Hi Friends- if you’re looking for free and helpful tips on preparing for Pesach, leading a seder, asking different questions or keeping the kids engaged, here’s more links than you can shake a matzah at. These are provided with the thought that one might browse a bit and find something interesting- there’s no test after the seder, so no stressing out or anxiety is allowed!
First, if you’re wondering what’s kosher for Pesach, and what’s not, and what requires special certification, and what doesn’t, both the Rabbinical Assembly and the Orthodox Union have Pesach guides that are full of interesting information. The Rabbinical Assembly has changed some of its recommendations over the years, but the older guides can also be used.
Pesach cleaning can be a chore, so I appreciate Rabbi Aviner’s perspective on how to clean for Pesach in one day. I don’t always love his politics but I do think he gets to the heart of what really matters for Pesach.
If you’re looking for creative ideas for a seder, the mother of all Passover resource sites, jewishfreeware.org, has haggadot, recipes, song files, audio files, ideas, suggestions, readings . . .it’s amazing and highly recommended and has resources for both kid and adult friendly sedarim.
A simplified haggadah with discussion questions was created by two very creative and distinguished Conservative rabbis, Harold Schulweis and Eddie Feinstein. Their haggadah is available as a word document- so you can personalize it and play with it- or a pdf. Even if you just take a few of the comments for discussion, it’s well worth a look, or a listen, since there are Seder mp3’s available on the same intro page.
Another group of scholars and teachers at the Shalom Hartman Institute has grouped all of their Pesach articles, teachings, lectures and resources on one page– this is a pluralistic center for Jewish studies in Jerusalem which hosts rabbis, academic, lay leaders and others for all kinds of great study programs. The Hartman Institute is also responsible for my favorite haggadah, A Different Night, which you can sample online here.
Of course, maybe you just want a general review of the history and practices of Passover- you’ll find that here, (at myjewishlearning.com) and creative ideas from a feminist perspective here, from ritualwell.org. On both sites, look for the links on the left of the page.
If you’d like to review how to lead the different sections of the seder, you can have lessons right in your home: sidduraudio.com has every major section of the haggadah available as a sound file to practice and review (as well as most of the siddur, too.)
Finally- in the year 5770, what else would you expect but the official Passover blog from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency? They’ve done a great job of putting interesting and eclectic articles on the blog, which has new entries every day.
As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns about any aspect of the holiday, I’m just an visit, email, phone call, fax, text message, or facebook poke away!
Shabbat Shalom,
RNJL
Rabbi Neal's Weekly Commentary 
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