What's an orange doing on the Seder Plate?

But why is there an orange on the seder plate? This is not traditional for Passover.

The orange on the Seder plate has come to symbolize full inclusion in modern day Judaism for those who were traditionally not seen as full participants or leaders in Jewish life and traditions, especially women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. Initially, and for some still, people see the orange as originating as a response to sexism and exclusion of women. The tale was that a man once said that women don’t belong leading aspects of worship in Judaism by saying “A woman on the bimah is like an orange on the Seder plate.” We can respond to this by celebrating the orange and placing it in the center the Seder plate. Just as women belong on the bima, so must an orange belong on the Seder plate. In the same way, it represents the fruitfulness of all Jews, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. It symbolizes the struggle for freedom faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and expresses solidarity with the LGBTQ community.


haggadah Section: Introduction