Passover

Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew), one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shloshet Regalim) is one of the most important days in the Jewish calendar.

We gather around the Seder table to read the Haggadah (don’t forget Passover gifts for the hostess), eat Matzo and celebrate our ancestor’s liberation – from slavery to freedom.

20+ Unique Passover Gift Ideas You Can Bring to the Pesach Seder (2019)

Last Updated: Rafael Hope Leave a Comment
Gift Guides Passover 
Passover Gifts

The Passover Seder is approaching.

Excited? You should be!

You finally get to see your family and loved ones around the Seder table – reading the Haggadah, drinking wine, eating Matzo balls (or Gefilte Fish)…

FREEDOM at last!

But before you start jamming to “Ma Nishtana” and scaring away the birds, you might want to get your friends and lovely Seder hostess an appropriate Passover gift.

Otherwise, as the Brits would say: that’s bloody rude! 

Luckily, our Jewish moms taught us better…

Now… the only question is:

“What gift should I bring to the Passover Seder dinner?”

That, my friend, is exactly what I’ll answer in this special Pesach gift guide!

Introducing: Amen V’Amen’s favorite Passover gift ideas for Pesach 2020.

Read More…

20+ Best Kosher for Passover Wines & Liquor for the Seder Table [Reviews] (2019)

Last Updated: Rafael Hope Leave a Comment
Kosher Food & Drinks Passover 
Kosher For Passover Wine

Are you drunk yet?

Well, you’re gonna be soon enough…

Believe it or not – every person drinks (at least) 4 cups of wine during the Passover Seder… and I haven’t even included the drinks you drink after the Seder.

Passover is all about celebrating our escape from slavery – to freedom… and getting drunk together with our family and loved ones around the Seder table? Now that’s freedom right there!

So… the question is not if, but what wine you drink at the Seder table:

Do you drink the “good stuff” – high quality Kosher for Passover wines? Or do you drink the “nasty stuff”… you know, the kind of wine that tastes worse than Maror (did anyone say Manischewitz?).

That’s exactly why I created this Passover wine guide: to help you choose the former, rather than the latter.

Because guess what? Pesach happens once a year. The last thing you want to do is wreck it with an awful-tasting wine that a cat wouldn’t even touch with a ten-foot pole (not that it can grab a pole, but still). Read More…

Passover Preparation: A Quick & Easy Checklist to Prepare for Pesach (2019)

Last Updated: Rebecca Cohen Leave a Comment
Passover 
Passover Preparation Checklist

“Passover is almost here… and I haven’t even started preparing!”

“I hate preparing for Passover. I always get so stressed out!”

“DON’T TALK TO ME RIGHT NOW! I’M BUSY!”

Do any of these sound familiar?

If you’re anything like me – it probably does.

Growing up, the day we were preparing for Passover always felt like we’re preparing for war.

And the funny thing? Passover is supposed to be about celebrating our escape from slavery to freedom… Yet, it always seemed to me like the exact opposite: the road from freedom to slavery.

So… how do we avoid falling into that trap this upcoming Pesach?

How can we prepare for Passover, without losing our cool (or our minds) in the process?

Easy: simply follow a Passover preparation plan that’ll walk you through each step – one step at a time.

Good news! I happened to create a simple Passover preparation checklist you can follow – that’ll help you do just that! (no need to buy me a Passover gift… this one is on the house 🙂 )

Important: Before we begin – keep in mind that I’m not a Rabbi, nor do I play one on the internet. If you’re unsure whether something is allowed or prohibited – always ask your Rabbi just to be safe.

Read More…

Passover Cleaning: How to Clean Your House for Pesach [Checklist] (2019)?

Last Updated: Rebecca Cohen Leave a Comment
Passover 
Passover Cleaning

“What’s the thing you hate the most about Passover?”

Most Jewish women provide the same answer: Passover cleaning.

It’s hard enough preparing everything else for Passover… but when it comes to the cleaning – it feels like climbing a mountain that has no top (and Moses isn’t even there waiting for us!).

And you know what’s funny? It’s not even the actual cleaning that’s the problem (I actually don’t mind the cleaning – as long as I have my awesome Spotify playlist playing in the background). It’s the overwhelming feeling of not knowing what to clean, how to clean or where to even begin!

Today, we’re finally going to kiss that horrible feeling goodbye! 

Ready?

Let’s go show that Chametz who’s boss!

Important: Before we begin – keep in mind that I’m not a Rabbi, nor do I play one on the internet. If you’re unsure whether something should be cleaned or you should clean it – always ask your Rabbi just to be safe. Read More…

10+ Unique Passover Costume Ideas for an Exciting Passover Seder (2019)

Last Updated: Rebecca Cohen Leave a Comment
Passover 
Passover Costumes

Look at you…

You barely took off your Purim costume… And here you are – about to wear a Passover costume!

Who knew Jewish holidays could be so much fun? 🙂

But wait a second… before you rush off to wear that cute Pocahontas costume (boys, I’m talking to you), you might want to wear something a little more “Pesach-y”.

“Like what, Rebecca?”

Read the post, silly! Read More…

Passover Shopping & Grocery List: The Only Pesach Shopping List You’ll EVER Need (2019)

Last Updated: Rafael Hope Leave a Comment
Kosher Food & Drinks Passover 
Passover Shopping List

Preparing your house for Passover ain’t no easy feat.

  • … Kashering the kitchen (and getting rid of Chametz)
  • … Getting your family & friends (just the best friends) a lovely Passover gift
  • … Preparing an awesome Passover Seder

Obviously, to host a Passover Seder (let alone survive the 8 days of Pesach) – you first need to get right Passover food & groceries.

Today, we’ll do just that… or to put it differently: we’ll take the whole Passover shopping off our (Seder) plate 🙂

But be careful…

Just because it’s Passover, doesn’t mean you have to get carried away and spend money like you’re in Congress.

You don’t have to buy every item on the Passover shopping list. In fact, you shouldn’t buy every item on the list. Doing so might lead us to the untold “11th plague of Egypt” – bankruptcy.

How about we avoid that, m’kay?

Remember: Buy what you need, NOT what you can.

OK… now that we’ve set some ground rules, let’s go shopping!

Important

  • Read the label. Most Passover groceries (with a few exceptions) require a special “Kosher for Passover” Hechsher/certification (i.e OU-P, KFP, KP). Make sure to read the label before you put anything in that shopping cart!
  • Some groceries contain Kitniyot – which most Orthodox Ashkenazi Jews consider prohibited on Passover. If you don’t eat Kitniyot on Pesach – double check to make sure what you’re buying doesn’t contain Kitniyot.
  • When in doubt – ask your Rabbi. Different Rabbis may hold different views on what’s allowed and what’s not… So, if you’re uncertain whether something is prohibited or not in your community – ask thy Rabbi

Read More…

10 Beautiful Passover Tablecloths & Table Runners for Your Seder Table (2019)

Last Updated: Rebecca Cohen Leave a Comment
Passover 
Passover Tablecloths

Passover is getting close!

And if you’re reading this – I assume you’re hosting the Seder this year. Yes?

Fantastic!

But before you start decorating your Seder table – first things first: the Passover tablecloth.

The Pesach tablecloth is ground zero: without it – you don’t really have a table to decorate, now do you?

So before you start burning the midnight oil in the kitchen trying to make the most delicious Passover food ever seen (no pressure), let’s first find you a nice Passover table runner, shall we?

Read More…

15+ Best Passover Flowers & Plants for the Seder Table (2019)

Last Updated: Rebecca Cohen Leave a Comment
Passover 
Passover Flowers

You’re invited to the Passover Seder… how exciting!

We all get to sit together around the Seder table: family, friends and loved ones, to celebrate our Jewish ancestor’s escape from Egypt… from slavery – to freedom! Hooray!

But before you get all excited and start singing “Ma Nishtana”… aren’t you forgetting something?

You’re not planning to arrive at the Passover Seder empty-handed, now are you?

Oy vey! The Chutzpah!

  • Rule #1 of Passover: NEVER arrive empty-handed.
  • Rule #2 of Passover: NEVER forget rule #1

Did You Know? There are other pretty important Passover laws you should be aware of (you know, before you accidentally ask for a beer on the Seder table).

The hostess just spent hours (read: days) preparing an awesome Passover Seder, the least we can do is give her a nice Passover gift as a “thank you”.

As the adage says: “Action speaks louder than words”.

A particularly appropriate gift? Colorful Passover flowers.

  1. They make the Seder table look good.
  2. Which makes the hostess look good in front of her guests
  3. Which make YOU look good

That’s a triple win right there!

The only question that remains is: What are the best flowers for Passover?

Sit tight… things are about to get rosy!

Read More…

25+ Unique Passover Decorations, Supplies & Table Setting Ideas for Pesach (2019)

Last Updated: Rebecca Cohen 1 Comment
Passover 
Passover Seder Decorations

So… you’re hosting the Passover Seder this year.

How exciting!

Or, should I say, overwhelming?

A bit of both?

I hear ya!

Preparing for Passover is no walk in the park. You’ve got a ton of things to do, in VERY little time:

  • Getting the Pesach groceries
  • Cooking a delicious Passover m eal
  • Decorating the Seder table

Just to name a few (don’t even get me started about cleaning and Kashering your house for Passover).

Well, I’ve got good news… Today, you’ll be able to scratch the last item off that list.

Because in this article – I listed EVERYTHING you need to decorate the best Passover table in town (without breaking the bank in the process)!

Ready? Let’s get moving! (Time is against us!) Read More…