A Seder plate at Passover on a tablecloth Image by iStock

By PJ Grisar April 8, 2020

Welcome to your daily distraction, our recommendations for ways to stay engaged and entertained while we socially distance ourselves to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. You can find our past recommendations here; many of the opportunities we’ve highlighted are ongoing.

Happy Passover. For many of us, it’s going to be a weird one. As we’ve stressed before, the main thing is that you feel comfortable with your plans, whatever they may be. With that out of the way, here’s how to make this Seder a true celebration.

Take time for the holiday, whatever that means to you.

There is no one right way to do this — it’s completely unprecedented. This year’s Seder is just as valid whether you are having it over Zoom with family or having some matzo and Trader Joe’s chicken filets with your social distancing buddies. We recommend finding a fun background for your Zoom gathering — a list of which can be found here. You can also, if you want a break from the family, spend some of your evening with noted Jews David Simon and Jill Kargman as well as Friend of the Tribe Cory Booker on Jewbelong.com. While you wait for the meal, make some plague finger puppets or gaze in wonder at historic Haggadot. If you are a ‘90s kid (as many on the Forward staff are), we highly recommend you consider using this virtual Haggadah, if you don’t yet have one already.

You could also prep Riki Rose’s garlic potatoes and watch “A Rugrats Passover,” “The Prince of Egypt” or one of the two “Ten Commandments” films to get in the mood. This Passover is already one for the history books, but make sure it’s one that you take the time to enjoy. There’s a reason we’re allowed to slouch on this night. We are, despite our circumstances, free people, and we are free to eat a little more tzimmes — or, for that matter, skip the gefilte fish — if that makes us feel better.

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PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture fellow. He can be reached at [email protected]

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