When thinking of Passover, the word ‘order’ typically comes to mind — which, of course, is the meaning of seder.
Last month, however, Ohef Sholom turned the ‘order’ of Passover on its head with a fun, interactive Passover experience.
On Sunday, April 21, Ohef Sholom Temple Religious School hosted “A Taste of OST Religious School, a Community Passover Celebration” to demonstrate just how special and fun its religious school is. The temple didn’t just put on a Seder, but it created an experience for everyone to share in and learn the Passover story.
As families arrived, they received their roadmap for the day — a color-coded card that told them the order to experience the different stations, each with a Passover-related activity. Families made magnets with matzah, decorated matzah covers, assembled and decorated their own timbrels with bells and ribbons (in honor of Miriam), identified Passover items through a game, and created a clock to keep track of the order of the Seder.
Simon Hall buzzed with excitement as families moved from one table to the next. When it was time to rotate, while playing her guitar, Cantor Jen led everyone in song, singing Dayenu! — which translates to “enough!”
Following the activities in Simon Hall, families entered Kaufman Hall for a model Seder led by Rabbi Roz and Cantor Jen Rueben. To keep everyone engaged and create a feeling of inclusivity, tables took turns reading different parts of the Haggadah.
One of the favorite parts of the Seder was when anyone who was interested was invited to come forward and chant the four questions with Cantor Jen and Rabbi Roz. Another special touch: each table had macaroons made by Ohef Sholom’s Religious School’s cooking class.
And no Seder is complete without looking for the Afikoman. Afikoman bags were hidden under seats and the winners took home prizes. On the way out, OST’s Eco Judaism committee shared its bounty from the garden, giving away horseradish, parsley, and onions.
Always striving to find new ways to engage the community and build excitement around traditions while creating joy-filled memories for its students and their families, this year’s Passover experience was no exception for the congregation.
Ohef Sholom is grateful for the support of Tidewater Jewish Foundation, who helped make this event possible.
Ohef Sholom Temple hosts an interactive Passover experience
