During the Passover Seder, which will be celebrated after sundown tonight by Jews worldwide, the central question, traditionally asked by the youngest at the table, is, "Why is this night different from all other nights?"

But a more common query, asked by hungry relatives bored by the long Seder ritual that comes before dinner, often is, "When are we going to eat?"

The antidote is to make the story of the exodus from Egypt, told in a Passover text called a Haggada, as engaging as possible.

The Seder "can get long and it needs creativity," said Shimon Apisdorf, the Baltimore author of "The Passover Survival Kit" and "The Survival Kit Family Haggada," which are part of the growing campaign to enliven and modernize the holiday celebration.

"In general, you want to try and make the experience as fun, uplifting and enjoyable as possible," he said. "It's an opportunity to do a lot of things to really bring that story to life, short of showing a video of 'The Prince of Egypt.' "

Making the Seder enjoyable rather than an ordeal is particularly important considering that Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, is the one holiday marked by Jews who are not religiously observant.

"Passover is probably the most celebrated or most observed holiday by Jews in America," said Paul Lande, owner of Jacob's Ladder, a Jewish bookstore in Pikesville. "The idea of doing it justice is something that is very important to people. There are just an incredible number of [Haggadot] that are becoming available to help people make their Seders more meaningful."

Specialized Haggada

For years, Jewish families navigated the Passover Seder by using the Maxwell House Haggada, which the coffee company began giving away with a purchase in 1934, and has printed 40 million copies over the years. In a letter to his congregation, Rabbi Jay R. Goldstein of Beth Israel Congregation in Owings Mills said, he "encouraged them to finally throw out the old Maxwell House Haggada."

"There was something wonderful about unity that came with the standardized Haggadot," said Goldstein, who is constantly updating the Haggada he uses with new songs and reflections. "But today, there is such an incredible variety of commentary and ritual that you can adapt to the mandate of Passover, which is to make it meaningful to everyone who attends."

Some Haggadot are aimed at children and include songs, plays, or feature familiar characters such as the puppets from "Sesame Street." Some Haggadot are written for particular interests or audiences, such as Seders for women, or Seders that emphasize environmental or social justice issues.

'Box of Plagues'

The Seder can come alive in other ways. The hot seller this year is courtesy of Baltimorean Jon Goldman, who came up with the "Box of Plagues." For $19.95, a box filled with stuff brings the biblical 10 plagues to life: a packet of red powdered gelatin turns water into blood. The box includes plastic frogs, lice and wild animals; a giant locust; and ping pong balls to simulate hail, which Seder participants can throw at each other (gently, please). The profits will go to ZOOZ, a nonprofit group dedicated to Jewish education, and Tiferes Israel Youth Programs.

"I came up with the idea by having people at our Seder and wanting to make it an experiential thing," Goldman said. "The first time we did it, it was the funniest thing, there was an older gentleman sitting at the table, bored out of his mind. When we brought out the wild animals, he starting making all these animal noises.

"There are a lot of things done throughout the Seder to keep people interested and awake. There are things we do that arouse curiosity," he said. "This gives you a way to experience it and interact with it."

Miriam's Cups

It is customary to place on the Seder table a cup of wine for Elijah, the prophet who will announce the Messiah's arrival, who according to tradition visits during the meal and drinks a few drops. An increasingly popular practice is to place a cup of spring water for Moses' sister, Miriam, symbolic of the well that followed Miriam and the Israelites during their sojourn in the desert.

Lande of Jacob's Ladder said he sells quite a few Miriam's Cups. As a sign of its growing acceptance, the Women's Department of the Associated Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore, and the Jewish Community Center in Park Heights are presenting "Raising Miriam's Cup," an exhibition of the symbol by 52 artists.

'An emerging ritual'

"It's an emerging ritual that came about through the women's Seders," said Susan Moray, director of the Women's Department. "Miriam led the way for the Israelites to walk through the water as the Red Sea split. It's because of her faith in God that God rewarded her with the well that traveled with her in the desert."

The basic point, says Apisdorf, is to enable each Jew to make the story of the Exodus his or her own.

"Its a centerpiece of the transmission of our most basic story as a people from one generation to the next," he said. "It's really the Jewish family that's at the heart of the Jewish people. And the Passover Seder experience brings all those elements together."

Pub Date: 3/31/99