I have a terrible memory. Actually, I remember obscure details really well but forget passwords, early pick up times, birthday parties and pretty much anything with numbers.
I should seriously pause for a moment each day and say a prayer of gratitude to the person who conceived of having a calendar on a mobile phone. I’ll add that to my to-do list, which incidentally is also on my phone.
In so many ways, memory is a link to our past and our future. At a minimum, it’s how we learn to avoid stepping in that same hole in the sidewalk and instead find new holes to blunder into.
Some could say that memory for Jewish folks is both individual and communal, both passive and active. For example, my family doesn’t just think about having our Passover seder at Aunt Sally’s, we go back year after year and actually do it. And it’s much more fun to eat matzah ball soup as opposed to remembering the last time you got to have it.
Just as there are infinite opinions on whether matzah balls should be firm or soft, a seder can have endless configurations… long, short, English, Hebrew, silly, loud, big, small… and no right or wrong way. So, regardless of how your family observes the Passover holiday, I hope it is a memorable one.
For recipes, printables, seder props, breakfast ideas and all things Passover, visit: pjlibrary.org/passover
Download free copies of the PJ Library Passover Haggadah: pjlibrary.org/haggadah
Check out some PJ Library Passover books for every age:
“My Family Seder”
Written by Rosalind Silberman; Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata
Ages: 6 months to 2 years
Last Sent to Families: March 2023
Synopsis: The child in this book is ready – it’s time for his family seder! Even though he’s just a baby, he can still enjoy and even participate in many meaningful ways. After all, Passover is about welcoming everyone to the table.
“In Our Teeny Tiny Matzah House”
Written by Bill Wurtzel; Illustrated by Claire Wurtzel
Ages: 3 to 4 Years
Synopsis: Kitzel can’t hear himself meow. His house is teeny tiny, but his family is large and noisy. Soon his family will feel even larger and noisier, because Passover is about to begin! This story, illustrated entirely with food, is a delicious spin on a classic Yiddish folktale.
“Nachshon, Who Was
Afraid to Swim”
Written by Deborah Bodin Cohen; Illustrated by Jago
Ages: 5 to 6 years, 6 to 7 years
Synopsis: As the Israelites rush to leave Egypt after being freed from slavery, young Nachshon is the first to brave the water that must be crossed, even though he is afraid to take the plunge.
“Workitu’s Passover:
A Story from Ethiopia”
Written by Zahava Workitu Goshen and Maayan Ben Hagai; Illustrated by Eden Spivak
Ages: 7 to 8 years
Synopsis: In Workitu’s Ethiopian Jewish community, it’s traditional to break all the dishes before Passover begins. That might sound like fun, but Workitu is sad to see her favorite cups and pots go when it’s time to remake them free of chametz. Auntie Balainesh helps Workitu find the spirit of Passover renewal celebrated by this custom.
“Out of Egypt”
Ages: 9+
Synopsis: Ever wonder about the Great Escape of the Jewish People from Egypt? Check out this graphic novel, and you’ll find out things you never knew about this ancient story.
