A brief history lesson: Before the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, God brought ten plagues upon the Egyptians, the final plague being the death of the firstborn. God instructed the Israelites to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb so that the plague would pass over their homes. That night, they roasted and ate the lamb as part of the first Passover meal.
When they were finally released, the Israelites left in such haste that their dough had no time to rise, giving rise to the tradition of eating unleavened bread, or matzah. Passover begins with the Seder meal, where families retell the Exodus story from the Haggadah, and the holiday continues for eight days in most Jewish communities outside Israel.
Today, thanks to the internet and Pinterest, Passover can take on a bit of a creative spin with delicious Matzoh recipes, crafts and activities for the kids. Here, we have rounded up 10 fun (and yummy) ways to make your Passover holiday a celebration!
From Matzoh Brei to toffee.
1. Meal prep. Since rising flour is out, and Matzoh is in this week, take a few minutes to plan out your meals. The wonderful folks over at Real Simple.com have a great checklist to you can print to help you prepare for the Seder Meal.
2. Kid friendly snacking. There are so many delicious recipes floating around for Passover meals from Matzoh ball soup to pizza, try some of these great ideas for snacking with the kids: Passover Snacks
3. Matzo Brei is one of the many recipes that is often passed down from generation to generation. Since my father is yet to pass this one on I went to the internet in search of a recipe that comes close! (We like to sprinkle cinnamon over the top and serve for breakfast but this dish can be served sweet or savory and for breakfast or lunch).
4. Chocolate covered Matzo toffee is a staple in my house for sure! Takes only a few minutes to make and is always a crowd pleaser. Essentially all you do is lay the Matzoh flat on a cookie sheet, melt butter together with brown sugar and a bit of vanilla until hot a bubbly and pour over top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until hardened. Sprinkle a generous amount of chocolate chips over the top and spread until melted and evenly covered. I like to add a sprinkle of sea salt like in this recipe from Bakedbree.com but you can also add nuts, dried fruit, sprinkles or any toppings you’d like.
Setting the scene
Turn your home and table into a celebration with a festive centerpiece, place setting and activities for the kids. Here are a few ideas for setting the scene.
5. Elevate the Seder plate on a cake stand for all to see in the center of the table.
6. Add a Seder place mat to the kids' places. They can make their own using whatever craft items you have on hand.
7. Add a cup for Elijah that the kids decorate before the meal. You can create one using recycled materials in your home or get creative with some yarn and stickers like this colorful one found here on Toriavey.com.
Fun and games
8. Make a Matzoh house. As symbolic as the homes in the story of Passover, bring out the builder in you and help the kids build a home of their own. Don’t be surprised if half the decorations are gone before you finish! You can find the directions for at Wimshul Cooks.
9. Hide the Matzoh is traditionally enjoyed by children at Passover. Children are allowed 4 questions and search for the hidden Matzoh called afikomen. Help the kids make an Afikomen Bag for hiding the Matzoh before the meal. This easy to make felt bag is adorable from www.toriavey.com.
10. Keeping kids entertained during any meal is difficult so start early and and use a children’s version of the haggadah such as Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah for a family friendly story the kids will understand and love.