Are you looking for a nice Passover message to share at your seder table? Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew) begins in the evening Wednesday, April 5, 2023 and finishes in the evening Thursday, April 13. As you prepare for the upcoming Jewish holiday, here are 10 memorable Passover thoughts to think about and incorporate into your daily life, now and throughout the year:
1. Passover reminds us that freedom is worth fighting for, even when the odds are against us. #Freedom
2. Passover is a time for family, tradition, and gratitude. Do something during the holiday that brings you joy, love and a renewed appreciation for the blessings in your life. #Gratitude
3. Passover isn’t just about matzah and maror, but the meaningful moments with friends and family. Look around the table and appreciate the precious time you have together. #Tradition
4. Passover reminds us of the power of hope and faith in the face of adversity. We can find the strength to overcome our challenges and break away from the things that limit us. We can emerge stronger than ever. #Hope
5. Passover is a time to reflect on our past and look towards our future. Let the holiday inspire you to live with purpose, kindness and compassion. #Reflection
What memorable Passover thoughts will you share at your seder table?
6. As we gather around the seder table, let’s be grateful for the blessings of freedom, family, and community. #Unity
7. Passover celebrates the triumph of the human spirit over oppression and tyranny. Let us never forget the courage and resilience of those before us, and strive to carry on their legacy. #Resilience
8. Passover is a time to reconnect with our roots, our faith and our values. Let the holiday bring you closer to what matters most. #Faith
9. Passover reminds us of the power of perseverance and the triumph of faith over fear. #Strength
10. The Passover story teaches us that even in the darkest of times, we can find hope and redemption. We can all strive to be agents of change and bring light to the world. #PassoverThoughts
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I hope you enjoy these inspiring Passover insights to share at your seder table. And even better, may they add meaning that will uplift and inspire you throughout the entire year. From my family to you and yours, we wish you a kosher, freilichen Pesach, a kosher, fun Passover!
Which of these 10 memorable Passover thoughts is your favorite? What are some others you would add? I’d love to hear!
What do you think of when you hear the word Passover (Pesach)?
Matzah, cleaning, guests, cooking, more matzah?
Over the years, (decades actually), I’ve hosted thousands of people for Passover seders at GAM GAM Kosher Restaurant and our Chabad House in Venice, Italy. Yet, the thing I think about the most is myself.
Sort of.
In the days leading up to Passover, I think about myself, but probably not in the way it sounds. It’s more about being like matzah (aka matzo).
Making Passover More Meaningful: Checking in a boat delivery of hundreds of pounds of handmade Shmurah Matzah for the Passover Seders in Venice, Italy
Matzah – Traditional Passover Food or Something More?
Matzah is flat and unleavened. It hasn’t had a chance to rise like the dough of typical bread. Bread, which rises and inflates, represents ego. Matzah represents selflessness, otherwise known in Hebrew as “bittul.”
The literal meaning of bittul is self-nullification. Yet, bittul doesn’t mean that we have to think of ourselves as nothing. (Here’s where the matzah comes in and teaches us a lesson about ourselves). Matzah reminds us that as we go about bettering our lives and the world around us, we can do it in a way that transcends self-concern. We can be more humble.
During the holiday prep, the seders and all the matzah crunching, I can’t help but be reminded how important it is to work on myself. And, I know that if I give it my all during the eight days of Passover, then those efforts will set a strong foundation for the rest of the year.
I’d love to hear about your Passover inspiration! You can share anything and everything from your favorite matzah brei recipe, Passover table settings or something special you’ve learned in the comments below.
Running a kosher restaurant for decades has allowed me to help countless people around the world simplify their process of preparing for Passover. Preparing for Passover involves physical and spiritual preparation. The spiritual prep can be just as important. But right now, read on to see how I prepare my meal planning, ordering and cooking for Passover. This simple method I use for GAM GAM Kosher Restaurant can be adapted to any home.
When is Passover?
Passover begins in the evening Wednesday, April 5, 2023 and finishes in the evening Thursday, April 13.
How do you prepare for Passover?
One of the most popular questions I get is “How do you cook for so many people.” Usually, this is referring to our Shabbat program, which unites up to 800 people per Shabbat during the busier summer months. During the main part of the year, the average is around 300 people. That’s still 900 meals over the course of the 25 hours!
When it comes to Passover, even though the crowd is smaller, it takes a fair amount of organizing. Usually on the first night, we run three simultaneous seders in different locations within the Jewish Ghetto of Venice. One year, we had five! But, the Passover preparation method always stayed the same.
A final stir before lighting the holiday candlesBaked Salmon for the Passover SedersPassover Preparations for Hundreds of Guests!
Passover Traditions, Customs & Rituals
In an effort to avoid anything that may have come in contact with chametz (wet fermented grains that have risen), our custom is to peel everything and cook only with salt and oil. It makes everything super easy to prepare. And, you can really taste the delicious natural flavors of the ingredients. It is taught that one’s efforts during Passover bring blessing for the entire year! That’s a great return for an eight day investment 😉.
Whatever your custom is, it is beautiful! Plan and create an unforgettable Passover using these tips as a springboard to get started. I’ve included two downloads: a To Do List and a Menu Template to help you get organized for the entire eight days of Passover!
Preparing For My First Passover Seder at Home
Because of Coronavirus, we could not have a public seder in 2020. Instead, my family and I had a private seder in our apartment. It was the very first time we had that experience!
As I cooked and prepared, the motions seemed the same: peeling, chopping, boiling, baking. Of course, I had a lot more time on my hands than typical years, and everything got done much more quickly. In 2021, we had a few guests.
Whether this will be your first year preparing for Passover or you are a pro, these Passover tips and ideas will make preparing for Passover easier for you. You can make them a part of your yearly routine.
How Do I know What to Buy to Prepare for Passover?
The easiest way I have found is to start by making your menu. Use my Passover Menu Template below. Then, create your shopping list. Keep it fun! Enjoy the Passover memories that will pop up from when you were little or imagine the ones that you will create.
The best part is that once you make your menu and shopping list, you will be able to use them as guides each year. So, every year afterwards, the majority of the work will already be done.
It doesn’t need to be overwhelming. After all, we are celebrating freedom. Don’t put yourself under unnecessary constraints and limitations.
Make a list. Keep it simple. Prioritize by time and function.
This is what I do the morning of the Pesach seder.
I used to begin at GAM GAM at 7am. Then, as the years passed, I could head into the restaurant a bit later. Like with most things in life, Passover preparation got easier with experience.
My simple To Do List has been my guide to cooking for our public seders for years.
Print it and keep it handy. You can change or add in anything to the list you wish. But the most important thing, as I mentioned, is to keep it prioritized by time and action. (While this is boiling, then I can peel that, etc….).
PUT: Tomatoes in freezer (makes them easier to peel)
MARK: a few knives with tape as “peel” knives
BOIL: Eggs in egg pot
PEEL: (buy the best peeler you can afford)
Carrots
Potatoes
Zucchini
Eggplant
Tomatoes
BOIL: (in separate pots) Carrots, Potatoes, Zucchini
CUT: Salmon and cook asap
CUT: Chicken
PREPARE: Soup and Cook
CHECK: Lettuce for Bugs
CRACK: Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios
PEEL & GRATE: Horseradish (do it with the door or window slightly open)
COOK: Eggplant
COOK: Potato Kugel and Carrot Kugel
MAKE: Mayonnaise
MAKE SALADS & SIDES:
Potato Salad with Sautéed Onion
Potato Salad with Carrots
Egg Salad
Babaganoush
Eggplant and Egg Salad
Tzimmes
Sautéed Zucchini & Onion
Sautéed Zucchini & Carrot
Cucumber with Thin-Sliced Onion & Lemon Juice
MAKE: Pesach “Noodles” for the Soup (Scrambled Egg Strips)
Next Year’s Preparing for Passover Begins This Year
At the end of Passover, I write myself an email with my menu attached. I write what went well and what I need to buy or replace (peelers, utensils etc…). In the subject line I write “Passover Pesach 20_ _,” with the following year. The body of the email says: “Check today and start ordering now.” (I set a calendar reminder to search and check that email four weeks before the holiday begins).
Final Touches! Each seder guest gets an individual box of handmade shmurah matzah.
There are endless kosher for Passover recipes to be found online, such as on Kosher.com’s app or on Naomi Nachman’s Instagram. Be sure to download my Passover To-Do List and my 8 Days of Passover Menu Template. I hope these tips and ideas will help you prepare your meal planning, ordering and cooking for Passover, this year and every year.
Leave me your comments below with your questions and I will be happy to answer them!
Freshen up your home or surprise someone with a beautiful gift from Venice!
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