INTRODUCTION

On this eve of Passover, we are here to remember our ancestors’ quest for Freedom by telling the story of Passover. We appreciate our family and friends who are here to celebrate Passover with us, and the support they are showing us tonight by participating in this festive meal. By telling the story of Passover each year, we remember our struggle for freedom and the sacrifices that past generations of Jews have made for in order for us to be here today.

FREEDOM

Imagine a world without freedom. Many times in history, our Jewish people lived without freedom.

The Haggadah tells the story of one of those times.

The Haggadah tells about how our people were slaves and then became free.

In our Torah, one of the most important ideas is freedom.

Freedom means different things to different people.

Boys and girls who are free have the right to enjoy schools, libraries, playgrounds, movies, birthday parties, baseball and soccer games, and walks in the park.

To the musician, freedom means the right to play all types of music:  jazz, opera, folk, country, rock, and classical.

We are free to choose our own hobbies, jobs and way of life. If we are unhappy, we may try to make changes to make our lives better.

A person who is free may say “yes” even if everyone else is saying “no.”

Let us do what our ancestors have done for thousands of years. Let us remember the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Let us link ourselves with all the Jews who came before us. Let us celebrate freedom!


haggadah Section: Introduction