Family Fun

Leapin'
=arils!

Finding Father's
Seltzer at the
Afik omen seder isn't

Why you need weird and silly stuff
on your holiday table.

Calif, —ks

r

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM

AppleTree Editor

plt ces

ortunately, Jill Parker had
a sense of humor.
Jill's sister Janet had
just brought her sweet-
heart, Bob Deitsch, home to meet
her family. It was Pesach, and every-
one was there.
Bob went to get a drink of seltzer
for Jill. Of course, this was New
York, and no one drank seltzer that
came from a plastic bottle (how
pedestrian!). No. They let it spritz
out, quickly, from a tall, cold glass
bottle with metal on the top.
Bob went to get the seltzer for Jill,
when suddenly, pop! The water
spritzed everywhere, all over Jill.
"She laughed," Janet Deitsch
recalls.
Bob wasn't too worried, either.
"Oh, he's cool as a cucumber," his
wife says. "He doesn't get frazzled
about much."
Janet's family liked Bob right
away. What they didn't know was

ons of horserad-

e
e
riit8iy
not
kosher
of course.
But bring on a plastic frog when it
time to talk about the plagues, and
you'll be sure to liven up all your
guests, children and adults, alike.
A proper seder means not only a
great deal of preparation, but a great
deal of reading and discussion. Not
everyone has the patience to sit qui-
etly for the whole ceremony ---
especially those who usually are in
bed by the time the seder begins.
But you can help make the evening
a lot of fun, and sometimes even
educational, with these eight ideas
--- one for each night of Pesach:

s

Vek,01
„-Zafe Gives You 4enions:
make laaia de! So the old Saying ..:

goes. Leriji0ade is a great idea for
the holiday ihen soda pop just
doesn't taste the same because Man-
ufa cturers replace the usual corn
syrup with sugar, tomake it kosher
for Passover, and children want
something fuato sip. Just mix 3/4
cup fresh:lernlauiCe, 112 cup:sugar
drink.
and 2 cups w a ter.

w.
L
1) -akeA p kat" Before.
I
b egin chal len a ch family
.ly
embe
m ague
e m ber ; ° t s' des- ge each
eve
e in
ai Snouid
Plagu
(You
should symbolic
Pl
each

creptening).
the
.11°ne doesn't do to
make
froe
same
Sonr)
PaPee ir-deas: plastic
covered
4 1 11 ,
c" gOlf
balls rflor blood
for hail.

2) A Chip Off The Old .Bloek:

Children love the tradition of the
same meals served for the holiday.
But try bringing a new taste treat to
the table, as well. One idea is sweet-
potato chips. Here's how to make
them:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel
two medium sweet potatoes; slice
very thin. Add potato slices to 2
tablespoons of oil and mix gently.
Oil a cookie sheet, then layer potato
slices. Top with salt, pepper and
paprika, if desired. Bake about 20
minutes.

1 ,2

7

:Y•

3/22

2002

108

3) Horse Sense: Ask family mem-
bers to bring an unusual fact about
something they'll see at the holiday
table. It can be anything, from the
history.pf silverware to all about
horseradish. For example, did you
know:

ms,or: her at: the suer taate:

Table Ta

:

m

the meal, have children make paper
of everyone who will be Coin-
dolls
ing for
or th e se der. Typ ing paper and
markers work well for this project.
Dolls should be tall and thi2 When
. up to
complete, bring each doll's feet
its head and tape. Now you have a'
great napkin ring for each guest!

8) AWord TO The Wise:
Ask children to think up words
appropriate for the holiday — not
foods, but concepts such as "free-
dom" and c'slavery." Put these in a
cup and set on the table for the
seder. From time to time, ask chil-
dren to pick a word and talk about
what it means. ❑

the only source
of surprise.

,

that Bob and Janet already were set
to be married, that they had gotten
engaged on Shabbat HaGadol, the
Shabbat before Pesach.
Today, Bob and Janet Deitsch live
in Farmington Hills and are mem-
bers of Temple Kol Ami. Pesach is
always a happy time at the Deitsch
home; they enjoy the holiday and it
brings back happy memories of their
engagement.
It will be a different Pesach this
year, though. Happy, but empty,
too.
The Deitsches' son, David, joined
the Navy, where he is an airman
apprentice, learning how to repair
fighter planes. David is first in his
class, Mom says proudly, but
chances are good he won't be able to
get away for the holidays.