Pesach preparations

PHYLLIS KOEGEL

Everyone I know has different plans for Passover. Some will go away, but most will stay home and prepare for the holiday. I decided to take an informal survey among my friends and co-workers to determine how intense their Passover cleaning preparation actually becomes. Many, even those who go away for Passover, choose to use this time of year to do a thorough “spring cleaning.”

The origin of spring cleaning for Jewish households can be traced to Passover, in remembrance of our hasty flight from Egypt following our captivity there. During the eight-day holiday, we refrain from all leavened foods and we rid our homes of all remnants of chametz for the length of the holiday. Therefore, for the past 3,500 years, observant Jews have conducted a thorough “spring cleaning” of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs by candlelight, called bedikat chametz, on the evening before the holiday begins.

Passover is as much about the preparation as it is the celebration. This year, I will have 10 adults and 12 children under the age of nine at my seder table, not to mention additional guests during other meals. Our group includes my immediate family, children, grandchildren and close friends.

When my children were little, I had fun creating unique things they had to do in order to qualify for their afikoman presents. It wasn’t enough to return the afikoman and negotiate a toy or prize, but rather they had to recite “Ma Nishtanah” while hopping on one foot and spinning around in a circle. We have some wonderful memories of those Passover sederim and the children had so much fun, and I am happily passing my traditions down to my grandchildren.

My preparation generally starts the day after Purim. I plot out the next four weeks based on when I will do my shopping, cleaning and cooking. I create elaborate menus for the entire Passover holiday and then itemize every food item I will need. Each year, I’m excited to see what new food items are available kosher for Passover. Whether I know for sure that I will use them or not, I have to try them. Then it’s back to revising the menu based on the new items I found.

Cleaning is a whole separate list. Cleaning is based on which rooms I can get done and out of the way first, leaving the kitchen and dining room for last. I am guilty of using Passover as an excuse to do a major cleaning of the entire house. I get a little over-anxious about all the cobwebs and washing the windows, even though it is absolutely not required for Passover.

Next comes the fun part – cooking! I love experimenting with new recipes and bringing out my cherished old ones. I get excited as I plan all the meals and the house takes on that special Passover aroma. I’m not sure why, but food just tastes better on Passover. It must have something to do with the freshness of all the ingredients.

I rely on the OU Kashrut Passover Directory, which is distributed right after Purim. When I was growing up in the 1970s, there was a limited number of items we could use on Passover. Well, times certainly have changed. In the 1970s, there were approximately 3,000 kosher-certified products found in supermarkets. Today, there are more than 70,000 such products and you can find everything from baby food to ice cream.

It’s usually around the last week before Passover that I remember to set aside some “me” time, to reward myself for all my hard work. Sometimes I will buy myself something new to wear; other times, all I need is a walk outside to get some air and clear my head. Two days before the holiday, I try to get some much-needed rest and relaxation so that I can enjoy the festivities of the seder. With all the work demanded for Passover preparation, nothing is more important than arriving calm, happy and in good cheer.

Finally, it’s time to set the stage for the seder. I prepare the table the night before and make it as festive as possible. Our Passover dishes always look so new, even though many of the pieces have been passed down through the family over generations. My grandchildren love to help at this stage. Preparing the seder plate with the six symbolic items brings their Passover lessons to life. During the seder itself, we make sure there are opportunities for the children to participate and share everything they have learned in school.

Spending Passover with family and friends is the best part of the holiday. These are the moments I treasure, and which make all the hard work worthwhile. Chag samayach!

Phyllis Koegel is marketing director of OU Kosher, oukosher.org.

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