7 Modern Seder Plates That’ll Be Your New Heirlooms

Seder plates are always traditional in form — they have six indentations or ramekins to hold foods symbolizing different parts of Passover and the Exodus story. Many Jewish families have heirloom silver seder platters or porcelain dishes inscribed with Hebrew words, like beitzah, roasted egg symbolizing sacrifice and the cycle of life, but these holiday plates were never really meant to be eye-catching centers of attention … until now. 

Last year, the brand Susan Alexandra, created and designed by founder Susan Korn, released two stunning seder plates that are colorful, playful, kitschy, and modern. One handblown blue glass plate resembles a pond with a frog and lily pads as the ramekins on top, and another is a wavy-shaped, dreamy ceramic beauty with six tiny matching bowls. 

Sadly, both have since sold out, but they still made an impact on me. It was the first time that I — as a half Jew-ish Korean American adoptee, raised by a Jewish mom and grammy but never actively practicing — thought about seder plates as cool. Korn’s fun, funky, and whimsical Judaica inspired me to embrace that part of my identity and try to find more.

“I like the idea of taking something tired and old and transforming it into something juicy and joyful,” Korn explains of her Judaica makeovers. “Most people think of Judaica as something inherited from your grandma and maybe not your taste.” But now, “it’s so ripe for reinvention and creativity!” she says. “There can be a new life breathed into your seder plate and your traditions. Instead of just hauling it out for the holidays, you can use it all year and even just keep it on your table just to look at it.”

Korn loves the “newness and inspiration” potential of Passover, with seder plate options that “make the food more exciting and the table feel more inviting.” After a recommendation to check out the work of ceramicist Isabel Halley, who “made them cool before they were cool,” per Korn, I went down a rabbit hole to find the most stunning and stylish seder plates out there. The idea is for these plates to become modern heirlooms, so they’re priced accordingly. Check out my top splurges below.