---
title: "Attending a Seder is common practice for American Jews"
description: "Percentage of U.S. Jews who say they participated in a Seder last year."
date: "2014-04-14"
authors:
  - name: "Michael Lipka"
    job_title: "Associate Director, Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/michael-lipka/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2014/04/14/attending-a-seder-is-common-practice-for-american-jews/"
categories:
  - "Beliefs & Practices"
---

# Attending a Seder is common practice for American Jews

[![Jewish participation in Seder](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2014/04/FT_Jewish_Seder.png)](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2014/04/FT_Jewish_Seder.png)

The Jewish festival of Passover begins at sundown tonight, when many Jews will gather with family and friends for the first of two Seders. While the [exact nature of a Seder](http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Passover/The_Seder.shtml) varies, Jews traditionally [read from a book known as the Haggadah](http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Passover/The_Seder/Haggadah.shtml) – or “telling” in Hebrew – and retell the story of the exodus from slavery in Egypt before eating a festive meal.

Among several common traditions are a [Seder plate with symbolic foods](http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Passover/The_Seder/Seder_Plate_and_Table.shtml?gclid=CImFgrah0b0CFcg7Ogodn0UAbg), a reading of [the “four questions”](http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/1486798/jewish/The-Four-Questions-Explained.htm) to explain the uniqueness of Passover and a search by children for a hidden afikoman (a broken piece of matzah, the unleavened bread that is eaten during the holiday).

A 2013 [Pew Research survey of Jewish Americans](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/10/01/jewish-american-beliefs-attitudes-culture-survey/) found that attending a Seder is an [extremely common practice](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/10/01/chapter-4-religious-beliefs-and-practices/#jewish-practices) for the group. While only 23% of U.S. Jews said they attend religious services at least monthly, 70% said they participated in a Seder last year. That includes 42% of Jews of no religion (those who consider themselves Jewish in some way, were raised Jewish or had a Jewish parent, but say they are atheist or agnostic or have no particular religion.)

Participation in a Seder is more common among Jewish Americans than any of the other practices we asked about, including fasting for all or part of Yom Kippur (53%) – often considered the holiest day of the Jewish calendar – and always or usually lighting Sabbath candles (23%).