Pesach is a central theme of Judaism all around the world and the most beloved of Jewish holidays for Jewish families across the spectrum. As I spoke to relatives, friends, and members of the community from all over the world, I was amazed to hear how the same Yom Tov was celebrated in ways that were at once so different and so very much the same. Of course, some of the memories are all the more poignant because the places where the memories took place no longer exist as Jewish communities.

 As I sit in my terrarium-like cubicle at Star-K Kosher Certification, trying to think how to best describe working here before Pesach, I can’t help but think of a beehive. Although the first Seder is just three weeks from tonight, and a lot of you are just now seriously cracking down on preparing for the “P-word” (with the exception of one fellow who came to sell us his chometz on February 18, because he was heading for Israel and staying through Pesach!), here at work, we have been preparing for Pesach 5774/2014 since a week after Pesach 5773/2013. And we will continue to help our Kashrus Hotline callers, emailers, and texters to the last minute possible, even past candle lighting (but before shkia, sunset) on the first Seder night.

Ah, Pesach around the corner. For a recovering clutteraholic, it is actually a wonderful spur for making headway into a never-ending pursuit of a clutter-free life. I’m not talking here about things that matter, that we use, or we truly enjoy and derive pleasure from. I’m referring to “stuff,” those things that sit around in every nook and cranny, that have lost their reason for being, that we have become mind-blind to even seeing anymore! Things that lurk and encroach on our physical spaces and intrude on our domestic peace and sense of well being.

Last month, as I began engaging

We’ve all heard of people who start Pesach after Chanukah – and others who don’t get going until Rosh Chodesh Nissan. Which is the better way to do things?

Since I am a professional organizer, I naturally find myself thinking about Purim immediately after Chanukah. My mind then takes no longer than a second to automatically shift from Purim to Pesach!

In reality, there are four weeks after Purim to prepare for Pesach. So, does it pay to start thinking about Pesach so early? Why not focus on Chanukah when it is Chanukah, Purim when it is Purim, and Pesach when it is Pesach? The advantage of thinking ahead is to avoid that panicked feeling of realizing, about a week before, “Oh no, I’ve got to get Purim together!” or “How can I possibly finish everything before Pesach?” So, overall, I do think the benefits of being organized outweigh the pleasures of being nonchalant.

Sara R, of Baltimore, has been making Pesach for 30 years, and by now she has it down to a science. The key, she says, is planning ahead and being organized, thinking about where you have to end up and deciding how you are going to get there.

“Get a calendar and work backwards,” says Mrs. R, whose Pesach cleaning schedule begins around Tu B’Shevat. “Your start time should depend upon how busy your household is, whether or not you work outside the house, how many children you have, and how much time you will need.”

“First, decide which day you want to start cooking, then plan to clean the kitchen a few days before you cook. Plan to clean the dining room a few days before that. You have to be realistic, though, regarding how much time you have and how long it takes to clean. For example, if you are working full time, you may need to allow more time.” She advises against scheduling your pre-Pesach chores very tightly, to allow for emergencies and catch up time.

Pesach is upon us, and we are all busy cleaning and preparing for the holiday. Why not take a moment or two to look over these recipes with the hope that they will assist you in your menu planning. (For those of us who plan menus at the last minute, I say, what does it matter when you plan, as long as there is a menu in time to sit down to the Seder. G-d willing, we will all enjoy a wonderful Seder. Chag kasher vesameach.

Chicken Coating

1 1/2 c. ground matza or matza meal

1/4 c. potato starch

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. lemon zest, finely minced

2 T. parsley, finely minced

Your favorite vinaigrette (I like Italian. Or make your own!)