How long are seders

One of the most important Jewish holidays of the year, Passover brings people together to retell the miracles of the past as recounted in the Bible, while offering up hope for the future. The seder itself consists of 15 stages full of rituals, rich in tradition. Related: 6 things to know about Passover. Whether this is all new to you or you could use a refresher, here are five things to know before you attend your Passover seder.

Instead, celebrants eat matzo — thin, bland, cracker-like, unleavened flatbread — throughout the holiday, especially at the seder. Baked in 18 minutes or less, each piece of matzo contains hundreds of holes to prevent the dough from rising and becoming chametz. But don't worry — each matzo is only about calories, so dig in! Just don't eat too much, or you could end up with a stomachache!

Several practices are performed at the seder to express freedom and royalty after the Pharaoh finally agreed to let the Jews leave Egypt, following a series of 10 plagues God inflicted on the Egyptian empire for continuing to enslave the Israelites. Each of the four cups of wine must be poured by another participant in the Seder. The seder has a specific structure, and hosts rarely begin until all the guests have arrived.

So you should definitely show up on time. That varies greatly depending on how long the ritual components of the seder last. Food at the meal itself varies a great deal, depending on whether your host is Ashkenazi of Eastern European descent or Sephardi of Spanish or Middle Eastern descent. That said, commonly served foods in the United States include gefilte fish , chicken soup with matzah balls , lamb, chicken and various kugels a type of casserole. Some popular desserts are macaroons, chocolate-covered matzah, kosher-for-Passover cakes and fruit compote.

If your host keeps kosher , no dairy will be served with or after meat. Traditionally people do drink four cups of wine over the course of the seder, but they do not have to be large cups of wine. Also, many hosts also have grape juice on hand, which is a perfectly acceptable substitute.

In Israel, Jews have a seder only on the first night of Passover. What should I bring? What's on the big plate? Whose wine cup is in the middle of the table? What's going on? How about a preview? Here's the basic order of most seders: Kadesh : The Kiddush blessing marking the holiness of this day and candles are lit, too, to mark the beginning of the holiday.

When the seder falls on a Friday night, this Kiddush is recited for Passover and Shabbat. When the seder falls on a Saturday night, we continue with a special version of Havdalah. Urchatz : A ritual washing of the hands not found in some Reform Hagaddot Karpas : Eating a vegetable often parsley dipped in saltwater; with this step we combine the hopefulness of spring represented by the vegetable with the tears of slavery the salt water.

Yachatz : Breaking of the middle matzah; we remember the brokenness that slavery represents. Maggid : The telling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Mah Nishtanah , but don't worry: If you're the youngest and Hebrew isn't your area of expertise, you're off the hook! These questions provide the impetus for telling why this night is different from all other nights. Rachtzah : Washing of the hands a second time, done with a blessing since you are going to eat more substantial food Motzi : Recitation of the blessing before eating leavened or unleavened bread Matzah : A special blessing said before eating matzah at the seder Maror : Eating the bitter herbs to taste the bitterness of slavery Korech : Eating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herbs in fulfillment of Numbers Its color and consistency reminds us of the bricks and mortar used by the Israelite slaves.

Shulchan Oruch : Eating the dinner, which traditionally includes matzah ball soup, hard boiled eggs, gefilte fish, meat and vegetables, and macaroons Tzafun : A piece of the matzah that had been broken earlier has been hidden. During the seder, the children traditionally "steal"and hide the afikoman, and it must be redeemed by the seder leader. Often, kids are sent to look for it.

This is one of several ways that the compilers of the Hagaddah entertain kids. Finding the afikoman symbolizes a move from brokenness toward healing. The afikoman now the matzah of freedom is supposed to be the last thing you eat on this evening. A series of blessings recited after meals, including blessings that express gratitude for sustenance, the land, Jerusalem, and the positive relationship between God and the Jewish people. With these joyful words we hope to join with all Jews in a peaceful Jerusalem and we remember to keep working to make the world a better place.

Chag Sameach! Have a wonderful holiday!