How to Prepare a Seder Plate

The Seder plate is one of the most meaningful parts of Passover. Filled with savory items symbolizing the Jewish people's escape from the evil Pharaoh, a Seder plate is a tradition passed on from generation to generation. Preparing the Seder plate gives you a chance to reflect on this important Jewish holiday.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Seder plate
• Charoset made from apple and nuts
• Roasted shankbone or neck of poultry
• Hardboiled egg
• Parsley and salt water or celery
• Horseradish or horseradish root (must be kosher for Passover)

1. Get a plate for the Passover Seder. You can buy an ornate Seder plate at a Judaica store or at your synagogue gift shop, but it's acceptable to use even a paper plate. The one type of plate you shouldn't use is one of your everyday dishes used when it's not Passover, because you're supposed to use either disposable plates or special dishes for serving Passover foods.
2. Place items in the form of two triangles on top of each other, making the Star of David. Spoon on some charoset, a mixture of apples, wine, spices and nuts meant to symbolize the mortar the Jewish people used to make buildings in Egypt while enslaved to Pharaoh.
3. Add a roasted shankbone or neck of poultry to the Seder plate. This item symbolizes the arm of God as well as the Paschal lamb offered as a sacrifice during Passover.
4. Hard boil an egg and place it on the Seder plate. The hardboiled egg has many symbolic meanings but is generally interpreted to be the food of loss.
5. Add a vegetable--parsley is usually used. Also place some salt water. During the Seder you will dip the parsley in salt water to taste the tears wept by the Jewish people.
6. Include horseradish as your bitter herb to represent the bitterness of the Jewish suffering.

Tips & Warnings

• Include children in your preparations so they get a chance to learn about what the Seder plate symbolizes--before the commotion of the family Seder.
• It's traditional to use white linens during a Passover Seder.