Activity 1: The Wonder Box
Part of Wonderful Welcome
Activity time: 5 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Wonder Box (See instructions for Wonder Box in Session 1.)
- A drinking goblet or wine glass
Preparation for Activity
- Place a goblet inside the Welcome Box.
Description of Activity
While children are still in a circle around the chalice, show them the Wonder Box. Invite them to guess what gift could be in this big, beautifully wrapped box. Take some guesses. Then pass the box around for children to open and find the goblet inside. Ask the children if any of them have seen or used something like the goblet before. Allow some comments. Then say:
Does this special cup look like an invitation? Well, it is. When Jewish people gather for a special meal called a "Passover Seder," one custom is to leave an empty place at the table, where no one sits. That place is set with a glass so any guest who might come can have something to drink. During the Seder meal, the glass is filled, and someone opens the front door of the home, so anyone passing by knows they are welcome.