March 20, 2013
Passover Seder
Tuesday March 26th, The Jewish Community Center of Allentown will be setting their tables and inviting the community to its 15th Annual Community Seder. This lively and interactive event will be accompanied by a LVKC-approved kosher meal.
To help remember the significance of the Passover Seder, we have gathered some facts below about it. Be sure to share these with your family as you celebrate next week.
- It is to celebrate the Exodus: the freedom from slavery of the Children of Israel from ancient Egypt
- On the first night (or two nights) of Passover, families gather for this special dinner
- The word “seder” translates to the Hebrew word for “order” which refers to the specific rituals that are followed for the seder
- The six items on the Seder Plate are symbolic: two bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery; Charoset (ground mixture of fruit and nuts) to symbolize the mortar used by Jewish slaves to build Egyptian storehouses; Karpas (vegetable dipped in bitter liquid usually salt water) to represent the tears of the slaves; Roasted lamb/goat bone to represent a sacrificial lamb; Hard boiled egg also representing a festival sacrifice
- The oldest complete manuscript of the Haggadah dates to the 10th century
- The object of the Seder experience is to tell the tale of the Exodus to your children. It is set up in a way to teach the children so that one day they can tell their children.
- The Four Cups represent the four expressions of deliverance promised by God: ”I will bring out,” “I will deliver,” “I will redeem,” and “I will take.”
