Seder Meal

This morning I walked in on the 6th graders having a Christian Seder meal.  

I knew nothing about it but learned quite a bit as I invited myself to stay and watch.

After the "mother" of the family lights the candles

There are some readings from the Bible and then eating of certain foods.

And these foods were not picked because they are tasty.

They, of course, all have symbolic meaning.

- The lamb bone symbolizes the lamb of sacrifice
- The lettuce (green herbs dipped in salt water) represents tears of sorrow shed during the captivity of God's people
- The bitter herbs (in this case radishes) represents the bitterness of slavery and suffering in Egypt
- The Haroseth (mixture or apples, nuts, and cinnamon) represents the mortar used by the Jewish people in building palaces and pyramids while in slavery
- The Matzoh, or unleavened bread, symbolizes the hasty flight by night from Egypt.
- The egg represents new life
-The wine (grape juice)

 The Seder Meal was celebrated by the Jewish people at Passover...so, this would have been the meal that Jesus was having with his disciples during what we Christians know as the Last Supper.

A Passover tradition that children love is "hide the matzah"

The tradition states that three pieces of matzah are hidden in a special napkin.  

The middle piece is broken half...half to be eaten later as dessert and the other half hidden for the children to find.

I am not sure if the napkin is called "afikomen" or the bread.  It seems to me that the teacher was using that word in reference to her special three pocket napkin...but on the internet I think they refer to the broken bread used as dessert as the afikomen.

Anyway, it was very interesting.  I always love learning new things.