Let us now recite the plagues together.  Traditionally, after saying each plague, dip your finger into the wine and dab it on the plate. This year, do not do this.

  • blood
  • frogs
  • lice
  • beasts
  • cattle
  • boils
  • hail
  • locusts
  • darkness
  • death of the firstborn

Here are some more plagues I’ve come up with. 

  • Complacency
  • Lack of access to quality, unbiased, science-based education which teaches critical thinking
  • Anti-intellectualism and distrust of expertise
  • Decline of fair, independent and trustworthy media
  • Militarism, war and occupations
  • Greed, corruption, power-grabbing and
  • Authoritarianism and rising fascism
  • Decline of first amendment rights – freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, separation of church and state
  • The isms – sexism, racism, homo & trans phobia, xenophobia, ableism, etc.
  • Modern slavery and child labor, including human trafficking and sex slavery
  • Criminal injustice and decline of the rule of law
  • Agricultural and animal farming monocultures
  • Poverty and food insecurity
  • Torture, rejection of refugees, inhumane detention policies and other violations of the Geneva conventions
  • Climate chaos
  • Voter suppression, gerrymandering, election process insecurity
  • Devaluation of labor and decline of unions
  • Domestic violence and child abuse
  • Air & water pollution, soil degradation

Let’s also use this time to thank the unsung heroes of this pandemic, who are often working not by choice, with poor health and safety protections and low wages.

  • medical personnel, including hospital sanitation and personal care aides
  • public transportation workers, grocery store clerks, truck and delivery drivers
  • postal workers, sanitation workers
  • reporters and writers for independent media; business and government watchdogs
  • government employees in prisons, detention centers, senior homes and mental health facilities
  • agricultural workers/meat farms & processing
  • mechanical and systems workers, including IT, communications, city services
  • teachers (including parents), childcare workers for children of essential workers
  • cops, firefighters and EMTs
  • food service workers providing meals for children, seniors, disabled
  • restaurant & fast food employees
  • domestic and laundry service workers

haggadah Section: -- Ten Plagues