reading materials that are accessible to everyone and that will hold the attention of your virtual guests. You can piece together a special Haggadah for the occasion, scanning pages from a traditional Haggadah as well as finding relevant pieces from the internet. Consider assigning reading roles for the seder in advance so everyone can come ready to participate. If everyone has the same materials in advance of the seder, it will help the attention stay focused on the content, rather than on flipping pages (or swiping through, as the case may be).
Here are a few recommendations for online Hagaddahs and other virtual resources:
Haggadot.com has a whole library of them, plus a make-your-own feature!
Tablet Magazine’s brand-new online hagaddah
URJ’s Passover food-and-wine pairings
Tell Guests What to ‘Bring’
Even though you won’t be preparing a full meal for a massive table of guests, you should still make sure that everyone has some delicious food prepped for the seder. Send out a list of things they’ll need to have ready in order to fully participate. For my family’s seder, we’ve all been told to bring matzah, horseradish, parsley, saltwater in a bowl, charoset and hard boiled eggs. Oh, and this year it is more critical than ever - don’t forget the wine! As a “guest” you may not need to worry about flowers or bringing dessert, but you can think of a few digital ways to thank you to the organizers (did you hear, Delicious Israel is now offering gift certificates that never expire!).
Do a Recipe Exchange
This may be looking way far over on the bright side of things, but this year’s seder gives us the opportunity to collect everyone’s Passover recipes (including those relatives who don’t normally like to share!) so that we can whip them up for ourselves. Thanks to these special circumstances, everyone ‘attending’ my family seder has been given the secret recipe for my aunt’s charoset. Now that’s something to celebrate!
Adapt the Afikoman
While it won’t be possible to have all of your guests physically searching for the afikoman, there are some fun and creative alternatives to incorporate into your seder. If your seder includes people of all ages, a special game of afikoman bingo will be great for the group. You can find templates online for a Passover-themed bingo, or you can design your own. In order to stay on theme, the winner should yell out ‘afikoman!’ in place of ‘bingo!’ For groups looking for a more challenging type of game, an afikoman-themed game of 20 questions is a great option. Instead of physically hiding the afikoman, one person can choose a time in history or a place in the world to ‘hide’ the afikoman and everyone can ask questions in an attempt to ‘find’ it. Someone who guesses wrong is eliminated from the game and the first person to figure out the hiding spot wins.
Help Elijah Evolve
Elijah the Prophet receives an open invitation to every seder taking place around the world. Of all the characters we encounter on Passover I’d say that Elijah is the one most likely to bring some germs into your home. It is safe to say that Elijah is not practicing social distancing. Keep your seder entertaining and ask everyone to sanitize Elijah’s cup together. After all, we don't know where Elijah has been, who he’s met up with and if he’s even been singing happy birthday twice while washing his hands.
On a more serious note, in the spirit of inviting Elijah the Prophet into our homes, we can use this as an opportunity to provide for the community. Given this year’s special circumstances, as an alternative to opening your home to guests you can donate to a local food pantry or someone organizing meal distribution in your area.
We’ve also found some organizations in Israel that could use your help!
Leket is providing elderly people in Israel with special Passover meals for the whole week of the holiday.
Latet is providing impoverished elderly people in Israel with emergency boxes filled with food and hygiene products.
ALEH is continuing to provide support for children in Israel with disabilities while special events and visiting sessions are put on hold.
Every year we complete the seder by saying “Next year in Jerusalem, next year may all be free.” This year I’ll be adding to that line “Next year, may we celebrate together with friends and family.” And for now, let’s get creative and embrace the change.
Happy Passover!
!חג פסח שמח
