The Seder plate is carefully curated with items of symbollic meaning.  The following is a description of each items symbolism:

Roasted Shank Bone (Zeroah)
Passover descends from an ancient shepherd festival called Pesach,. Pesach was observed in the early spring when the sheep gave birth to their young. It was customary for each family to sacrifice a lamb to assure a healthy flock. The presence of the shank bone on our seder table recalls the primitive beginnings of the festival we now call Passover and impresses us with the antiquity of our holiday celebration.

Egg (Baytzah)
Baytzah, the egg, is a universal symbol of birth, whole- ness, and potentiality.

Bitter Herbs (Maror) Horseradish
Maror is the bitterness of the bitter herb. Tradition says that this root is the reminder of the suffering of slavery. 

Matzah
Matzah is the bread of our freedom. Legend has it that when our ancestor fled Egypt they moved so quickly that the bread they baked did not have time to rise. Matzah is the bread of life, rejecting the cold slavery of winter, affirming the warm vitality of spring.

Haroset
Haroset is a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine. Tradition tells us it is a reminder of the bricks and mortar our ancestors made as slaves in Egypt. The sweetness reminds us never to forget the sweet taste of freedom. 

Orange (Tapooz)
The orange is on the seder plate to remind us that the Seder is always growing. 

Elijah's Cup

This ceremonial cup of wine is left untouched in honor of Elijah, who, according to tradition, will arrive one day as an unknown guest to herald the advent of the Messiah. 


haggadah Section: Introduction