How to Celebrate

When you prepare a for a Passover dinner, you’re taking part in a tradition that dates back more than 3500 years.  Although Jesus lived in the Galilee, He most likely celebrated Passover each year in Jerusalem since the Lord requested the presence of Israelite men for three feast each year: Passover, Pentecost and Sukkot (Exodus 34:23). Peter and John helped make preparations for the Last Supper.

How Do I Host a Passover dinner?

As adopted sons and daughters, most of us didn’t grow up with parents talking about the annual traditions of Jesus’ family.  Don’t think everything has to be perfect.  Keep three things in mind and you’ve got it down: Food, People and Remembering the Story. Feel free to use prepare your own meal, choose prepared foods, go potluck, get a caterer. A few menu items below may help your planning. Children are welcome!

Why is it Called a “Seder”?

The word Seder in Hebrew means “order” indicating that the evening follows an organizational structure. A dinner manual, with group participation called a Haggadah, directs the flow. “Haggadah” in Hebrew means “telling” We’ll be telling the Exodus story following a booklet called a Haggadah. With unusual circumstances this Passover, feel free to modify everything below including the Shopping List, Table Setting and Optional Items lists. The dinner lasts 2 hours and we eat after 1 hour, so appetizers are good!

What Do We Do?

Follow along and Enjoy! Usually, your hardcopy Haggadah accompanies you at the dinner table. Stay tuned to order in advance for next year.  This year, a link  to a digital version can be printed or viewed on a tablet/desktop.  Please take time to read the first 4 pages before dinner.

Shopping List Table Setting Optional Items

Crackers (Matza, Ritz, toasted tortillas, etc)
Apples, Walnuts, Dates 
Horseradish
Lamb or protein of your choice (not pork)
Parsley
Wine or Grape Juice

Table Setting

Candles or oil lamps, matches or a lighter
A bowl for hand washing
A hand towel for drying
Small bowls for salt water (1 for every 4 persons)
A Haggadah for each person

Optional Items 

Red food coloring
Marshmallows or cotton balls
Flyswatter
Toy frogs and insects

Before Dinner

Find something, anything that you have 50 of around the house: paperclips, colored pencils, dried beans, pennies, blades of grass, spools of thread, rubber bands, etc. These will be set aside for Counting the Omer 49 days which begin the next Sunday, according to scripture the day after Shabbat is First Fruits. 

Celebrating the Spring Festival Season means you're taking part in a family tradition that dates back more than 3500 years.  Jesus celebrated this meal every year of his life, primarily with his family; the last year of his life he told Peter and John to make the preparations for Passover, a meal we call the Last Supper.

Now it’s your turn ...This is going to be fun!