Many of us are familiar with the traditional items on a seder plate as symbols for the themes of Passover. But what if the seder rituals had been written in modern times? Would we still choose the same items to represent such personal ideas? Would YOUR Passover story rely upon different symbols? This seder plate does not have the traditional symbols you would expect. Instead, it leaves a space for the participants (YOU) to fill in the blanks with new objects of meaning.

Think about an object that represents Passover in your life. The object can be serious or silly, literal or poetic, but it should be something that helps you relate to the holiday. Consider the themes that are symbolized in the traditional seder plate such as:

Oppression
Sacrifice
Bitterness
Challenges
Freedom
Renewal

How can your object add to our current understanding of the seder? Arrange your table’s seder plate to tell a story of Passover as you see it today. Add as much or as little as you’d like - its all up to you.

To download the PDF, go to:

http://haggadot.posterous.com/alternative-seder-plate


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: Eileen Levinson, Doikayt Seder 2009