Pesach (Passover)

In Your Home

For most Jewish folk, Pesach will be held in their homes with family, friends, and possibly neighbors. This is a far more traditional way of celebrating than the large gatherings we have had in the past - so welcome to a family Passover!

Isolating or don’t know anyone else celebrating in your area?

If you find yourself on your own this Pesach and in this current climate that’s a bit of a way of life

Remember, Adonai promised never to leave or forsake you! You and Him can have a very special Pesach, as you remember, and thank Him for taking you from the slavery of sin, and providing the Pesach lamb for you – Yeshua! (Jesus!)

Also, you can facetime or zoom with family & friends

Or contact us for details on our celebration this year or we might be able to help locate some people to be with.

Here are some tips for your home Pesach celebration.

Make it a joyous occasion! If things don’t go quite to plan – relax and just enjoy the fact of His Presence as you celebrate what Adonai has asked us to do.

Setting the table :

Set a table with a friendly feel, whatever that means to you & your family or to make it ‘formal special’

Use the tablecloth your granny used to keep for ‘best’. How about getting out that silver set of cutlery at the back of the cupboard.
Share with kiddies the fun of seeing the black spoon turning a shiny silver. (there has got to be a scriptural application there!
Have a wine glass for each person present (including children if you use grape juice) You won’t find it hard to pick up lovely glasses at a second hand shop – usually $1 each.
Use your ‘best’ plates.
Have glasses for water for each person and a serviette.
A pair of white candles and that’s your table done.

Now for what you will need.

1. The order of proceedings (the Haggadah)

Contact Celebrate Messiah’s website to get theirs online or you can borrow some from HFINZ. - numbers will be limited.

2. A seder plate

These special plates are very attractive and especially made. You will be able to purchase one online. Or

Find a flat plate (second-hand shop ? ) Preferably round. On this you will place :
- a small amount of Horseradish, (If you can’t find horseradish something else bitter can be substituted)
- a stem of parsley
- the egg
- a small dollop of Charoset
- a lamb shank bone,

3. Three Small glass bowls and in each put:

Salted water
Horseradish sauce
Charoset - recipe below

4. A plate for a couple stems of parsley & the parsley

5. A plate to hold some Matza bread

These will be used to pass around your group at the table. So adjust the quantity accordingly.

You can get this online or visit the Jewish shop in Wellington. You may even get some at a specialty food shop.

OR make some. Yes, you can!

See below for recipe

6. Sparkling grape juice or your choice. Enough for a full glass each.

7. A roasted egg

This is Jewish tradition, and not part of what Adonai set up, so doesn’t have to be included

Hard boiling an egg then give it some ‘blacking’ by using a lit match

8. A shank bone

Purchase a small lamb shank from your butcher and roast it for the seder plate.
This will not be eaten.
If you intend to do this more than once go to the butcher and get a small lamb shank bone and dry it out. The marrow in it will make it sticky for a long time so be prepared! Alternately use a roasted beetroot. It’s the red colour that counts here.

9. A gold coin (optional)

If you have a child or children to go hunting for this part you will find it a lot of fun.
Try the warm, warmer, cold directions and it’s lovely to bless them with a coin or small gift.
They won’t forget Passover next year!

10. A bag to hold 3 pieces of Matza.

Find a piece of material approx 400 x 300 ( or a cloth serviette ) fold it in half and then in half again to make a square.
Sew up two sides and wow! you have a bag with 3 pockets! You can also make your bag special by using a fancy stitch (perhaps the old blanket stitch) or some ornate edging and before you fold it decide which is the front and decorate it!
You may have a piece of material that was special to your family – what better way to use it.

Recipes

Matza.

Plenty of recipes online. But if you have time to experiment it should be lots of fun:

2 cups plain flour

2tbs of olive or canola oil

1tsp salt. ¾ cup water. (add more if necessary)

Mix all together until you have a soft but not tacky dough.

Roll out (you could use a pasta roller) until very thin.

Prick lots of holes with a fork and place on a baking sheet on tray in a preheated oven at 260.

Watch carefully! when it has a few golden dots and bubbles up, carefully turn and repeat.

When cold keep in an airtight container.

Should keep crisp 3or 4 days.

Charoset

Again - plenty of recipes online. But here’s one we like

Peel and finely chop 3 crisp apples

1½ cups of finely chopped and toasted walnuts.

1tbs honey

1tsp each of lemon zest (and orange zest opt )

½ tsp cinnamon

½ cup of sweet red wine or grape juice

Pinch of salt.

Mix altogether

This will keep up to 3days in an airtight container with the addition of 1tsp lemon juice.