afikomans

Afikomans is an informal, nonstandard term sometimes used to describe participants in the Passover Seder who engage with the Afikomen portion of the ritual, most often children. The word is derived from afikomen (also spelled afikoman), the broken matzah that is hidden during the Seder and later eaten as a dessert-like finale. In many families, children search for the hidden matzah, and the finder may receive a small reward; the activity is sometimes described as part of the Afikomen game. The label Afikomans is not an established demographic or religious grouping and is rarely used in formal liturgy, scholarship, or ethnography. It appears primarily in informal speech, humor, or contemporary writing about Seder traditions.

Geographically, when the term is used, it refers to Jewish communities that observe Passover in the diaspora or Israel, but it does not denote a separate culture, ethnicity, or sect. In academic contexts, participants are typically described simply as Seder participants or as participants in the Afikomen portion. The Afikomen itself serves a symbolic function in the ritual, marking the dessert-like conclusion of the meal and recalling themes of sacrifice and redemption within the Passover narrative.

There are no recognized organizations or notable groups formally named Afikomans. See also: Afikomen, Passover, Seder, Haggadah.