Matzah: The bread of haste as the slaves did not have time to let their bread rise before escaping mitzrayim. Also, a reminder of the people currently fleeing their homes throughout the world due to war and violence, taking only what they can carry.

Karpas: Represents the struggle for all of us to get out of our mitzrayim (narrow places or narrow-mindedness). Traditionally, it's used to remember the initial flourishing of the Hebrews in mitzrayim. In the course of the seder, we dip the karpas in salt water in order to taste both the hope of new birth and the tears that the Hebrew slaves shed over their condition.

Charoset: A mixture of chopped nuts, apples, agave, and spices. Charoset is used to symbolize the mortar used to layer bricks which was done by the Hebrew slaves.

Maror: This bitter herb (cilantro) allows us to taste the bitterness of slavery. Like life in mitzrayim, these lettuces and roots taste sweet when one first bites into them, but then become bitter as one eats more. We dip maror into haroset in order to associate the bitterness of slavery with the work that caused so much of this bitterness.

Z'roa: The blood-red color of a roasted beet is certainly symbolic of the blood shed as well as the blood smeared over the doors of the people the Angel of Death was to pass over.

Beitzah: An avocado pit that symbolizes the second sacrifice, which would be offered on every holiday (including Passover) when the Temple stood. The roundness of the avocado pit also represents the cycle of life--even in the most painful of times, there is always hope for a new beginning.

Olive: An olive represents the oppression of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli Government. It reminds us to ask: “How will we, as Jews, bear witness to the unjust actions committed in our name? Will these olives inspire us to be bearers of peace and hope for Palestinians — and for all who are oppressed?” (Forward, Put an Olive on the Seder Plate)

Orange: The orange reminds us of the presence of LGBTQ folks in our community, and the oppression we face within the strict gender and sexuality roles enforced in the name of our tradition.

Tomato: The tomato is a symbol of modern-day slavery, representing the migrant workers who suffer abuse at the hands of a consumer market that demands fruits and vegetables without regard for how the pickers are treated.

Lock and Key: We place the lock and key on our seder plate tonight to ally ourselves with those who are behind bars, with those who are labelled as felons in the community, and with the parents, children, and other family members of those who are locked up and locked out. The key represents our commitment, as Jews who know a history of oppression, to join the movement to end mass incarceration in the United States. The key reminds us of our potential to partner with the Source of Liberation to unlock a more promising, dignified future for us all. (RitualWell)

We invite anyone to share anything they brought to the table and why.

Sources:

- A Seder For and By Us: Kavod Jews of Color, Indigenous Jews, Mizrahim, & Sephardim 2019/5579 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Md2LqouIjcsf1iKjqu0UhRl02DMz4gxh/view)

- http://thevword.net/2014/03/how-to-make-a-vegan-seder-plate-plus-a-recipe-for-charoset.html


haggadah Section: Introduction