(New York Jewish Week) — Passover is practically here! This year the eight-day holiday begins with the first seder on the evening of Wednesday, April 5 and ends the evening of Thursday, April 13.
Passover celebrates the Israelites’ departure from Egypt and is celebrated with one or two nights of seders where guests retell the Exodus story, drink four cups of wine, eat elaborate meals and send the kids on a hunt for the afikomen, a piece of matzah set aside for “dessert.” Whether your favorite part of the holiday is testing different matzah or flourless cake recipes, singing at the seders or spending time with family, there is plenty to do (and to prepare for, before the week begins).
In case you don’t have plans for first or second night seders — or are interested in events going on throughout the week — read on for the New York Jewish Week’s holiday guide to celebrating Passover in the city.
City Winery’s 30th Annual Downtown Seder
Performers on stage at City Winery’s Downtown Seder in 2017. (Al Perreira)
On Sunday, April 2 at 1:00 p.m., join a cohort of celebrity New Yorkers like Dr. Ruth, comedian Modi Rosenfeld, Mayor Eric Adams and musician David Broza for City Winery’s Annual Downtown Seder, which takes place at their flagship location at Pier 57 (25 11th Ave). Tickets start at $85 and include four glasses of wine, a vegetarian meal and “15 musicians, comedians, [and] political thinkers.” The event can also be live streamed for free. Register here.
Seder in the Streets for Housing Justice
Join the left-leaning activist organizations Jews for Racial & Economic Justice and T’ruah for a pre-holiday celebratory meal and seder. The groups will be gathering in Tompkins Square Park on April 3 at 6:00 p.m., where they will share a meal and celebrate the holiday with houseless people in New York’s community, as well as talk about housing justice in the city. Find more information and register here.
Ohel Ayalah’s First Night Passover Seder
Ohel Ayalah will host a first night seder, customized for those in their 20s and 30s and ideal for New Yorkers who don’t have a regular synagogue membership. The community seder will be held in Prince George Ballroom (15 E. 27th Street) on April 5 at 6:30 p.m. with a wine tasting before at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $96. Register here.
NYC Young Professionals Seder
Chabad Young Professionals will host seders on both nights starting at 8:00 p.m. on April 5 and 8:45 p.m. on April 6. Each seder will be an “interactive and meaningful experience with no prior Hebrew or Jewish knowledge necessary” and includes wine and four-course dinner. Tickets start at $100, or $200 for both nights. Location to be announced. Register and check for more information here.
Bonus: Find a Chabad seder in a neighborhood near you through their online portal.
Second Night Seder with Jewish Community Project Downtown
JCP Downtown is hosting a second night seder on Thursday, April 6 at 5:30 p.m in Tribeca at 146 Duane St. The seder will be led by Rabbi Deena Silverstone and includes wine, matzah and a kosher dairy meal. The seder will follow the fun, modern haggadah “Don’t Fuhaggadahboudit,” which attendees are welcome to take home with them afterwards. Open to all ages, tickets begin at $72. Register here.
Second Night Online Seder with My Jewish Learning
Rabbi Moishe Steigmann and My Jewish Learning will host “A Night to Remember,” a second night online seder on Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the interactive, three-hour seder begin at $18. Register and find more information here.
Intergenerational Community Seder and Israeli Folk Dancing at 92NY
Rabbi Samantha Frank and Rebecca Schoffer will host 92NY’s community seder on Thursday, April 6 at 5:00 p.m. The seder, open to all ages and religious affiliations, will focus on singing and storytelling. Tickets start at $125 and include a full dinner, wine and dessert; the event will take place at the Y’s Buttenweiser Hall (1395 Lexington Ave). Find more information here.
Bonus: On Saturday, April 8, bring the family to the Y for a Passover Israeli Folk Dance Party, which will teach circle, partner and line dances. Tickets are $20, register here.
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Asian Jewish Passover with the LUNAR Collective
The LUNAR Collective is partnering with Brooklyn’s Congregation Beth Elohim to host a Passover Shabbat meal the day after the seders on Friday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m. The program, which takes place at CBE (274 Garfield Pl.) will include an Asian Jewish fusion meal and a reading from an Asian Jewish Haggadah. The in-person event is pay-what-you-can. Click here to register.
Passover Pop-Up Exhibit at the Met
This fifteenth-century illuminated Hebrew manuscript copy of the Mishneh Torah will be on view during Passover at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Join gallery curators at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Ave.) for a Passover pop-up exhibition on Monday, April 3 and Monday April 10, at 11 a.m. The gallery talk will feature two illuminated Hebrew manuscripts that date to the 15th-century Italian renaissance: the Mishneh Torah of Maimonides and the Rothschild Mahzor. The gallery talk is free with the price of admission. Find more information here. The manuscripts will be on view in an ongoing exhibition at the Met after Passover as well.
Matzah Pizza Party for 20s and 30s
What’s better than a pizza party? A matzah pizza party! The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (334 Amsterdam Ave.) is hosting a matzah pizza party on Monday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. for young professionals. The event is open to the public and features kitchen torches, kosher ingredients and wine. Tickets are $10; register here.
Looking for more choices? Find a local in-person or virtual seder through UJA Federation’s online portal, or check out the options curated by our partners at My Jewish Learning.
