Because the Hebrew calendar follows the lunar cycle, Passover dates shift annually.
Here’s a simple guide to the upcoming Pesach dates so you can plan ahead with ease:
Passover, known in Hebrew as Pesach, is one of the most significant and meaningful holidays in the Jewish calendar. At the heart of this festival is the Seder, a structured ceremonial meal celebrated on the first nights of Passover. The word “Seder” literally means “order”, referring to the carefully organised sequence of rituals, storytelling, symbolic foods and blessings that make up the evening. For many families across the UK — whether strictly observant, traditional, or culturally connected — the Seder is both a religious ceremony and a treasured family tradition. This article provides a comprehensive British guide to everything involved in a Seder, from preparation and symbols to the 14 steps and their significance. Whether you're attending a Seder for the first time or hosting your own, this guide offers clarity, background and practical insight.
1. What Is the Purpose of the Passover Seder?
The Seder functions as a hands-on retelling of the Exodus story, when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Rather than simply reading history, participants use food, ritual and storytelling to experience it symbolically.
In Jewish tradition, every person at the Seder is meant to feel as though they personally came out of Egypt. This concept — “In every generation, each person must see themselves as though they left Egypt” — forms the spiritual core of the meal.
The Seder combines:
- Storytelling (Maggid)
- Symbolic foods (on the Seder plate)
- Blessings, songs and wine
- Questions and discussions
This blend of ritual and conversation makes it deeply engaging for adults and children alike.
2. Preparing for the Seder in the UK
Preparing for Passover often begins weeks earlier with cleaning homes, kitchens and cupboards to remove chametz — anything containing leavened grain. British supermarkets, especially in Jewish areas like Golders Green, Hendon and Stamford Hill, typically stock a variety of Kosher for Passover products in the weeks leading up to Pesach.
Preparation includes:
- Buying kosher-for-Passover wine or grape juice
- Obtaining matzah (often several varieties)
- Preparing or purchasing Seder plate items
- Printing or purchasing Haggadot (the Seder guidebook)
- Setting a festive table
In many British Jewish homes, preparation is collaborative and full of tradition, blending family customs with halachic (Jewish legal) requirements.
3. The Seder Plate: Symbolism and Meaning
At the centre of the table is the Seder plate, featuring symbolic foods used throughout the evening. Each item plays a role in explaining parts of the Exodus story:
- Zeroa (shank bone) – symbolises the Passover sacrifice
- Beitzah (egg) – represents mourning and the cycle of life
- Maror (bitter herb) – a reminder of the bitterness of slavery
- Charoset – a sweet mixture symbolising the mortar used by enslaved Israelites
- Karpas (parsley or celery) – dipped in salt water to recall tears
- Chazeret (second bitter herb) – used in the Hillel sandwich
These items are not merely decorative; they each play a role in specific Seder rituals.
4. The 4 Cups of Wine
A defining feature of the evening is drinking four cups of wine (or grape juice), each representing a different phrase of redemption from the Torah. These cups punctuate the night, elevating the celebration and symbolising joy.
5. The 14 Steps of the Seder Explained
The Seder follows a structured sequence known as the 14 steps, each with symbolic meaning. Below is a clear and practical guide to each step:
1. Kadesh – Sanctification
The evening begins with the Kiddush blessing over wine, marking the start of the Seder and the festival.
2. Urchatz – Handwashing (without blessing)
Participants wash their hands, symbolising purification.
3. Karpas – Dipping a vegetable
A piece of parsley or celery is dipped into salt water and eaten, recalling both springtime and tears of slavery.
4. Yachatz – Breaking the middle matzah
The middle matzah is broken; the larger half becomes the Afikoman, hidden for later.
5. Maggid – Telling the story
This is the narrative centre of the evening. It includes: Asking the Four Questions, Retelling the Exodus, Explaining the Seder plate symbols, Drinking the second cup of wine.
6. Rachtzah – Handwashing with a blessing
Preparing for eating the matzah.
7. Motzi – Blessing over bread
A general blessing over food from grain.
8. Matzah – Eating the matzah
Participants eat the symbolic unleavened bread.
9. Maror – Eating the bitter herbs
Typically horseradish or romaine lettuce, symbolising the bitterness of slavery.
10. Korech – Hillel sandwich
Matzah, maror and charoset are eaten together.
11. Shulchan Orech – The festive meal
Families enjoy a full meal, often with traditional recipes like chicken soup, gefilte fish or roasted meats.
12. Tzafun – Eating the Afikoman
The hidden matzah is found and eaten as dessert.
13. Barech – Grace after meals
Followed by the third cup of wine.
14. Nirtzah – Conclusion
Songs and closing blessings, often finishing with “Next year in Jerusalem”.
6. What Makes a Seder ‘British’?
Jewish communities in the UK blend authentic tradition with local flavour. A British Seder may include:
- A mix of Sephardi, Ashkenazi or Mizrahi customs
- English translations for accessibility
- Locally influenced dishes
- Family customs passed down through generations
Whether held in a London home, a hotel in Margate, or a community centre in Manchester, British Seders are known for warmth, hospitality and inclusivity.