Seder Plates 2023

Regardless to whether your family does a 5 minute seder, or tells the full stories and sings songs until 4am, we all have memories of our family gathering around the table telling the story of our people leaving Egypt and making their way home to Eretz Yisrael. It is incredible to think about how many of us, all around the world, find a meal to be with our community each year at this time. Even more so, that we all have a plate with various food items that seem somewhat random, until we are reminded of their significant symbols.

When I was in college, it felt important enough to me to have a Passover seder, that even when I couldn't fly home, I would have food catered or I would cook for my roomates plus any other friends who wanted to join. My sophomore year, I drove an hour, each way, to borrow cooking tools and pick up food. There was no possible way to find anything Passover related in the local Walmart or Kroger, seeing I was probably one of 50 Jewish people in the entire county (all who were students or faculty). I was too far from any established Jewish community to find a local seder. So, my friends helped me with putting one together. It meant so much to me that my friends were so supportive, especially since most weren't Jewish and had no idea what was going on. But they sure did have fun with the fact that we had campus approval for manichewitz when we were all underage.

As fondly as I look back at those memories, it did always feel like something was missing, which was a meaningful seder plate. I purchased a super cute one form Kate Spade when I was in gradschool, which got used a few times. But it wasn't the one that made my table feel like home. That spot was reserved for our family seder plate.

Last year was Laila's first seder and that Seder plate was with us. Okay, she slept in her crib in the room directly above the dining room, but she was basically there. Regardless, before she went to bed, I was able to tell her about all the different meaningful parts to the seder by pointing at that special seder plate. Those moments together were all the more emotionally meaningful knowing that it was the same way that I, and my mom, and the rest of our family, learned the story of pesach.

I have spent endless hours to find an exact version of our family seder plate. And while I can't find the exact same, there are a few similar ones that can be found on ebay or etsy and other second hand shops.

One day I hope to be able to host large seders for our family and friends. Right now it's a little hard with most of us having littles who go to bed before sundown. But, when I do, I'll want a second or third plate that can be used. That way, there are even more that our family can share and pass down.

If you don't have a seder plate, or are in search of a new one that would enhance the meaning of your holiday, I have put together a few on this post that I thought were beautiful.

Wishing you a meaningful and freeing pesach.

xoxo,

Shana Bryn