Passover Traditions
Eat & More
Passover is a wonderfully festive time to sit with family and friends around the table, retelling the saga of the Exodus and welcoming Elijah the Prophet while eating matzah in its many, many forms.
The Seder meal can be a tasty mix of foods both traditional and new. Below, we offer written recipes, how-to videos, and passover wine suggestions to help make your Seder a special one this year.
Cook our favorite recipes
- Macaroons, Two Ways (Kate Sonders blog on Mark Bittman & Cooks Illustrated)
- Meatless Menus for Passover (OU.org)
- Vegan Passover Seder (VegNews)
- Traditional Passover Brisket (Perfect Entertaining)
- Apple Matzah Kugel (NewKosher)
- Matzo-Crusted Chicken Cutlets (MarthaStewart.com)
- Haroset Workshop (JewishFreeware.org)
- Matzah Pizza (Aish.com)
- Mexican Passover (Jewishfederations.org)
- Kosher Recipes (Kosher4Passover.com)
- Desserts (Epicurious.com)
- Dairy Main Courses (about.com)
- Matzo Ball Soup and Cooking for Passover (Savour Fare)
View how-to videos
- Perfect Passover brisket, two ways (Today Show)
- Passover Cooking with Grandma Irma (Chow.com)
- How To Make Passover-Friendly Desserts (Howcast.com)
- Matzah: What's Up with It (Chabad.org)
- Chef Josh Eden: Passover Meals for $40 (CBSnews.com)
- Cooking Matzah Lasagna, (JewishTVNetwork)
- Making Matzah Balls (Epicurious.com)
- Mango Charoset and Horseradish Remoulade for Passover (JewishTVNetwork)
- Matzah Chocolate Napoleon (JewishTVNetwork)
Drink Passover Wines
- Expanding Palates on Passover with New Kosher Wines (Wine Library TV)
- Manischevetini: Manischevitz Mixed Drink (MixDrinx.com)
Prepare a traditional Seder plate Learn more
Tell the Story
Passover's high point is the Seder. Experiencing this wonderful Jewish meal and interactive "happening" is to live through all the varied themes of the Passover festival. Most Jews have cherished memories of family time spent at a Seder. It is believed that the obligation to tell the story of the Exodus has been observed by Jews ever since Moses led the actual Exodus itself.
In Hebrew, Seder means order, and at the heart of the Seder is the Haggaddah, a Passover guidebook that spells out the order in which you and your family and friends can observe our ancient traditions and add new ones of your own.
To get you started on your holiday observances, we are pleased to offer you a simple printable Haggadah from The Jewish Federations of North America, containing the basic information needed to conduct a Passover Seder, from setting up a Seder plate to asking the Four Questions.
Haggadahs come in a wide variety of style representing many different traditions; you'll find links to ours and several additional downloadable options below.
Create and download your own beautiful Haggadah
Explore more Haggadahs
Haggadahs come in a wide variety of style representing many different traditions. Here are some links to several additional downloadable options below...
- Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Advocacy Haggadah
- JewishBoston.com - The Wandering is Over Haggadah
- About.com - Complete Hebrew and English Haggadahs
- Rabbi Amy Scheinerman - Egalitarian Haggadah for beginners or families with children
- Chabad.org - English Haggadah Text with Instructional Guide
- The Velveteen Rabbi - Passover Haggadah
- JewishFreeware - Create Your (free) Personal Haggadah
- Judaism.com - Digital Haggadah
Learn the Traditions
Understand the Passover holiday & ancient ritual, then create new ones for your family Passover is one of the most important Jewish festivals of the year, an interactive "happening" rich in symbolism and connections to unifying elements that continue to strengthen the Jewish people.
Most Jews have cherished memories of family time spent at a Seder. It is believed that the obligation to tell the story of the Exodus has been observed by Jews ever since the actual Exodus itself.
Use the Passover resources and features below to help you learn longtime Passover traditions from the meaning of the Passover Seder Plate, Passover Rituals to guiding you in exploring new ways to observe the holiday around your Seder table.
- MyJewishLearning.org
- Chabad.org - Traditional Passover Holiday Songs
- Socalled - A Hip-Hop Haggadah
- Kosher4Passover - Songs and Music
- The Passover Seder Symbols' song (Video)
- Aish.com - Haggadah songs
Passover traditions
Dig a little deeper and engage your Seder table with conversation and activities. Below are links to inspire everyone from the youngest to the most seasoned Seder participant.
- Passover glossary
- The Jewish Federations of North America - A guide to Passover books and music
- Tweet the Exodus
- JewishBoston.com - Last minute Passover ideas
- Shalom Sesame - 'Frog Hunt' Passover online game
- CJP Families with Young Children Initiative - Kid-Friendly Seder Ideas
- Slate - Why Kosher-for-Passover Food Costs So Much
- Mark I. Rosen - Being the Stranger at a Strange Seder
- Gil Mann - The Rebellious Child: How Hard to Push
- JoAnn Abraham - The Seder Plates That Tripped Me
- Jewz.com - Facing a Lonely Passover
- TorahTots.com - Passover Games
- Kosher4Passover.com - Educational Games About Passover
- The Atlantic - Why Are Thousands of Jews Selling Their Homes for Passover?
- Shalom Sesame - Khalikidan's Passover Seder (Video)
- Chabad.org - Matzah: What's Up With It? (Video)
- 20 Things To Do with Leftover Matzah (Video)
- Seder Plate Celebration w/ Jewish Federations