This evening, our four cups of juice or wine will also represent four freedoms: freedom to meet our basic needs, freedom to obtain meaningful and gainful employment, freedom of self-determination, and freedom to use our freedom in the service of others.

We drink the first cup for the freedom to meet our basic needs of survival. Hunger and homelessness prevail across the globe. The water in our communities is polluted and poisoned. Many of us do not have access to affordable health care. People continue to be attacked and murdered because of the color of their skin, their gender identity, their sexual orientation, their religion.

If one of us cannot meet our basic needs, is any of us free?

With this in mind, raise the first cup and say:

Non-traditional:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ רוחַ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch atah Yah, eloheinu ruach ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

Blessed are you, Yah our god, spirit of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

- or -

Traditional:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Drink the juice or wine.

Let us also recite the Shehecheyanu, to mark this moment of coming together to learn, to engage, to build connections, and to eat!

בָרוּךְ אַתָה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ רוחַ הָעוֹלָם שֶהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְמָנוּ

וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה

Baruch atah, Yah, eloheinu ruach ha’olam,

shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are you, Yah our god, spirit of all worlds, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment.

- or -

Traditional:

בָרוּךְ אַתָה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְמָנוּ

וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה

Baruch Atah, Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam,

shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, sovereign of all worlds, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment.


haggadah Section: Kadesh