Last updated 10:25 p.m. ET on 20 February 2002.
Links last checked 20 February 2002.

Passover (Pesach) - The Feast of Freedom

This year, 5762 or 2002, Passover begins Wednesday evening, March 27. Passover (Pesach) is approaching rapidly and we've got a lot to do to get ready here at Beit HaChatulim.

But before we get into that, a brief discussion of holiday names. Pesach is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for Passover. It is the term that we and most of our friends use when talking about this important Spring holiday. We will try to be consistent in our use of Pesach, but be aware that the words are interchangeable.

We probably spend more time thinking about and preparing for Pesach than any other holiday in the Jewish year. There are a number of reasons for this, but we chose two to expound upon:

• Everything is different. It's not until Pesach rolls around each year that we realize how much of our life revolves around preparing, eating, and cleaning up after food. We empty our cabinets, pantry, and refrigerator and re-stock them with Pesach dishes and supplies. Every time we get a glass of water or a piece of fruit, we are reminded that it is Pesach.
  
  
• Pesach commemorates the events that made us a people. We spend two evenings each year talking about how we were slaves in Egypt and how G-d delivered us. Each of us, in every generation, is commanded to feel as if he or she personally was delivered from slavery and brought to freedom. Two nights are not enough, so we study beforehand to prepare ourselves for discussion, and the thoughts we digest afterwards often carry us well beyond the end of Pesach.

Pesach therefore requires both physical preparation and spiritual or intellectual preparation. We clean our house from one end to the other, top to bottom, more thoroughly than at any other time of the year. We study the Haggadah so that when that first seder begins, we can add our thoughts to the discussion. We plan our meals carefully, and begin shopping. We try to learn some new tunes each year and make sure that everyone is familiar with them so that we can sing together during our seder.

This is what we're working on as we develop our page for Pesach:

• A glossary of Pesach terms -- Includes most of the words that show up in italics on this page.
• Why I love Pesach - Read our reasons and share yours.
• Why I hate Pesach - Read our reasons and share yours.
• Being vegetarian on Pesach - What to eat when you don't eat meat and can't have rice or legumes.
• The Pesach Birthday - Two of us have April birthdays, and one or the other almost always falls during Pesach. What do you do to celebrate when you can't have cake? Includes a couple of cake recipes.
• Physical preparation for Pesach - cleaning and menu plans
• Spiritual/intellectual preparation for Pesach -- Songs, haggadot, and assigning parts
• Chametz - That stuff we're trying to get rid of.
• What I Did for Pesach - How Pesach dictated the refrigerator we bought and other true stories.
• A survey - Is Pesach for kids or for adults? Read the aruguments on both sides and give us your opinion.

There's a lot of great information about Pesach out there on the internet. Check out some of the links we have been exploring (listed below) or return to the Beit HaChatulim Home Page.

Pesach Links

Mainly for Kids

From Pesach to Shavuot. Lots of online Pesach-related activities, most use Java scripts. Activities include a pesach quiz, word search, word scramble, hangman, Hit Pharoah game, Find the Afikomen game, memory game, and a jigsaw puzzle.

Pesach Activities. Matching games with Pesach and seder symbols; haggadah elements like the four children and four questions; order of the seder. From the Pedagogic Center; may be easier to use if printed out.

Chometz Hunter - Find the Leaven. An online game for kids.

Virtual Seder Plate. Click on the items on the plate and get an explanation.

Passover Quiz.

Matzoh Ball Contest. Another quiz; your results arrive by e-mail.

Passover Projects. From Jewish Family & Life -- things to make with your kids -- matzoh cover, seder plate, reclining pillow case. You have to go to this page first and click on "Holidays" at the top of the page. On the Holidays page, sroll down to find the Passover links.

Passover Kid's Corner. From the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Pesach Cleaning and Food - Physical Preparation

Pesach Cleaning. A short guide from Ohr Sameyach.

Pesach Cleaning Made Easy. "Clear, concise, and practical" but very long and involved, not to say obsessive. A cleaning guide for the truly dedicated.

Kosher Passover Vacations in the Carribbean Islands. For those who don't want to clean and cook - get away from it all.

The Haggadah and Beyond - Spiritual Preparation

A Growing Haggadah. A haggadah, with interesting commentary and links.

Real Audio files of seder tunes; nearly an hour long.

Divrei Torah on Pesach. Explanation and commentary on haggadah and other Pesach topics.

Kid Stuff. Only this kid is a goat. An explanation of Chad Gadya, the last song traditionally sung at a seder.

Mazon Passover Project. While preparing for your seder, plan to help feed the hungry.

Red Sea Haggadah. This is a freeware haggadah that may have some new insights for you; mostly in English.

A Passover Haggadah. In a PDF format for easy printing; also readable online. A personal haggadah written by Robert Parnes.

Collections of Pesach Resources

Maven's Passover/Pesach Index.

JAJZ's Pedagogic Center. Teacher resources for Pesach.

Ohr Samayach's Pesach page. Articles and other resources on all aspects of Pesach preparation and observance. Check out their Top Ten Places to Hide the Afikomen.

Learn @ JTS Pesach Page. Another Pesach page with articles and activities relating to this holiday.

Aish.com's Pesach page.

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