On the first evening of Pesach, Jewish families share the special seder meal together. Seder means 'order' and the meal is eaten in a special order with fifteen parts to it. This order is set down in a special book called the Hagadah, which is read during the meal. Everyone takes it in turns to read from the Hagadah.

First, the youngest person reads out four questions:

1. Tonight why do we eat only matzah?
2. Tonight why do we eat bitter herbs?
3. Tonight why do we dip into the salt water and charoset?
4. Tonight why do we all lean?

During the meal these questions are answered as the family reads through the Hagadah. But the story of Pesach is not only told in words. On the table, there is a plate with symbolic food on it.

• Bitter herbs and vegetables remind Jews how bitter and hard their time in Egypt was.
• Charoset is a paste made of apple and nuts. It stands for the mud bricks which the slaves were forced to make.
• A bone from the leg of a lamb, reminds Jews of the lambs which were killed.
• A hardboiled, slightly roasted egg reminds Jews of their new life of freedom.

On the table there is also matzah, salt water and wine. When the Jews escaped from Egypt, they did not have time to bake proper bread and could only make matzah. Salt water reminds Jews of the tears which the slaves shed. Wine reminds them of the lambs blood which the Jewish slaves smeared on their doors. During the meal, everyone drinks four toasts to remember God's four promises to Moses. When they drink they lean slightly to one side.

At meals, in the past, slaves had to stand or sit. People who weren't slaves were allowed to eat resting on cushions. During the Seder, Jewish people lean to show they are no longer slaves.

About halfway through the seder, the family eats a proper dinner. The seder ends with a search for a piece of matzah which, earlier on, has been hidden by the parents. The person who finds it can claim a reward.

Pesach reminds Jews of their history. It also remembers how Jews have suffered more recently. It looks forward to a time of peace and joy. The last words of the Seder are:

'Next year in Jerusalem;
Next year may all be free.'