Creative Seder Ideas

alef22

Wed, Apr 06 2005, 9:59 am

Does anyone have any ideas to make the Seder interesting for all?
(Like the props they sell for the "makos".)

Sunshine

Wed, Apr 06 2005, 2:46 pm

I also need ideas of how to make the seder interesting. We are having a lot of college students over from all different backgrounds(reform, conservative, traditional)none are frum.

gryp

Wed, Apr 06 2005, 2:48 pm

sunshine- how long do you expect they will stay? for half? the whole thing?

Sunshine

Wed, Apr 06 2005, 3:34 pm

I hope the whole thing but realistically they will leave after shulchan oruch. LOL

Motek

Sun, Apr 10 2005, 11:13 am

there's nothing like experience - how about contacting those who have experience hosting sedarim for college students to hear what makes it successful

alef22

Thu, Apr 14 2005, 11:20 am

Thought with all the creative minds on here there would be some ideas posted.
The makkos are an easy place to add some fun.
1) Blood: put a few drops of red food coloring in a separate glass or pitcher that's been set aside. Add water and watch. (Be careful not to add the food coloring into water--this is considered "coloring" on Yom Tov.
2) Frogs: $ store frogs abound. For smaller children they can hop around.
3) Lice: Little toy bugs--everyone scratch.
4) Wild animals: toy/stuffed animals/pictures of animals
5) Animal masks
6) Boils: --soft little balls
7) Hail: cotton or ping pong balls.
8) Locusts: plastic grasshoppers or just jump around
9) Darkness: put on dark sunglasses.
10) Little toy doll in basket.

You can buy stuffed animal snakes to act out Moshe's rod turning into snake. Put matzoh on shoulders as you walk out of Egypt.
Put out little frog placecards. This time of year so many stores are carrying frog things for garden decorations--hang a frog windsail, put a frog into your centerpiece, etc.
For Dayeinu--everyone can say one thing they are grateful for as this is the theme of the song. (We do this every Shabbos)

There is a website www.plaguesbag.com that has this all together for you. They have Kosher l'Pesach red dye.

Motek

Thu, Apr 14 2005, 11:39 am

alef22 wrote:

Does anyone have any ideas to make the Seder interesting for all?

it depends on the ages and backgrounds of the participants

what I liked when I was in elementary school, was to bring my Pesach notebook to the table and say what I learned. So for children (who have been taught about Pesach in school), what makes them enjoy the seder is being able to sing the songs they learned, starting with the simanim, saying the Ma Nishtana, telling divrei Torah, being able to say what needs to be done next (move the ke'ara away, break the middle matza, etc.)

for adults, what makes it interesting is either being able to say divrei Torah that they know or hearing interesting Torah thoughts

if you know ahead of time what sort of guests you'll have, their backgrounds etc. the one leading the seder can prepare his explanations and divrei Torah accordingly

it also helps to have an array of interesting hagados, illustrated ones, hagados with translations, hagados in Russian if necessary, hagados with divrei Torah or stories