Bands-On Learning

JCC's Passover To Go program adds to understanding of holiday.

KAREN SCHWARTZ

Special to the Jewish News

Ann Arbor
din Kram, 5, and Yona Gil
Zeller, 2, spent time Sunday
afternoon making seder
plates and puppets as part of
the Washtenaw Jewish Community
Center's Passover To Go program
designed to share knowledge about
Passover with families.
"We're Jewish and we're so exited
about Passover and we want to have as
much experiential learning as we can
for our children," said Ann Arbor resi-
dent Ariella Zeller, Adin and Yona's
mother. "This is a great way to start
preparing for Pesach."
They had plans to visit all of the sta-
tions, where the children could make
everything from matzah covers to an
Elijah's cup as well as collect pages for
their own personal Passover book that
would be bound before they left. There
were samples of Passover recipes to try
and matzah baking with"Chabad's
Matzah Factory in the gym.
"I just love teaching my children
about Passover in the community
where they live," Zeller said. "They see
their friends and they know that this is
what it means to be Jewish in Ann
Arbor — to learn together, to celebrate
together, to be religious together and to
have Pesach together."
Abraham and Monica Schneider
brought Sarah, 18 months, to see the

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matzah baking and to show her the
importance of Jewish tradition and
holidays.
"To learn how important it is to be
free, that's so important," said Abraham
Schneider. "And how we continue to
celebrate the holiday from generation
to generation, that's the most important
thing to pass on to her."
Rachel Conroy, a University of
Michigan School of Social Work Sol
Drachler intern, helped plan the event
with Noreen De Young, JCC Early
Childhood Center director.
"It's fun to see the community come
together to celebrate the Jewish holi-
days," Conroy said, handing out more
cups to be decorated at the Elijah's Cup
table she was manning.
"It's unique because it's a hands-on
way to celebrate Passover," she said.
"We wanted the kids to have fun and
to really understand the different pieces
of the seder."
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More than 40 families attended the
event, which was made possible by a
grant from the Benard L. Maas
Foundation.
Ann Arbor resident Amy Meltzer
said the Passover To Go program pro-
moted a sense of being connected to
the holiday and makes it fun to know
more about Judaism.
"It's hands-on experience that makes
it feel real to them and I like it," she
said. "I like helping them with the fun.
We'll probably use some of this stuff at
the seder table, too." ❑

Clockwise from top: Sarah Schneider, 18 months, rolls out her matzah dough.
A young patron looks over Passover goods available at the Passover To Go program.
Grandparents, parents and children create Passover crafts at different stations.
Zoe Jackson, 5, tastes the matzah she made herself.

FOR MORE PASSOVER IDEAS, SEE wvvvv.detroitjewishnews.com