- Getting together with friends and family is a large part of both Easter and Passover celebrations.
- This year, video conferencing can help bring observers of the holidays together for Easter egg hunts or Passover seders while self-isolating.
- Other ideas include sitting down for the same meal via video call, and if you’re religiously observant livestreaming services offered by some places of worship.
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Many people join their family and friends every spring to celebrate springtime holidays like Easter and Passover.
This year, though, many people are finding themselves separated from loved ones. But, thankfully, there are many ways to include family and friends in your celebrations virtually, and we can use some of those tools to feel like you’re together during the holidays.
Some observers choose to go without the use of technology on holidays, but for those who plan to use their phones or computers – even in limited doses – here are some ways you can do so to celebrate together while you’re physically apart.
Gather family members on a video chat for group egg decorating.
If you typically paint Easter eggs with friends and family, consider getting the group together over a video call.
You can set the computer at your work surface of choice, exchange decoration ideas, and show off the finished eggs.
Video conferencing can be a great way for families to tell stories of the holidays, reminisce on celebrations of the past, and include family or friends who live too far to ever make it in person.
An appointed coordinator can have everyone go around and say their favorite memory of past Easter or Passover celebrations. Participants can tell stories of the holidays and the traditions that come with them as well.
Rabbi Ben Goldberg of Congregation KTI in Port Chester, New York, encouraged his congregants to share the traditional story of Passover in their conversations. He listed some parallels they can find between current practices of social distancing and events in the Passover story.
Video conferencing also allows for long-distance family or friends to join in the celebration. Time zones may have to be factored in, but it's a great opportunity for sharing a holiday with someone who usually can't make it.
It can also be a great way to come together for a meal.
Regardless of what meal you're used to eating as a group, send everyone a link for a video conference and set the computer a place at your table. Eat and chat as a group.
It can get hectic when everyone starts to speak at once, so it may be helpful to set an agenda, have talking points prepared, or create some sort of speaking order.
For example, if everyone is going around the table - so to speak - and sharing their favorite part of the holiday (or talking about the shows they're watching), you can choose to go in alphabetical order.
Having a common dish can make you feel like you're sitting around one table eating together.
When a group is eating around one table, they're likely sharing the same food and talking about it.
It can be difficult to get everyone to have identical meals while in separate kitchens, but planning ahead for everyone to have at least one common dish can make for a stronger virtual connection.
Whether it's different variations of matzo ball soup or some version of an Easter ham, everyone can go around and talk about what they're eating. Maybe it will spark some recipe creativity for next year.
The Passover seder can be a complicated and involved ritual. This year, a rabbi encouraged his congregants to keep things simple and focus on the basics.
Rabbi Goldberg said observers of the holidays should "forgive ourselves for not making as big of a deal out of the holiday as we normally would."
He said it's OK to just "hit the basics" this year. Making a simple meal and being in the company of whoever is present, singing some of the songs, and talking about some of the text and rituals can be comforting and is enough.
"If someone is able, and wants to make a whole brisket, go for it," he said. "But it's OK if you want to have a matzo and cream cheese sandwich."
If you're religiously observant, you can call your place of worship and ask if they'll be livestreaming services.
There are local guides for different areas outlining all of the churches that will be streaming their Easter services over the internet this year, including St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan.
Some observant Jews choose not to use technology on the holidays, but for those who would like to stream services on the first day of Passover, they can tune into Manhattan's Central Synagogue.
Keep your Easter egg hunt indoors or within your home, and call friends or neighbors so they can join you virtually.
It can be a lot of fun to get together with neighbors and have an Easter egg hunt at a local park, but staying at home and away from others makes that hard to do.
Instead, consider hiding eggs for participants to find around the house or yard if you have one. Coordinate with neighbors or friends to hop on a video call and do the hunt at the same time. Kids can show each other when they've found eggs through the camera.
Groups can gather virtually to play games online.
There are several games available through websites and app stores that allow people to play against one another in real-time.
You can get everyone together for a group game of Monopoly or even a trivia night after dinner.
Create and share a music playlist.
If music and dancing is a big part of your holiday gathering, nominate a member of your group to put together a shared playlist.
Everyone can contribute a few song ideas and the person in charge can create a shareable playlist on whatever music streaming platform you use.
Your crew can join a video call and listen, sing, and dance together as if you were in the same room.
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