Over 3,000 years ago a group of people in the middle east enslaved for generations, had lost hope of being free and were then inspired by a leader who challenged the world’s most powerful leader and brought his people to freedom. 

It is a story of hope and overcoming impossible odds.

Hope is the gift the Jews have given to the world.

Though we are no longer slaves, we each remain stuck in some part of our lives.

Hope whithers easily in the face of disappointment. It is all too easy to become disillusioned with toxic cynics ridicule optimism. Getting unstuck – making changes is scary. We may fail; we may wander for years in the desert. The youngest in our midst, Cameron, may be an inspiration. He is beginning to walk, but not without falling hard and often but he doesn’t stay down. He gets up and moves forward.

“Let my people go!” Can be words to strengthen ourselves and overcome the fear of the unknown and march forward, slowly but defiantly trying to become unstuck, toward the Promised Land.

In this Sedar there will be questions related to the Hope-Giving theme as part of other personal questions that may come up.

One goal of this haggadah will be to encourage each of us to take one moment to consider the sedar as about - where I fit in, right now, in the development of my own life, the life of my People, and the life of this family.  It is my hope that this digital haggadah can grow and improve each year - you are all welcome to contribute.   I have not removed the excess sections - but left them as an archive - for now.  Think about how this early stage haggadah can be improved in the future.

In truth, almost none of the Jews who left Egypt actually entered the Promised Land.  They wandered for forty years in the wilderness.  Paradise is elusive, and its pursuit is challenging.  While moving forward, we often stumble, wander aimlessly, run in circles.  For two thousand years, the haggadah has been the Jewish People's invitation to ask: "Where are we now on the journey?"


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: adapted from Ayeka Haggadah