Here is a list of what appears on the seder plate and an example of meaning that can be assigned to each.

Karpas – A green, spring vegetable (parsley) symbolizing spring’s bounty.

Beitzah – An egg symbolizing the cycle of life, rebirth, and springtime.

Z’roah – A roasted lamb shank bone (or beet) symbolizing the sacrifices offered in the Passover story to ward off the angel of death.

Maror - Bitter herbs (horseradish or lettuce) symbolizing the bitterness of oppression.

Charoset - A mixture of nuts, fruit and wine symbolizing the mortar Israelite slaves used to lay bricks.

Orange – Symbolizing building Jewish community where women, queer, and transgender people are welcomed and recognized as full, valued participants.

Olive – Symbolizing the self-determination of the Palestinian people and an invitation to Jewish communities to become allies to Palestinian liberation struggles.

Matzah – As our ancestors were fleeing Mitzrayim, they did not have enough time to let the bread dough rise. They carried the unfinished dough on their backs and the hot sun baked it into hard, flat matzah. For the eight days of Passover, we eat no leavened bread (chametz) of any kind in memory of their hasty flight.


haggadah Section: Introduction