AIDS Candelight March

When we light the Seder candles, we are remembering two heritages. First, our Jewish heritage, which has given us a long line of candle-lighting ritual that intimately connects mealtimes with Jewish faith and community, even during times of oppression. It also gives us a signifier that we are shifting into holy space. We are also remembering our queer heritage, which has used candlelight vigils to remember those dying from government inaction during the AIDS crisis, crafting a space of memory and reverence for people so ignored by those in power. For our queer Jewish seder, we light these candles as memory that we are still fighting against the oppressions of our ancestors. Antisemitism and other religious persecution still exists in the world today, just as homophobia does, and the AIDS crisis is still plaguing countries that have been improverished by colonialism. We also remember that, along with oppression, our candles are commemorating community. A community brave and strong enough to resist oppression, and loving enough to wrap us in its light. 

Baruch atah adonai eloheynu melech ha'olam ashr kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel (Shabbat v'shel) yom tov. 

Blessed is the spirir of freedom in whose honor we kindle the lights of this holiday, Passover, the season of Freedom. 


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: https://www.amny.com/news/early-years-of-aids-remembered-at-new-york-historical-society/