Preparations for two or three weeks before Passover. Delegate if it is a large group or with a church.
o Haggadahs ordered for number of people coming. If you order from Tent Stake, allow two weeks for arrival.
o Buy Matzah – In some places this is difficult to find. If you live in such a place, it may be necessary to order online. Give yourself time for it to arrive. Costco sells cases.
o Lamb shank bone. Go to a butcher ask for one. Take it home and roast it so it’s ready for your seder dinner.
o Recipe for charoset, apple mixture for the seder plate. Make enough for 3 TBsp for each person. This needs to be made for the set-up preparations because it is on the seder plate.
o Print out the recipes to those who want to make traditional food items. Some items may need to be bought ahead of time as they are not common. For the kugels, matzah is needed.
o Music for Dayenu and Next Year in Jerusalem. Have musicians learn the songs if possible so they are ‘live’ and not recordings.
o Children’s gift for Redemption of the Afikomen.
o Leaders need to bring a pillow for reclining unless everyone reclines, then everyone should bring pillows.
o A shofar is blown as part of the seder. It is not necessary, but if a shofar can be bought or borrowed, it will be a blessing.
Several days before celebration:
o Need paper plates, cups, wine glasses, plastic ware, tablecloths
o Need items for the Seder Plate: Horseradish Sauce or Root, Parsley and rock
Note: We do not use an egg on our seder plate to remember the destruction of the Temple. We use a rock symbolizing Yeshua’s prophecy (Matthew 24:1-3).
o Need wine or grape juice
o Need Salt for Saltwater
Enough for 4 cups per person (small cups are acceptable)
o Collect items for foot washing: basins, pitchers and towels. Several basins for larger groups, hand towels for drying feet, and pitchers for warm water.
Day of Preparation:
Depending on the size of the group, allow two to four hours preparation. All tables need to be set and seder plates prepared along with matzah pillows. Since a full-course meal will be eaten, set a separate covered buffet table(s) on which to place the food.
o Set Table: table covering, table setting for each person with a plate, napkin, knife, spoon, fork, water cup, and wine glass
o Haggadah with each place setting
o Prepare the seder plate for center of each table. On each plate put several tablespoons of horseradish, one sprig of parsley for each person, 3 tablespoons of charoset for each person, and a cup of salt water with about 2 tsp salt to 1 cup of water. On the head table, where the leader will sit, place the shank bone.
o Make pillows with four napkins and three matzahs.
o Set one extra napkin next to the leaders place for wrapping the afikomen.
o Place several matzahs on extra plate to eat during the meal.
o Set one place setting for Elijah including plate, dinnerware, and cups.
o Set up areas for foot washing with basins, pitchers and towels. (Fill the pitchers with WARM water when the footwashing ceremony begins.)
o Set up the music area whether live or recorded. Make sure everything works.
o Prepare the table for the buffet with a cloth and extra napkins, electrical outlets for crock pots, bowls and soup spoons if having soup, salt and pepper, and whatever else makes the table look inviting.