Issue 38

5th Nisan 5765

14th March 2005

Greetings from the JEDmaster

AJE '10/10, ten years of excellence'.
Contact Centre Events - May
Judaic Web Institute for Teachers 2005 June 19 - June 30 · Chicago , Illinois
2005 Hebrew College/Me'ah Study Tours
AJE National Jewish Studies Teachers Conference 14th November 2005
Innovative Methods & Approaches for Hebrew Language Teaching -
Invitation to a Conference

Tue - Thur 19-21 April and Tuesday 3 May, 10.00-16.00.
Closed Pesach week.
Reopen as normal, Wed 4 May @ 12.30

Access via main AJE entrance.

AJE 10th anniversary activities planned include:
1. a children's competition via the Jewish press
2. a new book of short stories suitable for children's service leaders,
teachers and parents
3. Major conferences for a] Jewish Studies teachers and b] early years
staff
4. Special edition of 'The Jewish Educator'.

When I Remember Thee, O Jerusalem

On June 6, 2005 Jews the world over will celebrate the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967. In keeping with our tradition, we will mark the occasion with a celebratory videoconference marathon, held live on the Western Wall, home to the yearly festivities. If you have 8th, 9th or 10th graders who would like to join the celebration via videoconference, please contact us as soon as possible. If you are unable to celebrate with us on the 6th, let us know your date preference and we will try to celebrate you on that date, (without the Kotel festivities).

This year, students will also have the chance to get themselves into "Jerusalem" mode before the Big Day. The Contact Center is proud to offer: What Do I Think of When I Hear 'Jerusalem'?, a videoconference workshop for students in grades 7, 8 and 9. Students will write down their Jerusalem-associations and transform them into works of poetry to share with the group. Each videoconference will include one Israeli class and one American or European class .

The dates and times of the workshops are:

Tuesday, May 10, 4:00-5:00pm Israel time
Tuesday, May 10, 6:00-7:00pm Israel time
Tuesday, May 24, 4:00-5:00pm Israel time
Tuesday, May 24, 6:00-7:00pm Israel time

Please choose your date quickly, since we only have room for one non-Israeli class per workshop. If you have a different date preference, please contact us and we will try to accommodate you on that date.

Sign up your students for the celebration and the workshop today by contacting Rena and Robin at contactcenter2@jazo.org.il

To see our schedule of April 2005 videoconferences, click here. http://r.vresp.com/?ContactCenter/4572b406d5/315541/fe101d486c/d771d81

eAcademy News

eAcademy Spring Semester

The eAcademy boasts the largest single collection of Israel courses online, where we bring the best that Israel has to offer to your computer screens. Whether you are a Jewish educator or simply interested in learning more about Israel, we have the course for you. The Jewish Agency's eAcademy personally invites you to check out our new and exciting courses starting May 15th:

o Dig through archaeological excavations with Israel Underground <http://www.jacontact.org/courses/is-iu/> .

o Become an Ambassador for Israel by joining our Ambassador <http://www.jacontact.org/courses/is-am/> course run jointly with the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

o Get to know Israeli Society through its Literature <http://www.jacontact.org/courses/pd-li/index.phtml> with an expert in the field (this course is taught in Hebrew).

Don't miss out on this unique and convenient learning opportunity!

Visit the eAcademy home page to download a copy of the course catalogue, or email us at eacademy@jazo.org.il

Click here to go the the eAcademy home page. http://r.vresp.com/?ContactCenter/db696186a1/315541/fe101d486c/d771d81

The Judaic Web Institute for Teachers will help participants create web-based learning materials that can be used by Judaic Studies students globally. Based on the highly successful University of Chicago Web Institute for Teachers program, JWIT will:
· Enable its participants to use the Web as an effective resource and medium for teaching and learning
· Create a national cohort of Judaic Studies educators who will work to integrate technology effectively into teaching and learning
· Produce Judaic Studies WebQuests that will be available for use in Judaic Studies programs world-wide (Click here to learn more about WebQuests.)
JWIT is sponsored by The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, School of Education, Bar-Ilan University in Israel, the Associated Talmud Torahs (ATT) of Chicago's Morris and Rose Goldman Computer Department for Jewish Studies, and the Walder Foundation for Learning and Development. Additional partners of the program are the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York and JESNA (Jewish Education Service of North America).
Dates: June 19 (noon) - June 30, 2005 (1 pm). Classes will be held from 9 am - 5 pm every day, except Shabbat.
Location: Chicago, Illinois. Classes will be held in a state-of-the-art computer lab located at the ATT (Associated Talmud Torah) in Chicago.
The tuition for JWIT is covered by a grant from the sponsoring organizations. The conference fee of $350, (includes breakfast, lunches and educational materials), travel to and from Chicago, and living expenses during the Institute will be the responsibility of the local community through their central agency and the schools employing the teachers.
Accommodations: Participants are responsible for making their own travel and hotel arrangements. For more information on where to stay see: the JWIT 2005 Brochure, or click here.
To Apply: Submit an online application and meet certain prerequisites.
For more information: see http://webinstituteforteachers.org/jwit or contact Esther Feldman, Director, Information and Technology Services at the Lookstein Center, at esther@lookstein.org or 972-3-531-8199.

2005 Hebrew College/Me'ah Study Tours

Dear Hebrew College and Me'ah community,

Join us this coming summer to explore the land of Israel in a totally
new way ¾ with the very best teachers ¾ and gain extraordinary insight
and knowledge of Jewish history and thought. Last year, participants
returned from our study tours raving about their experience of
intensive study and travel across the length and breadth of Israel (go
to the web site below for some comments).

Biblical and Rabbinic History, August 3 - 16

Dr. David Bernat, Scholar-in-Residence - see below

12 nights in Israel, flight departures from Boston and New York

Medieval and Modern Jewish History, July 26 - August 8

Dr. David Starr, Scholar-in-Residence - see below

12 nights in Israel, flight departures from Boston only

For detailed itineraries, pricing and registration forms, go to:
http://www.hebrewcollege.edu/tours.

Travel makes history come alive. These trips will take you to places
that many tourists to Israel never see, the locations where texts were
written and where events actually occurred. We worked to develop
itineraries that will sharpen how you view the land of Israel and the
impact of Jewish history and culture on our lives.

And we'll have fun - swimming in the Mediterranean or boating on the
Jordan River, sipping cappuccino in Israeli cafes, browsing the shops
and art galleries in exotic towns, and strolling through the alleys of
the Old City of Jerusalem. The itineraries take us through much of the
land of Israel, visiting both old and modern sites in Jerusalem, the
Galilee, the Negev and the coastal plan. Because this is a study tour,
it will be very appropriate for both first-time visitors as well as
repeat travelers to Israel.

Background on the scholars:

Dr. David Bernat, assistant professor of religion and Jewish studies
at Wellesley College, has been one of the most sought after Me'ah
instructors since he began teaching in the program in 1998. He was the
scholar-in-residence on this tour last summer after which participants
used words like "wonderful", "stimulating", and "provocative" to
describe his teaching.

Dr. David Starr, assistant professor of Jewish history at Hebrew
College, is the Dean of Me'ah and directed the development and growth
of the program since its inception 10 years ago. He has taught many
hundreds of Me'ah students over the past decade, gaining a reputation
as a master teacher and an expert on adult Jewish learning in America.

These tours are open to Hebrew College students and graduates, Me'ah
students and graduates, or those with equivalent knowledge of Jewish
history and texts. Spouses and significant others are welcome
regardless of background. Please call us if you have any questions.

I hope you can come with us to travel and study in Israel with these
two exceptional teachers. For more details go to
http://www.hebrewcollege.edu/tours.

The first National Jewish Studies Conference will be this coming November 2005.

Keynote address by the Chief Rabbi and many top class UK and Israeli speakers and practitioners. There will also be seminars and workshops, resources fair...

Schools are already booking up, making that day their InSeT - 14th November 2005

To find out more and book your place

call 020-8457-9712 or email corrinnevc@aje.org.uk

The Conference is a joint program of the Department for Jewish Zionist
Education of The Jewish Agency for Israel, The Tel Aviv Unirsity
Center for Educational Staff Development and the Department of
Language Teaching at the School of Education, Tel Aviv University. The
program will run from Sunday, 25th December-Friday, 30th December
2005, on the campus of Tel Aviv University.
Registration & Details: hilit@post.tau.ac.il

Brochure in Hebrew & English:
http://www.jafi.org.il/education/ivrit/program/index.htm

CD ROM SALE

11 CD ROM to choose from 5,000 photos from Israel and the world.

Only $10 for CD

To see the collection CLICK ON HERE

Best Regards
Jack Hazut
www.israelimage.net <http://www.israelimage.net/>

e-mail: jhm@israelimage.net

Upgrades at Jacob Richman's Vocabulary site

I have just completed a large update to the website:
Learning Vocabulary Can Be Fun

<a href="http://www.vocabulary.co.il">
http://www.vocabulary.co.il
</a>

12 new topics (2 levels each) with 1,198 clues / words have been added to crossword puzzles.
The new topics are:
antonyms, cleaning, cooking and baking, doctor's office, fall,
favorite foods, history, school, sports, spring, summer, winter

There are now 33 topics in the crossword puzzle database with 4,635 clues / words.

25 new topics with 1,300 words have been added to the hangman and word search games.
The new topics are:
architecture, bowling, brand names, collectibles,
CSI and forensic science, Disney characters, family,
getting bigger, great inventions, happy, has a hole,
Harry Potter, hot, Internet, literary terms, loud,
medical conditions, military, plumbing, praises, psychology,
triple E words, triple O words, wearables

There are now 170 topics in the hangman / word search database with 7,168 words.

Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome.

Please forward this message to other teachers, parents and students so they may benefit from this educational site.

Enjoy!
Jacob Richman
jrichman@vocabulary.co.il

This summer Hebrew College Online is offering three intensive Hebrew Language courses -- Hebrew I, II and III. This is an excellent opportunity to build your Hebrew language skills within a condensed time frame. Each seven-week course, running from June 15 to August 2, covers a semester of study. For course descriptions and an online
registration form, please visit http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/summer.

Residential Seminar for Online Students:

Hebrew College's Online MA in Jewish Studies includes two residential summer seminars (3 credits each). The topic for Summer 2005 is Rational or Romantic? Alternative Paths in Jewish History, Culture and Religion. For a course description and an online registration form, please visit http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/summer.

The seminar, which is also open to non-matriculating online students with permission of the Provost, begins on Sunday, July 17, at 5:30 PM, with dinner and an introductory session, and ends on Friday, July 22, at noon. While dormitory rooms will not be available this summer, there are a number of nearby Bed & Breakfasts, as well as home
hospitality options. For housing information, please contact Shira Persky, spersky@hebrewcollege.edu or 617-559-8614. Kosher meals may be purchased at Hebrew College's Alumni Dining Hall.

While at Hebrew College, we invite you to take advantage of courses scheduled prior to and following the seminar. These include intensive two-week, 3-credit courses and intensive four-week Hebrew Language courses. The schedule below will help you plan your summer.

June 20 - July 15 Hebrew I
Hebrew III
Hebrew V: Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew VII: Advanced Hebrew

July 17 - July 22 Hebrew College Online - Residential Seminar: Rational or Romantic? Alternative Paths in Jewish History, Culture and Religion

July 24 - Aug 5 Certificate in Jewish Special Education courses
- Behavioral Management in the Inclusive Classroom
- Assessment in Jewish Special Education
- Special Needs in the Early Childhood Classroom
- Forum: Supervision and Administration in Jewish
Special Education
July 25 - Aug 19 Hebrew II
Hebrew IV
Hebrew VI: Rabbinic Hebrew,
Hebrew VIII: Advanced Hebrew
Aug 1 - Aug 12 Abraham in Bible and Midrash (Core text course)

For information about courses scheduled before and after the residential seminar, please visit http://www.hebrewcollege.edu/html/summer.htm. Click "Register Now!" at
the bottom of the page to download a registration form for these
courses.

The summer residential seminar and campus-based courses are a wonderful opportunity for you to meet, study with, and get to know your fellow online students, Hebrew College's faculty and the broader Hebrew College community. We look forward to welcoming you to Hebrew College's beautiful campus in Newton Centre, MA, located just minutes from Boston.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this summer's
courses or about online study at Hebrew College.

Jennifer Stevens
Online Course Administrator
Hebrew College Online

617-559-8673
http://hebrewcollege.edu/online
http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/degree

The HEBREW-COLLEGE mailing list is hosted by Shamash: The Jewish
Network, a service of Hebrew College, which offers online courses and
an online MA in Jewish Studies.

This report examines the Jewish education of today's Jewish children. It provides population estimates of how many Jewish children participate in various types of Jewish education, including formal schooling, informal experiences and early childhood programs. The report focuses on the association between parents' characteristics -- both demographic and Jewish -- and children's Jewish education. The findings show that parents' Jewish connections are strongly related to the type of Jewish education children are receiving, while parents' demographic characteristics are only moderately associated with children's Jewish education. A concluding section highlights key policy implications of the findings for the Jewish communal system.
>> Download this report

Here is the first Page

The Jewish Education of Jewish Children:
Formal schooling, early childhood programs and informal experiences
United Jewish Communities Report Series on the
National Jewish Population Survey 2000-01

Jewish education, both formal and informal, is a critical element in Jewish continuity. Simply put, the more Jewish education Jews receive when they are growing up, the stronger are their Jewish connections when they are adults. More intensive forms of formal Jewish education for longer periods of time, as well as informal Jewish educational experiences, help produce Jews who are more communally involved, connected to other Jews, religiously active, and attached to Israel. This is true even after accounting for many other factors, like the Jewish denomination in which adults were raised, that partially explain the Jewish characteristics of adults.

As a result, the Jewish education of today's Jewish children is a particularly crucial issue for Jewish organizations and the Jewish communal system. This report uses data from the National Jewish Population Survey 2000-01 (NJPS) to examine who among today's Jewish children are receiving various forms of formal, early childhood and informal Jewish education. More specifically, the report analyzes how the demographic and Jewish characteristics of parents are associated with their children's Jewish educational experiences. The report's findings indicate that parents' Jewish characteristics have a much more substantial association with children's Jewish education than parents' demographic characteristics do. In fact, the findings strongly suggest that barring more extensive Jewish communal interventions, differences in the adult population with respect to Jewish connections will be reproduced, and possibly accelerated, in the next generation because Jewish educational experiences are concentrated among children whose parents already have strong Jewish connections.

>> Download this report

Pesach Summaries

18 MINUTE PESACH REVIEW

I. NAMES: Pesach is known by many names. Each name tells us something about the holiday's meaning and importance. As you review the names you begin to get hints to the wide-ranging and far-reaching ideas fostered by the holiday of Pesach.

PESACH (???): This is the Hebrew word from which the name Passover derives. Look up in the Torah, Exodus 12:23. What does it say? (G-d protected the Jewish homes by passing over those that had the blood from the Pascal sacrifice on the lintel and doorposts. G-d, early tradition says, skipped over the houses like a little lamb skips around a field.) What other Mitzvah may remind us of the protection offered by the blood on the doorposts? (Mezuzah)
NOTE: Did you know that this holiday is never called Pesach in the Torah? Pesach in the Torah refers to the day before the holiday (Erev Pesach), on which the sacrifice was brought. In the Torah, it is called:

CHAG HAMATZOT (?? ?????) or the Festival of Unleavened Bread: We are told to eat Matzot at this time to commemorate the haste in which our forefathers left Egypt. They didn't want to stay even long enough for their bread to rise. To them freedom was so important and so beautiful that they did not want to waste even a moment!
NOTE: The Rabbis suggest that we call it Pesach in appreciation and love for G-d's passing over the houses and saving us, and G-d calls it Chag Hamatzot in appreciation and love for our faith we demonstrated by quickly leaving Egypt and traveling into the desert.

a. It is a special Mitzvah to eat Matzah on the night of the Seder. To be extra sure that they are fulfilling the commandment in the best way possible, many people buy what is called Matzah Shmura, watched Matzah, that is Matzah whose grain is supervised from the time that it is cut, or at least the flour is watched from the time that it is ground. Matzah is made only from a mixture of flour and water that is mixed, kneaded, and baked, usually in less than 18 minutes. Dough may not stand un-worked for 18 minutes. If it does, it becomes Chametz.

b. Matzah is called the "Bread of Affliction" or "Poor Man's Bread". Besides reminding us then of the haste with which our forefathers left Egypt, the Matzot also give us first hand witness to the nature of the trials and tribulations that they underwent in slavery. This, undoubtedly, makes us able to truly feel as if we were slaves in Egypt, and only with the help of G-d were we freed. This is why the holiday is also known as:

ZMAN CHERUTENU ((??? ?????? or the Time of Our Freedom. The reason is obvious, but the Jewish calendar teaches us a special lesson.
Because we count the Omer for 49 days from Pesach to Shavuot, the Talmud suggests that the holiday Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Torah, is considered as related to Pesach. This is to tell us that to be free is more than just not being slaves. The Torah, a gift from G-d, gives us order and serves as a guide. Perhaps we are being taught that it is better to be a servant to the Lord than a slave to any human, even a king. Without law, freedom becomes license and chaos. The bringing of the Omer of barley to the temple reminds us of the fourth name for the holiday, which has to do with the season and the yearly cycle of the holiday rites in the Holy Temple. It is

CHAG Ha'AVIV (?? ?????, or the Spring Holiday).
Just as Pesach was a time for rebirth for the Jewish people, spring is a time for rebirth for the whole world. At this time, both the Jews in Egypt and the world in general wake up from a winter of despair and emerge into the sunshine of growth and freedom. This is one reason why we eat a vegetable for Karpas during the Seder; we are reminded of the season and its delights, and so we can compare it to the times of non-delight.

NOTE: The first night of Pesach has its own name - ?????? ??? -- Layl Shimurim (The Night of Watching or Protection).

Just as G-d protected us during the final plague in Egypt so long ago, we feel assured of His protection this night every year wherever we are. In many places, it is the custom to leave the doors unlocked as a sign of one's faith in G-d. Some people keep a small piece of the Afikomon Matzah from the Seder night till the next Pesach as a form of insurance. They burn it with the chametz the next year. The symbolism is that just we are protected that night, so too will the Almighty protect us through the whole year.

II. PASSOVER CALENDAR: (reminder in the Jewish calendar, the day begins the evening before.)
MONTH: Nisan
DAY: 15th day (the First Seder is held on the eve of the 15th)
EIGHT DAYS outside of Israel, seven in Israel.

Other Important Dates Around Pesach
1. The Shabbat before Pesach is known as ??? ????? Shabbat Hagadol - The Great Shabbat. On this Shabbat, the Jews in Egypt gathered the lambs and goats they would use for the Paschal sacrifice. Miraculously, the Egyptians, who, tradition suggests, worshiped these animals, did not object or fight back.
NOTE: Those who say that the Egyptians did not worship lambs and goats, remind us that the Zodiac sign for the month of Nissan is Aries the Ram. They also note that one way of saying idol worshippers in Hebrew translates as worshippers of stars and zodiac signs. Taking that lamb is a rejection of the form of Egyptian idol worship - the first step back to faith in G-d.

The eve of the 14th. The search for Chametz.

Erev Pesach: The chametz is burned and the rest is sold early in the day, that is, by the "fifth hour," which is generally sometime around 10 o'clock.
a. The Fast of the First Born: Because G-d punished the first born of Egypt and not of the Jews, first born Jews, or if they are young, a parent, fast in commemoration and thanks. Usually there is a special party made to commemorate the completion of the study of a book of the Talmud, which allows the first born to eat.

Holiday Practice Hebrew Date
a. First Seder Eve of 15th
b. Tal (dew) prayer Nisan 15, musaf
c. Second Seder Eve of 16th
d. Begin Omer Count Nisan 15
e. Chol Hamoed (Intermediate days) Nisan 17-20 (out of Israel)
f. Reading of Songs of Shabbat of Pesach
Songs
g. Yizkor Last Day of Pesach
****************************************

EXPLANATORY GLOSSARY

Most Passover terms that need explanation can be divided into two groups, those in reference to the Chametz prohibition, and those in relation to the Seder. When questions arise, consult your Rabbi, as the following is in no way intended to be a halachic or legal statement.

CHAMETZ --???
A Chametz is any resultant product of the undisturbed contact of water with at least one of five types of grain (wheat, rye, spelt [winter wheat], barley, or oats) for a period of 18 minutes or more. This process is similar to, but cannot be considered identical to yeast fermentation. Because of certain considerations Kitniyot, or pulse (beans, peas, rice, corn, etc.) are also considered potential Chametz by Ashkenazic Jews and are forbidden. Food utensils used during the year are also forbidden, unless correctly kashered.

B Traditional halachah defines the prohibition of Chametz to ingestion, possession, or usage, that is, one may not eat or drink a Chametz product, own it, or derive benefit from Chametz whether one owns it or it belongs to someone else. In order to remove the possibility of transgression, Chametz is removed from sight or possession physically and legally.
1. The house is cleaned carefully. Chametz dishes and utensils are packed away as their use is also forbidden. Usually, on the night before the first Seder, the 14th of Nisan, a final search is conducted. This is called B'dikat Chametz.
BUT NOT THIS YEAR AS EREV PESACH IS SHABBAT. SEE WWW.UNITEDSYNAGOGUE.ORG.UK FOR SPECIALIST ADVICE
Using a candle or a flashlight, every nook and cranny of the house is searched immediately after the stars come out. Traditionally, 10 pieces of bread are placed around the house to validate the search and motivate the searchers.
NOTE: The ten pieces are also a reminder of the ten sons of Haman who, as his scribes, sent out the letter to destroy the Jews - an occurrence that took place just before Pesach. An interesting thing to talk about and relate to at the Seder!

Did you also know that tradition suggests that the wine parties that Esther invited the King and Haman to were Sedarim? Another Pesach night the Jews were saved!

This B'dika is followed by Bitul Chametz, a legal nullification of ownership of the Chametz not reserved for breakfast or sale. Ownership is also removed by sale to the Rabbi, for resale to a non-Jew, who becomes the legal owner during Pesach. This is called M'chirat Chametz. This is a very complicated procedure, and one must consult a Rabbi. Erev Pesach in the morning is the time for Biyur Chametz, the ceremonial burning Chametz, including that found the night before, and sometimes the spices from Shabbat and the remainder of the of the previous year's Afikoman.

SEDER ??? (Order or sequence of the ceremony) is directed by the Haggadah (the narrative or telling, derived from the Hebrew expression v'higadata … "and you shall tell your son.")

The table setting is completed Erev Pesach BUT NOT THIS YEAR. The chairs are arranged to permit reclining (M'subin) as a sign of freedom. For health purposes, we recline to the left. Reclining takes place during the drinking of the Arba Kosot, the Four Cups of Wine, and during the eating of the Matzah. The four cups represent the four expressions of redemption in Exodus 6:6-7: ???????, I will bring forth ..., ?????? I will deliver you..., ?????? I will redeem you ..., ?????? I will take you.

For the fifth expression: ?????? "I will bring you into the land," that is not fulfilled while Jews are yet in exile, we place a fifth cup on the table. Call Elijah's cup, it is dedicated for Elijah, the traditional harbinger of the Messianic Age, in anticipation of his coming, and that of the freedom and peace that will accompany the Messiah.

Another reason for Elijah's cup relates to the fact that the Rabbis argued whether there should be a fifth cup despite the exile and outside rule. They could not reach consensus. In such cases, the tradition was to wait for Elijah to answer. So this is a cup for Elijah, more in terms of awaiting his answer than it being his to drink.

Three Matzot, reminders of the Matzot our ancestors hurried to bake at the Exodus, are placed under a cover. Some use mnemonic devices calling the matzot by names of Kohen, Levi and Yisrael, representing the nation of Israel, or the Patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, reminding us or our origins and history. There are three matzot as two are used for the Motzi and one broken for the Afikoman during the ceremony.
NOTE: Rabbi Elijah of Vilna only used two matzot to underscore that matzah is bread of affliction and that poor people and slaves often did not have enough to eat. This would stimulate the children to ask more questions.

A Ka'ara (plate) is set which, dependent upon custom, includes the following:
Z'roah - a roasted bone with some meat. This commemorates the Pascal sacrifice in the Temple. Inasmuch as no roast meat is eaten at the Seder, in order not to give the impression that we are sacrificing outside of the Temple, the Z'roah is not eaten at night, but some have the custom of eating it at the following day's noon meal.
Symbolism: the Z'roah Netuyah - the "outstretched arm" of G-d, that saved us in Egypt.

1. Betza - a roasted or boiled egg. Commemorates the additional sacrifice brought when the Pascal lamb did not suffice for a large family.
Symbolism: the never-ending cycle of life, also the personality of the Jew: the egg is the only food which when boiled gets harder, not softer. So, too, the Jew. The heat of oppression only serves to affirm and harden his/ her faith.

2. Karpas - usually a green vegetable (potato or parsley, even a banana), which grows on the ground, for which the blessing "Boray Pri ha'Adama" is said. Its unusual placement that is out of order and not as part of the meal, is intended to startle the child's curiosity.
Symbolism: the renewal of life during spring, the poor diet of our slave ancestors.

3. Mai Melach - salt water or permissible vinegar, placed either on the table or Ka'ara, in which the Karpas is dipped. Stimulates discussion through its
Symbolism: the tears and perspiration of the Egyptian bondage, the miraculous crossing of the Red or Reed Sea.

4. Maror - bitter herbs (Romaine lettuce, ground horseradish), which clearly commemorates the bitterness of slavery. The Maror is lightly dipped into the charoset.

5. Charoset - a brownish mixture of grated apple, nuts, cinnamon and wine, so as to serve as an antidote for those who cannot eat the Maror straight.
Symbolism: by its color and consistency, Charoset is a reminder of the clay with which our ancestors were forced to make bricks in Egypt.

6. On some Ka'arot one finds the chazeret, another portion of Maror. It is used for Korech on the Hillel sandwich. Also, just as the salt water is sometimes either on the Seder plate or on the table, some customs place the Matzot either on, near or under the Ka'ara.

The meal is ended with eating of the Afikoman (derived from the Greek word for dessert), which is a reminder of a Paschal lamb that ended a meal in Temple days. To maintain the alertness of the children all the way to the end of the seder, a custom has developed to hide the Afikoman and letting them "steal" it from its hiding place, to bargain for it return. This again demonstrates the child orientation of the Seder in order to pass on the lessons of Pesach.

The purpose of Seder's extended discussion is captured in the expression:
Even if we were all wise, intelligent, learned, and versed in the Torah, it would still be our duty to tell about the exodus from Egypt, and the more someone tells about the exodus from Egypt, the more praise that person deserves.

Here is an example of something to discuss: During the meal, some people have the custom for the leader to wear a Kittel, a white robe. It is ironically a sign of both rejoicing and sadness. How can it be both and what is its relevance to Pesach?
White is the colour of joy, as it resembles what the High Priest wore on Yom Kippur in the Temple when he entered the Holy of Holies. It is a sad color as it is the same color as and, in fact resembles tachrichim, the burial wrappings, in its form. What do they have in common and how do they relate to Passover?

Both relate to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem where our ancestors would bring the Pascal sacrifice. How? The joy is obvious. The sadness is not so obvious. It is a function of the calendar. The day of the week that the first Seder falls is also always the same day of the week that Tisha b'Av falls - the day of the destruction of the Temple. We rejoice in the gift of forgiveness that G-d gave us through the Temple, and now through prayer and repentance. We feel the pain that we can no longer enjoy the festivities of the Pilgrimage holidays in Jerusalem. BUT

NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!!!

The picture and poem of the "Little Polish Boy with his hands in the air"
http://www.holocaust-trc.org/FischlPoem.htm

A central gallery of galleries for holocaust photographs and art from the ghettoes, camps(now and then), memorials and cemeteries.
http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/gallery/gallery.htm#5

A set of online quizzes, testing knowledge of history in six periods 1918-45.
http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/quiz.htm

60 panoramic photographs of camps and other sites. These are 360 degree photographs that take a little time to download. The viewer is then able to look around, as if standing on the very spot and turning. Excellent colour and quality. Ideal for using with projector.
http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/resource/VR.htm

An enormous collection of information and photographs of famous pre-war European Jews, including politicians, businessmen, Rabbis, artists and community leaders.
http://motlc.wiesenthal.org/pages/t035/t03552.html

36 common questions about the holocaust answered in simple language or charts and tables. A good way to open up discussion by finding out what pupils think the answers are first.
http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/resources/questions/index.html

Timeline of the Holocaust 1933-45
http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/resources/education/timeline/index.html

Shoah lesson plans
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/hololess.htm

Lesson plans based on using artwork to explore the Shoah
http://art.holocaust-education.net/learn.asp?langid=1&submenu=1

An interesting set of Omer FAQ's with Rabbinic reference to answers
a href="http://www.asbee.org/making_omer_count.htm

A fun play about forgetting to count the Omer-Could be good for Kabbalat
Shabbat/Assembly
http://www.asbee.org/omer_play.htm

Account of Lag B'omer in Meron, discussion of connection between
10 utterances of creation and the 10 commandments, laws and customs
http://www.ascent.org.il/html/Mystic/holidays/lagbomer61.html#CS

Short summary of Lag B'Omer issues
http://www.bbyo.org/bbg/holiday/lagbomer.html

A detailed account of how the Omer sacrifice was brought.
http://www.beingjewish.com/yomtov/omer/omer_sacrifice.html

Why didn't the Jewish people receive the Torah as soon as they came out of Egypt?
http://www.beingjewish.com/yomtov/omer/counting.html

The Jewish Revolt game - Lesson Plan and resources
http://www.bjeny.org/images/Judaic_Curricula_/The_Jewish_Revolt_Game/the_jewish_revolt_game.htm

Selection of Lesson Plans and stories on Lag B'Omer
http://www.bjesf.org/MAIN/L/omer.html

Daily Omer calendar with links to special days
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/festivls/shavuot/omer1.html

Sources, resources and activities on one page
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/festivls/shavuot/lagba.html

Schlock-rock songs for the Omer
http://www.schlockrock.com/lesson-2.shtml

Details of the talmudic debates surrounding the counting of the Omer
http://pages.nyu.edu/~asr209/sefira2.html

Short description of Omer counting with clickable word definitions
http://www.jewfaq.org/holidayb.htm

Origins of Lag B'Omer + other articles on
http://www.ou.org/chagim/lagbaomer/default.htm

Online Sefirat Ha'Omer quiz
http://www.ou.org/jewishiq/sefirah/enter.htm

Rabbinic literature and some interesting Sephardi customs
http://www.biu.ac.il/ICJI/Competition/chapter7/chap7.htm

A discussion on Jewish and secular law involving Rabbi Akiva's famous "two men in the desert with one bottle of water" story. How does Jewish and secular law differ in decision maing about helping to save lives?
http://www.jlaw.com/Commentary/whatcost.html

Interesting, short and pictorial summary of Lag B'Omer history
http://207.168.91.4/vjholidays/lagbaomer/mourn.htm

A good summary of the Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai story
http://www.aish.com/holidays/counting_the_omer/lag_bomer.asp

The counting of the H'OMER! Not a spelling mistake. Count and celebrate with the population of Springfield, download the Simpsons Omer chart. (Last years but…worth a look).Rabbi Krustofski is waiting to teach you!
http://jvibe.com/homer/Welcome.html

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