Pictures Tell: The Passover Haggadah Shulchan Orech

Created in partnership with Josh Feinberg and Sara Wolkenfeld

Setting the Table, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, 2003 © Zion Ozeri

שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְ אוכלים ושותים.

The Set Table

We eat and drink.

For Discussion:

  • What is happening in this photograph? Where do you think these people are?

  • What is the central element of the photograph? How does the composition of the photograph focus us on the central element? What other elements do you notice in the picture?

  • What attitude toward food is reflected in the photograph?

  • Why do you think food plays such an important role in Judaism? Which foods are especially important to you?

For Further Reflection:

  • In the Passover feast as described in the Torah, the main course was roasted meat. The Passover sacrifice - a lamb - was eaten with matzah and maror (bitter herb). You can read all about it here. What foods are emblematic of Passover in your mind? Are there favorites that you or someone in your family serves every year?

  • This portion of the evening, when everyone gets to just eat and relax, is always the most highly anticipated part of the seder. Celebratory meals play an important role in Jewish tradition, marking religious occasions such as Shabbat, as well as life cycle events. What are the moments - past or future - that you most associate with, or want to mark with, special meals?

Tell Your Own Story:

Take a picture with this question in mind: What elements make a meal into a special occasion for you? After you take your photo, give it a caption. You can find some helpful photography tips here.