Family-Friendly Passover Guide for East Bay Families

Our Passover Guide for East Bay kids and families is sponsored by Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. This year, Passover begins at sundown on Friday, April 15, and lasts until sundown on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Passover is a spring festival commemorating the Israelite’s exodus from Egypt, using many symbols and rituals. The story of Passover is a collective remembrance of the Jewish people, passed down for generations.

During the Passover seder, we recount the miracle of freedom. PJ Library has you covered with all the Passover resources families need in the Passover Hub including a simple step-by-step video playlist for the Passover seder. Follow along with a downloadable PJ Library Family Haggadah, the book that recounts the Passover story, and you are set. Look for a 15-minute seder for the youngest kids at your Passover table. The Haggadah is available for free download in several languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.

Family-friendly Passover Events

More kid-friendly community celebrations and events will be added as they are announced so keep checking back here!

Read Passover books together

PJ Library and PJ Our Way have a large collection of Passover books for preschoolers and elementary-aged children. You can read the Passover Story in 10 scenes together as a family.

More Passover crafts and activities

Create: You can make simple Passover crafts from materials found at home such as seder plates or 10 plagues finger puppets (with beautiful printables from the artist, Brenda Ponnay, pictured above).

Play: People from ages 9 to 99 can play Escape the Plagues. This family-friendly game includes 5 scenes of script-style dialogue, family-friendly puzzles, and thoughtful discussion questions about climate justice and Jewish anti-racism among many other engaging topics. Print at home for $15.

Sing: Shaboom has a wonderful selection of Passover songs. Some of our favorites are Bang Your Hammers, Frogs Here, Frogs There, and Chad Gadya.

Watch: There are many online videos that teach children about Passover. We love these Shaboom renditions of the Four Questions.

Cook: Many Passover-friendly recipes beyond eating Matzah. Here are some flavorful meals you can make together with children of all ages.

Paint: Color Me Mine Alameda has some beautiful seder plates you can paint together. Here’s an adorable kids’ make-your-own Afikoman Bag for young ones to paint and decorate ($20).

If you aren’t already enrolled in PJ Library, sign up to get more Jewish holiday and parenting resources as well as free children’s books mailed to your home.

Chag Pesach Sameach! Wishing you and your family a meaningful Passover.

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