Describe your seder, please

freidasima

Wed, Mar 24 2010, 1:15 am

Ruchel I wish you that when you get to be my age you have a big family like us, with lots of kids, in law kids and grandchildren and have sedorim that are full of torah and what you enjoy and not the kind that I (and obviously also you) had as children...it can happen. A lot depends on mazel, and a lot on having a wonderful, learned husband as I have.

Isramom8

Wed, Mar 24 2010, 2:44 am

One of the prides of my life (or rather, it's pride about DH) is that our kids truly love our seder. DH believes that it's a night to connect with the kids, and connect the kids to our heritage with joy. He reenacts every makkah with props and involves the kids in skits. We get pretty silly, throwing frogs and prancing across the sea, etc. But the kids definitely feel joy in Yiddishkeit and Yetzias Mitzrayim. At some point DH usually leads a rousing round of "Hakadosh Baruch Hu Anachnu Ohavim Otcha". It's not all silliness - DH is makpid on all the shiurim of foods. The kids do snatch the afikoman, but when they refuse to return it, DH says he will just use a new piece of matzah, and then they capitulate. Afikoman presents usually don't happen, and the kids don't demand them.

Maggid is said by everyone together in paragraphs and eeach part explained briefly. Nirtzah is loud and exuberant, lots of pounding on the table.

My father sits and rolls his eyes. he says our seder is too silly and child-focused. He believes that children should participate in a normal adult seder, by watching and learning, and contributing here and there in a normal tone of voice. My father sings Yiddish folksongs at Shulchan Orech. He used to perform seders for senior citizens, and I would sing the Ma Nishtana.

I think you have to know your kids. Our kind of seder is the kind our kids require to connect with our mesorah with simcha.

The very first year I was married, I anticipated a clash between my father's seder and my husband's, because even back then, DH focused on Maggid and my father focused on Yiddish folksongs to make people feel connected with Yiddishkeit.

Marion

Wed, Mar 24 2010, 3:03 am

We always had "plague boxes" at my parents' seder. I clearly remember the first time I was at my ILs' seder, the year we were engaged. My sister was in Israel for the year too, so we went together. And the frogs that she had meticulously picked out for the priviledge of the plague box "jumped" into my (F)FIL's wine glass. Ooops.

freidasima

Wed, Mar 24 2010, 9:37 am

Marion I can't imagine what your late FIL did with a frog in his cup but if your MIL's parents would have been there I could just imagine the look your grandmother in law would have had to see a frog. Actually must tell you, she almost accompanied my class on a science field trip way back in the early 1970s, her best friend was my science teacher, and we had lots of frogs there...OTOH, your other grandmother in law, who I also knew, would have definitely taken frogs in stride...what a seder you must have had!

Ruchel

Wed, Mar 24 2010, 11:18 am

freidasima wrote:

Amen, IYH.