Passover. . . also known as Pesach. . . is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Hebrews’ escape from Egypt. Passover lasts for seven days. During this time families have a special meal called a seder and read from the Haggadah that tells the story of how Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt and into freedom. A fun Passover tradition for families is to have a scavenger hunt for afikomen. What is afikomen? What is its symbolism? Read on to learn the answers to these questions and how to make a simple afikomen craft.
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What is Afikomen?
During the seder three matzahs are stacked on the table. Matzah is kind of, sort of like a cracker. It’s a type of flatbread that is made without yeast. The matzah in the middle of the stack gets broken into two pieces. The larger of these two pieces is called the afikomen. The parents... or grandparents... take this afikomen, wrap it in a napkin, and hide it. Some families will put the afikomen in an afikomen bag instead of wrapping it in a napkin. Then the children have to search around the house to find it. Sometimes the first child to find the afikomen gets a prize!
Searching for the afikomen is steeped in symbolism. For children, it's a
fun game to look forward to when the seder is over. However, for many
adults, it is symbolic of the ultimate redemption from suffering. It can
also be symbolic of the Passover sacrifice that used to be offered at the
ancient temple in Jerusalem or as a reminder that the poor must always set
something aside for the next meal.
There is no one specific way to decorate your afikomen bag and it’s OK if
your students' afikomen bags aren't 'perfect.' What’s important is that
your students enjoy the process of making these bags and that they have an
enjoyable seder meal with their families.
How to Make a Simple Afikomen Bag
Making an afikomen bag can be as simple or as complicated as you’d
like it to be. Some afikomen bags are made from plain linen fabric,
whereas others can be made from embroidered silk. I've even seen
afikomen bags made with gold woven into their fabrics! How you and
your students make your afikomen bags is completely up to you.
You will need:
- pre-cut squares of fabric (Using these 10x10 squares of fabric will make this easy craft even easier!)
- thread
- sewing needles
- optional: embellishments such as beads or ribbons
Directions:
1. Take two squares of fabric and stack them together with the right
sides... the pretty sides... facing each other.
2. Sew three sides of the square together. Leave one side open.
3. Optional: Hem the open edge to prevent fraying.
4. Turn the squares right side out.
5. Optional: Decorate your new afikomen bag.
What decorations can you add to this afikomen bag to personalize it?
Did you enjoy this simple Passover craft? If so, check these other blog
posts for more Judaica-related books and activities:
- Factoids + Music: Why Do People Celebrate Pesach - Passover?
- Cooking with Kids: Rosh Hashanah Recipes
- Book + Cooking with Kids: The Better-Than-Best Purim by Naomi Howland
- Book List: 10 Children's Books About Hanukkah
- Book + Printable: When the Chickens Went on Strike: A Rosh Hashanah Tale by Erica Silverman
- Book List: 10 Children's Books about Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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