Etsy's Handmade Blog
Personal Passover Traditions: Afikomen
Story by SarahSays
Published on April 9, 2009 in This Handmade Life 		Photo by

AlmostARTifacts

Last year I shared my grandmother’s version of my mother’s Matzah Ball Soup. This year, instead of sharing a food memory, I’ll share my favorite Passover custom: the hiding (and seeking) of the Afikomen.

In a nutshell, at the beginning of the Passover Seder, half of the middle of three pieces of Matzah (called the Afikomen, meaning “dessert” in Aramaic) is hidden, and Seder service can only conclude once a child locates the Afikomen. In my family, the reward for finding the Afikomen ranges from a silver dollar to some Passover chocolate. This fun custom aims to keep young people interested in the Passover traditions.

One year, as my uncle went to hide the Afikomen my brother secretly excused himself from the table to spy. When the time arrived to search for the prized unleavened bread, my brother calmly walked over to the couch and sat down. As us kids frantically rummaged through every drawer, under every rug, and behind every crevice, my brother remained seated. He finally stood up, dramatically reached under his couch cushion and retrieved the broken Matzah. We all demanded a re-do. I don’t remember who legitimately found the Afikomen, but I know it wasn't me because I was laughing far too hard to participate in the search.

This year, my family’s Afikomen competition may be slimmer than usual. However, no matter the economy, these types of memories and traditions hold a family close even if you have to spend a holiday apart.

Please share your Passover traditions in the comments below.

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Tags Afikomen, culture, family, food, holidays, Jewish, Judaica, Passover, Plants and Edibles, religions, sedar, THIS HANDMADE LIFE, traditions
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42 comments     Login to add your own!

April 9, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. VintageEyeFashion

Lovely pics! Thanks for sharing your Passover memories!

April 9, 2009 at 1:26 p.m. tinahdee

So informative and nice to look at too!

April 9, 2009 at 1:32 p.m. Ryanplz

oh! i agree with tinahdee. very neat!

April 9, 2009 at 1:51 p.m. thymbyldesigns

חג פסח כשר ושמח!

Did you realize, there are two shops who own a copy of the same Hagadah. :)
It's actually a beautiful one....

April 9, 2009 at 1:58 p.m. JoyandWhimsy

Thank you so much for explaining abuot the Afikomen
2 nice gift books for Jewish holidays:
1st edition Noah tale by Isaac Bashevis Singer:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
Hebrew stories art book:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...

April 9, 2009 at 1:59 p.m. ScottieinaCanoe

beautiful things!

April 9, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. sweetlifepaper

Funny Afikomen story! That used to be my favorite part of Passover! We hid the afikomen more than once!

April 9, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. RegalCottage

Chag Samaeach! Great explanation of Peseach. I love your afikomen story. ;)

April 9, 2009 at 2:31 p.m. UglyBaby

mmmmmmmmmmmm.....Matzah Ball Soup.

April 9, 2009 at 2:33 p.m. EJPcreations

I went to a very strict Catholic grade school, but we always celebrated Jewish holidays. We did this because Jesus was Jewish. Now I find that very progressive. I loved all the ritual behind the Passover Seder. Her story just reminded me of that very pleasant memory. Thank you Sarah.

April 9, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. FluteTeacher

I love learning about Jewish traditions. Thanks for sharing.

April 9, 2009 at 2:54 p.m. dogties

Great items
Thanks for sharing.

April 9, 2009 at 3:08 p.m. Fancy0Frances

So interesting and beautiful. I hate it when one holiday monopolizes a time of year when more often than not there are several going on. Etsy rocks.
Fancy0Frances.Etsy.Com

April 9, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. NaomiKimhi

Chag Samaeach:) I love the items remind me home.

April 9, 2009 at 3:23 p.m. maggielucia

thanks for sharing that...i grew up with a Jewish stepfather ...but he did not teach his United Church of England stepdaughters any of his Passover traditions, a real shame!!

April 9, 2009 at 4:11 p.m. raisinlike

Happy Passover everybody! פסח שמח לכולם

April 9, 2009 at 4:18 p.m. enchantingimages

yay passover! i shared this holiday with a friend for the first time, i love the hide and seek part!

April 9, 2009 at 4:33 p.m. rafya

I love the Afickomen traditions too, Happy Passover! חג שמח וכשר

April 9, 2009 at 4:51 p.m. Nishale

Happy Passover everybody!
BUT- I must say that the pictures you chose for this article do not reprisent the joy and happiness and the spring that comes with this marvelous important holiday!!!!!!
and that makes me a bit sad because Passover is much much beautiful that it appears in here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

April 9, 2009 at 5:25 p.m. sherrytruitt

Happy Passover. You brought back a lot of Afikomen childhood memories! My grandfather always provided the winning dollar, and we fought hard to get it.

I think the art you chose is wonderful.

April 9, 2009 at 5:39 p.m. odiliafu

Thanks for sharing! It's so good to understand a different culture. Happy Passover!!

April 9, 2009 at 10:03 p.m. sandali

Gak-sameag !! Happy Holidays to everyone -- whether it's Pesah or Easter -- may everyone be blessed with the best wishes ;)

April 10, 2009 at 2:47 a.m. sonofthecucumberking

Great site to discover! Since you're so generous about sharing, I want to share a Passover experience with you I could do without repeating. It involves Pesach in Israel many years ago, hosting Robert Guillaume (famous there for TV's "Benson"), Albert Hague (Fame's Professor Shorofsky)and an unlikely troupe of additional performers. Finally got around to writing about it--"Once Upon a Passover" at www.sonofthecucumberking.com. Hag sameach.

April 10, 2009 at 4:47 a.m. SundraSandrusi

good afikomen story!
Happy Passover to everyone!

April 10, 2009 at 7:29 a.m. scavengerhunt

Love these picks.

April 10, 2009 at 9:17 a.m. MRSBAUBLES

lovely story. my favorite part of the passover seder is watching all the kids running around looking for the Afikomin.

Great picks too!

Happy Passover!!

April 10, 2009 at 1:16 p.m. sage12888

Great items!!!

April 10, 2009 at 4:52 p.m. novadesigns

thank you for sharing!
Great finds too.

April 10, 2009 at 5:01 p.m. SpringColors

lovely passover gifts.

April 10, 2009 at 6:57 p.m. agru

Chag sameach!

April 10, 2009 at 8:27 p.m. madaboutmonty

My boyfriend hid the afikomen in the vintage copy of The Great Gatsby I got him. When I asked for a hint, he quoted me one of his favorite lines from it. His room mate got it, I didn't. She found it. fml.

April 10, 2009 at 9:50 p.m. JodyBatson

My daughter, now grown always loved the matzah ball soup, I taught her to read and write Hebrew, now with grandkids I need to freshen up and teach them. Shalom, AH TRADITION! jody

April 10, 2009 at 11:58 p.m. EarthBabyDesigns

What a wonderful story. As a Unitarian I love learning about the traditions of the faiths mine draws upon.
That needled felted seder plate totally rocks!

April 11, 2009 at 5:41 a.m. vadjutka

I loved reading it!

We have a kind of Seder Night Light with my friends, you can read more about it here:
http://vadjutka.blogspot.com/2009/04/...

This year we ate too much and forgot about the Afikoman, so it is still there where we hid it: on the bookshelf :-) Maybe it will be good next year :-)

April 11, 2009 at 6:19 a.m. BoutiqueCandle

Passover is the holiday filled with the most wonderful memories for me. Remembering past seders always brings to mind much joy and laughter. Thanks for sharing your story and a very happy Pesach!

April 11, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. lindab142

It's a wonderul holiday with friends and family and fun. Thanks for featuring my card.

April 11, 2009 at 2:01 p.m. veroque

Such a great story Sarah! Thank you for sharingand Happy Passover!!
:)))

April 11, 2009 at 5:11 p.m. yifatiii

Happy Passover! ♥

April 12, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. Yoola

פסח שמח :)

April 12, 2009 at 3:51 p.m. ooty

Happy Passover =0)

April 12, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. AllAboutTheButtons

Wonderful story! This year we gave a $2 bill for the afikomin finder. He asked if he could trade for a silver dollar instead!

May 8, 2009 at 8 a.m. superfantastic50s

Fabulous. I wish I would have read this pre-Passover, but there's always next year!

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