JCC Preschool Family Haggadah

Each year at Passover, we eat special foods, sing songs, tell stories and participate in a seder – a special meal designed to help us remember this

miraculous journey from slavery to freedom.

Six Parts of the Seder Plate

Beitzah The Roasted Egg is symbolic of the festival sacrifice made in biblical times. It is also a symbol of spring - the season in which Passover is always celebrated.

Chazeret Lettuce is often used in addition to the maror as a bitter herb. (Not all communities include chazeret.)

Zeroa The Shankbone is symbolic of the Paschal lamb offered as the Passover sacrifice in biblical times. Some communities use a chicken neck as a substitute.

Charoset Apple, nuts, and spices are ground together and mixed with wine (or grape juice). This is symbolic of the mortar used by Hebrew slaves to build Egyptian structures.

Karpas Parsley is dipped into salt water during the seder. The salt water serves as a reminder of the tears shed during Egyptian slavery.

Maror Bitter Herbs (usually horseradish) symbolize the bitterness of Egyptian slavery.

In addition to the seder plate, we have an extra glass of wine for Elijah and a glass of water for Miriam. We will also each drink 4 glasses of grape juice (or wine) and we will eat matzah.

This is the order of a Seder:

Kaddesh Recite the Kiddush.

Urchatz Wash the hands before eating Karpas.

Karpas Eat a vegetable dipped in salt water.

Yachatz Break the middle matzah and hide half for Afikoman.

Maggid Tell the Pesach story.

Rachtzah Wash the hands before eating matzah.

Motzi Matzah Say HaMotzi and the special bracha for the matzah and then eat the matzah.

Maror Eat the bitter herbs.

Korech Eat a sandwich of matzah and marror.

Shulchan Orech

Serve and eat a festive meal.

Tzafun Eat the Afikoman.

Barech Recite Birchat Hamazon (Grace after Meals).

Hallel Recite the Hallel (Psalms of praise).

Nirtzah Pray that Hashem accepts our mitzva.

We light the candles as we enter into the special time of Passover or, in Hebrew, Pesach.

Blessed are you, God, who commanded us to kindle the festival lights. Kaddesh

Blessed are you, God, creator of the fruit of the vine. Drink the first cup of wine Urchatz [Ritual Hand Washing]

Karpas Parsley reminds us of spring. while also reflecting on the tears shed by our ancestors during slavery.

Thank you, God, who created the fruit of the Earth. Dip parsley in salt water and eat. Yachatz We take the middle of the three matzot and break it in two. The smaller piece is replaced between the other two matzot. The larger piece is wrapped in a napkin and set aside as the "afikomen," from a Greek word that means dessert. Later we will share it. [Hide the Afikomen.]

Maggid

The Story of Passover

The first Passover happened long ago in the far-away country of Egypt. A mean and powerful king, named Pharaoh, ruled Egypt. Worried that the Jewish people would one day fight against him, Pharaoh decided that these people must become his slaves. As slaves, the Jewish people worked very hard. Every day, from morning until night, they hammered, dug, and carried heavy bricks. They built palaces and cities and worked without rest.

Bang, Bang, Bang

Bang, bang, bang Hold your hammer low! Bang, bang, bang Give a heavy blow! For it’s work, work, work Every day and every night! For it’s work, work, work When it’s dark and when it’s light!

Dig, dig, dig Dig your shovel deep! Dig, dig, dig There’s no time for sleep! For it’s work, work, work Every day and every night! For it’s work, work, work When it’s dark and when it’s light!

The Jewish people hated being slaves. They cried and asked G-d for help. G-d chose a man named Moses to lead the Jewish people. Moses went to Pharaoh and said, “G-d is not happy with the way you treat the Jewish people. G-d wants you to let the Jewish people leave Egypt and go into the desert where they will be free.” But Pharaoh stamped his foot and shouted, “No, I will never let the Jewish people go!”

Oh Listen

Oh listen! Oh listen! Oh listen King Pharaoh! Oh listen! Oh listen! Please let my people go!

They want to go away, they work too hard all day! King Pharaoh! King Pharaoh! What do you say?

NO NO NO! I will not let them go! (x2)

Moses warned, “If you do not listen to G-d, many terrible things, called plagues, will come to your land.” But Pharaoh would not listen, and so the plagues arrived. First, the water turned to blood. Next, frogs and, later, wild animals ran in and out of homes. Balls of hail fell from the sky and bugs, called locusts, ate all of the Egyptians’ food.

Dam, Blood Tzfardeah, Frogs

Kinim, Lice Arov, Swarms Dever, Blight Sh'chin, Boils Barad, Hail

Arbeh, Locusts Choshech, Darkness

Makat B'chorot, Death of the Firstborn

Frogs

One morning when Pharaoh woke in his bed There were frogs in his bed and frogs on his head

Frogs on his nose and frogs on his toes Frogs here, frogs there

Frogs were jumping everywhere!

Each time a new plague began, Pharaoh would cry, “Moses, I’ll let the Jewish people go, just stop this horrible plague!” Yet no sooner would G-d take away the plague than Pharaoh would shout. “No, I’ve changed my mind. The Jews must stay!” So G-d sent more plagues. Finally, as the tenth plague arrived, Pharaoh ordered the Jews to leave Egypt.

Afraid that Pharaoh might again change his mind, the Jewish people

packed quickly. They had no time to prepare food and no time to allow their dough to rise into puffy bread. They had only enough time to make a flat, cracker-like bread called matzah. They quickly tied the matzah to their backs and ran from their homes.

Pharaoh commanded his army to chase after them and bring them back to Egypt. The Jews dashed forward, but stopped when they reached a large sea, the Sea of Reeds. The sea was too big to swim across. Frightened that Pharaoh’s men would soon reach them, the people prayed to G-d, and a miracle occurred. The sea opened up. Two walls of water stood in front of them and a dry, sandy path stretched between the walls. The Jews ran across. Just as they reached the other side, the walls of water fell and the path disappeared. The sea now separated the Jews from the land of Egypt. The Jews were free!

Dayeinu Chorus: Day day-einu, day day-einu, day day-winu, day-einu dayeinu Ilu hotzi hotziyanu hotziyanu mimitzrayim Hotziyanu mimitzrayim, day-einu (Chorus) Ilu natan natan lanu natan lanu et haTorah Natan lanu et haTorah, day-einu (Chorus) Ilu natan natan lanu natan lanu et haShabbat Natan lanu et haShabbat, day-einu (Chorus) Had God only taken us out of Egypt, it would’ve been enough! Had God only given us the Torah, it would’ve been enough! Had God only given us the Shabbat, it would’ve been enough!

Adir Hu Adir Hu, adir Hu Chorus: Yivnei vayto b’karov Bimheira bimheira ‘yameynu b’karov El b’nei, El b’nei, b’nei vaytcha b’karov Bachur Hu, Gadol Hu, Dagul Hu (Chorus) Hadur Hu, Vatik Hu, Zakai Hu (Chorus) God of might, God of right, Thee we give all glory. Sing Thy praise in these days, celebrate Thy glory. As we hear year by year freedom’s wondrous story.

Questioning is a sign of freedom. On Passover, we ask four questions:

1. Why do we eat only matzoh on Passover? 2. Why do we eat horseradish? 3. Why do we dip herbs twice? 4. Why do we recline? Brief answers: 1. When we left Egypt, we were in a hurry. There was no time for making bread. 2. Life was bitter, like horseradish. 3. We’re reminded of sweat and tears and think about the hope of freedom. 4. Free people get to slouch.

There are two extra cups on the table. One is the Cup of Elijah and it is filled with wine/grape juice. There is a story that Elijah, a great teacher who lived many years ago, visits every Seder to wish us a year of peace and freedom. We open the door and invite Elijah to come in. Watch this cup to see if any of the wine disappears… As we open the door for Elijah, we also remember there are Jewish people in some places who cannot have a Seder. We think of them and wish we could invite them to be at our Seder. We hope and pray that the Jewish people all over the world will soon be free to celebrate Passover and all other traditions. Eliyahu Eliyahu HaNavi, Eliyahu HaTishbi Eliyahu, Eliyahu, Eliyahu HaGiladi Bimherah, b’yamenu, Im Mashiach ben David Bimherah, b’yamenu, Im Mashiach ben David There is another cup at our table filled with water – Miriam’s Cup. It reminds us of Miriam's Well, which stories tell us was magical and would follow Miriam and give water to the Israelites in the hot desert. The waters of this well helped heal those in need. Miriam was one of our important Jewish leaders.

Chorus from Miriam’s Song And the women dancing with their timbrels, Followed Miriam as she sang her song, Sing a song to the One whom we've exalted, Miriam and the women danced and danced the whole night long

Eat matzoh. Drink more wine. Recline. Thank you, G-d, for everything. SERVE MEAL.

Let My People Go When Israel was in Egypt Land, Let my people go.

Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let my people go.

Go down Moses way down in Egypt land, Tell old Pharaoh,

Let my people go.