The Festival of Passover (Hebrew – "Pesach" or "Pesah") has a unique place in the Jewish home because of the Seder, the many changes that take place and the special atmosphere in the home during the Passover week. This Passover home atmosphere is something created by the family. One makes "Pesach" at home by the enthusiastic, cheerful observance of the traditional rules and regulations especially pertaining to foods, unique family and ethnic food customs, their preparation and serving.

You should feel encouraged to create new traditions and customs in your Seder’s interpretation of the Torah narrative and Rabbinic re-statement of the Exodus from Egypt. Plenty of "white space" has been left throughout these pages to provide for your own individual instructions, interpretations, additions or creations. In addition to participating in communal Passover projects of tzedakah and caring, to attending synagogue services with your family, potential precious family holiday activities empower you to create and offer your family a beautiful and meaningful Passover heritage. The treasures of childhood memories are immeasurably enriched by the indelible impressions left on the young through sharing in Passover preparations, the Seder meal and the holiday services.

The following pages have been collected, edited, written and re-written numerous times, and they have been shared in congregational bulletins, faxes and now over the Internet. Wherever possible I have tried to give proper attribution. I hope that as we learn who has written which of these pieces we can give credit properly in the years to come. One should never simply take credit for the work of others and that was not my intention.

This is a work still in progress and I would hope that if you would like to make a contribution that can be used, I would be grateful to incorporate it into this supplement and of course give you credit. Please note that spellings and transliteration will vary and indeed some readings will certainly provoke discussion, both agreement and disagreement which is the intention of the Passover Seder.

Preparing this Passover Guide for our family and our congregations has been a labor of love over the years. I hope that parts or all of it will be helpful to you and your family as well as friends for a sweeter and more meaningful Seder and Pesach Festival. With best wishes from our home to yours for a "zissen Pesach"

Barry Dov Lerner