We sit here together in darkness, preparing to begin our seder [by lighting the candles.] In doing so, we are stepping into a familiar ritual: telling the story of our going out from Egypt. But tonight we are stepping into the unknown as well, for we are taking the risk of telling new stories and of finding old stories that were lost. We are inviting ourselves into a tradition which is our own and yet has not always made us feel welcome, and we are inviting Judaism to have a place in our lives.

— A Women’s Haggadah

(Light the candles and say:)

מיר פֿרייען זיך מיט אונדזער ירושה
 וואָס גיט אונדז די טראַדיציע פֿון אָנצינדן יום-טובֿ ליכט,
 צו שײַנין אויף אונדזער וועג צו אַ שענערער און בעסערער וועלט.
Mir freyen zich mit endzer yerisha 
vos git endz di traditziya fin untzinden yontiff licht,
tzu shainen off endzer veg tzu a shenerer un beserer velt. 

We rejoice in our heritage, 
which gives us the tradition of lighting yontiff candles, 
to light our way to a better and more beautiful world.

— Rabbi Judith Seid
 


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: Min Ha-Meitzar: An Abolitionist Haggadah from the Narrow Place by Noraa Kaplan