The anticipation of Passover starts a month in advance, usually with the arrival of Purim which can be called Passover’s raucous little sister. At Purim there is purposefully no sense of order at all and so, by some ancient and wise logic, we start the planning of the Seder in the midst of the pleasurable disorder of Purim. Seder means “order” in Hebrew, and there are 15 steps to the celebration of the traditional Seder. Here are my 15 steps to the entire holiday experience.

• Figuring out in whose home the Seders will be 
• the guest lists: trying calculate how many are actually coming and how many can possibly fit inside your home
• the menu: traditional vs new dishes
• the house cleaning which can feel like your are preparing to move 
• buying food and figuring out how to fit it in the fridge
• donations of food and funds for the needy
• planning a gift for the child who “finds” the hidden piece of Matzah needed to complete the Seder and express concretely the idea that what is lost or broken will be restored. The outcome of the Matzah search is completely rigged and all children will get a gift
• the arrival of the excited guests
• cleaning up either spilled wine, juice or something that breaks
• finding one more vase for the lovely gift of flowers
• the pleasure of all being together around the table celebrating the Seder with song, questions and laughter. It is our family custom to ask the Four Questions in as many languages as possible and this year a Muslim Iraqi quest asked them in Arabic, a first for us.
• guests helping to disassemble the extra tables and chairs (thank you, again)
• Matzah Brie for breakfast(!)
• blessed friends who  invite you for another Passover meal to spend together during the week of the holiday

• and going out for Pizza to celebrate the end of the holiday and the return of such a humble food we can take so for-granted…bread.

The sum of this effort is so much more than any of the parts: a great sense of wholeness,  a renewal of connectedness to family and friends, a renewal of the connection of tradition and the present, the presence of Spring and the feeling of inner freedom.

Happy Passover