Leader: We have gathered here this evening to remember, to retell, and to create a sacred space together. This moment is made sacred not because it is extraordinary in any way, but because it is a moment that has been lived and shared an retold by generations of people, in all nations   and across countless years. The very fact that our words this night are NOT extraordinary is what makes them holy. We are here because our Ancestors where there: there at the pyramids in Egypt, there at the riverbanks of Babylon, there at the auto-da-fe’ of Spain, there at the crematoria of Dachau. We are here to remember. We are here to be free. Why are you here?

 ALL:I am here because I was a slave in Egypt. I am here because I was a refugee in a strange land. I am here because I was burned in the plaza. I am here because I labored in the camps. I am here because I was with my ancestors on the day of liberation. I am here because there are many today who still dream of freedom. I am here to remember. I am here to be free.

Leader: It is written in the Torah that we shall teach our children “It is because of what HaShem, the Sovereign of the Universe did for me when I was freed from bondage. For had my ancestors not been brought forth from bondage, my children would be slaves even today” Let us never forget the darkness of our enslavement.

 The lights are extinguished and all stand in darkness for a moment

 Leader: Even in blackest dungeon, there is the light of hope, of truth, of free dom that lies just beyond the prison walls. May each of us assembled here seek to bring forth the light of justice wherever the darkness rules. Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitz votav, vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel (Shabbat v’shel) yom tov.

 Leader lights the candle of the person on their right, who passes the flame on around the table.

 ALL: We pass the flame to honor the sacred fire which energizes the web of life, of which we are each a part. We pass the flame to connect one soul to the next, bringing light to banish the darkness from our lives. We pass the flame to remember the forgotten and to send forth a beacon guiding them home. We pass the flame to mark a path for the lost, to light the way for those who walk with us and to blaze a trail for those who will follow. We pass the flame to leave the a brighter world for tomorrow. We pass the flame to remind ourselves and each other that the work begins with us.

Leader: May the festival lights we now kindle inspire us to use our power to heal and not to harm, to help and not to hinder, to bless and not to curse, to struggle and not to bend, to serve the holy cause of freedom for all people, everywhere.

Leader: (On the sixth day, God completed the heavens and the earth. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.) Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine. Praised are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe who has lifted us up through mitzvoth and, with love, given us (Shabbat for rest and ) festivals for joy. God has given us (Shabbat and) this holiday of Matzo, a celebration of freedom  and deliverance. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, sovereign of the universe, who has set apart (Shabbat and) your   people of Israel and our festivals. Praised are you, Adonai our God, the sovereign of the universe, who has given us life and kept us well so that we could celebrate this special time.

 Participant: We bless HaShem, who placed within each human being the spark of life and a thirst for justice.

 Participant: We bless HaShem, who has given us insight to see the sacred spirit within all of creation.

 Participant: We bless HaShem, who connects us to all, each to the other: past, present and future.

 Participant: We bless HaShem, who has blessed us with voices to pray for peace.

 Participant: We bless HaShem, who has give us this Passover Festival for rejoicing and mourning, for remembrance and revelation.

 Participant: We bless HaShem, who has given us life, sustained us, lifted us up and enabled us to reach this season.

 ALL: We bless HaShem, the sovereign of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Leader: Even before we entered into Egypt, our Ancestors celebrated the return of Spring and their liberation from the darkness of Winter. “Arise my Beloved, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the                           winter is past. Flowers appear on the earth  and the time of singing is here.” Let us each take a piece of parsley and dip it into saltwater, a reminder of the sorrow that comes when we are not free to rejoice in the light. Let us eat and say together:

 ALL: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri      ha-adamah. Blessed are you, Adonai our God, the sovereign of the universe, who creates the growing things of the earth.

 Leader: Joy comes to those who are able to partake in the fruits of their labor, but tears flow from those who are forced to work without return. By tasting the salt water, we remember the tears of our ancestors enslaved, and of all those who are suffering today. May we each be grateful for the blessing of work, ever mindful of our holy obligation to ease suffering wherever we can by giving charity freely and our ability to enjoy the harvest that both work and charity will bring. May our gratitude for the blessings we enjoy help to soften the pain of sorrow and transform all tears from those of  bitterness to those of joy.

Leader: In breaking the matzo, we break the chains of our slavery.  No more will we remain silent when confronted with oppression. No more will we reach look away when we should reach out our hands. No more will we work to free ourselves in ways that, in turn, cause the enslavement of others. For the sake of our                                   redemption, we say together the ancient words which join us with people everywhere and with the beggar in the street– for our   redemption is bound up with the deliverance from bondage of all people, everywhere.

 (The matzo is broken)

 ALL: This is the bread of affliction. This is the poor people’s bread that our ancestors ate as they fled from slavery. All who are hungry, come and eat. All who are in need, come celebrate with us and share in the hope of Passover.

 (The door is opened)

 Leader: Let us open our door not only to the spirit of the prophet Elijah, who it is said will prepare the path of Messiah, but also to the poor, the outcast, the hungry. For how could we decide which is  is the more honored guest? Just as the prophet Elijah teaches us that all true paths lead to peace, so does the prophetess Miriam speak to us today. It was upon her merits that the children of Israel were given a well to ease their thirst as they wandered through the desert. Miriam teaches us to be vigilant during times of hardship and to sing in times of joy.

 (The Leader takes up the broken matzo)

 Leader: This is called the afikomen and will be hidden so that the children may search for it later. The afikomen is a reminder that what is broken off is not really lost, so long as we teach our children to remember and to seek.

The youngest child present should ask the following questions

 Child: Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat either leavened or unleavened bread. Why on this night do we eat only unleavened bread?

On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs. Why on this night do we eat bitter herbs?

On all other nights, we do not dip our herbs into any condiment. Why on this night do we dip them into saltwater and haroses?

 On all other nights, we eat without special celebration. Why on this night do we dine with special ceremony?

Leader: We will tell you the whole story of our Exodus. But first, let us answer your questions, one by one.

Participant: We eat matzo to remind us that when our ancestors were told by Pharaoh that they could leave Egypt, they had no time to let their bread rise, so they removed them from the ovens while the loaves were still flat.

Participant: At the Seder, we eat bitter herbs to remind ourselves of the bitter ness our ancestors experienced when they were oppressed by the Egyptian taskmasters; and to remind ourselves of the bitter lot of those who are caught in the grip of slavery or poverty today.

Participant: We dip things twice during this meal: greens in salt water and bitter herbs in haroses. Once, to replace tears with gratitude and once to sweeten suffering with joy.

Participant: We dine with special ceremony to retell an old, old story of liberation. In reality, it is not ancient, but eternal in it’s message. It proclaims our burning desire to achieve liberty and justice for all.

ALL:  Once, we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. We were brought forth from the land of slavery into a new land of milk and honey. Had we not been rescued from the hand of the tyrant, surely we and our children would still be enslaved.

 Leader: Four times the Torah says “and you shall tell your child on that day.” This charge is repeated because there are many kinds of children and we must answer their questions each in a different way, so that they may understand.

Participant: The Wise Child asks “what is the meaning of our laws and traditions?” This child is able to see beyond what is directly in front of them. To this child, we teach the full history of her people and show her the many parts that make up the whole.

Participant: The Wicked Child asks “what does this ritual mean to you? To this child we say, it is because of what HaShem, the Spirit of the Universe, did for me when I was a slave. We say “what was done for me” because the Wicked Child does not see the Seder as having meaning to them. Because of this, they are still enslaved.

Participant: The Simple Child asks “what is all of this?” To this child we give a straight-forward answer: this is the tradition of our people. Once we were slaves and now we are free.

Participant: For the Child Who Knows Not How to Ask, we take him by the hand and show him how to find the questions.

Leader: God means different things to different people at many different times. Sometimes, we need God to help us be strong, like a rock. Sometimes, we need God to comfort and guide us, like a Shepherdess. So, we have many different names for God: Adonai, the Lord, Most High, Maker of Peace, Rock of Ages, Healer,      Creator, Mother and HaMakom– the Place. Though God is not a person, the names of God show us the different faces of Deity. Let us each seek out that place where God is for us.

Leader: This is the story of slavery and of liberation. This is the story of our ancestors. This is our story.

Participant:  My name is Joseph, and this story begins with me. I came to Egypt as a slave, betrayed by my brothers and sold into a life of bondage. I had always had visions and been an interpreter of dreams and this gift served me well in my captivity. My abilities allowed Egypt to prepare for the most devastating famine anyone could remember and because of this, I became the most powerful man in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. I was reunited with my family and they came to live with me in this land. We lived in peace for generations.

Participant: I am Pharaoh, God-King of Egypt. Joseph is long dead and I do not know his name. I care not who he was. I only care that these Hebrews are outnumbering my own people. They will not take our customs or our names. They are not my people and they do not serve my gods. They WILL serve me. These Hebrews are like rats– no matter what we do to them, they continue to breed.

Participant: My name is Shifrah. My sister Puah and I are the chief midwives to the Hebrew people. Today, we were called before Pharaoh. He has ordered us to kill all the male children. We stood in silence and wept. In my heart, I refused. I will not. I cannot. Pharaoh mistook our silence for compliance.

Participant: I am Puah. My sister Shifrah and I do not obey the Pharaoh’s command and so, we were called before him again as we knew that we would be. We were prepared. We hold him “the Hebrew women are unlike Egyptian women, for they are experts regarding their bodies. Before we even arrive, they have already given birth.” Our story saved our lives, blessed be HaShem, but it will not save the children. We stood and wept silent tears as Pharaoh ordered his soldiers to throw all our Hebrew boys into the Nile.

 Participant: Today, I had a boy. Today, a son was born to Yocheved and Amram. I should be happy, but I can only weep. If the soldiers find him, they will drown him in the river. Instead, I sent him to God’s                                 hands; hiding my youngest son in a basket and sending him floating down the Nile.

Participant: I found a child in the river today. I knew he was a Hebrew child, and a boy at that. He should be left to die, but I cannot. I drew him from the water, from his hiding place amongst the reeds. He will be MY son, my Moses. Should my brother the Pharaoh discover my treachery, I will be killed. May the God of the Hebrews protect my Moses, and my Isis the All-Mother protect me.

Participant: I am Moses, a Prince of Egypt. Why did I save that slave? Why did I kill the Overseer who beat him? It was within his rights to whip a disobedient slave. Yesterday, I was a Prince. Today, I am no different than that slave. Why did she tell me the truth? I am no more than a finely dressed slave...and a murderer as well. I must leave all that I know and love, in order to save my worthless life.

Participant: He came into the land of Midian and married me, Zipporah, daughter of Jethro. He speaks little of his past but I know it was a hard one. Moses named our son Gershom, which means “I have been a stranger in a strange land.” Today, while tending my father’s flock, Moses came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There, my husband says that the God of Abraham and Sarah, of Isaac and Rebecca, Leah and Rachel spoke to him through a burning bush. He says the flames burned with a white-hot intensity and yet the plant stayed lush and verdant green. He says that the Lord told him that he must go back to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh release the Hebrew slaves. And so, we go…

Participant: Yesterday, I was only Aaron, son of Amram and Yocheved, a slave born of slaves. Today, I am the brother of Moses the liberator. I am sent before Pharaoh to speak for my brother. I stand unafraid before the kind and say “thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Let my people go.” He refused, of course.

Participant: The Angel of Death answers to no man. Through the nine plagues, the heart of Pharaoh has remained hard. But tonight comes the tenth plague. Today, I come. And when I depart, the first-born of Egypt shall follow me. The Pharaoh’s son shall follow me.

Participant: On this darkest of nights, I force myself to remember. I am the last of the generation that came to Egypt. I am older than I can remember and have long lost my husband and children to time and Death. The young ones ask one another “how can Serach live so long?” I have long considered it to be a curse. No one should live as a slave for as long as I have– especially when you remember what it is to be free. Tonight, I know why I have continued to breathe. I am the only one who can fulfill the promise to Joseph. I am the only one who remembers where the bones are buried. Tonight, I will be free. Tonight, this old woman will carry Joseph’s bones with his people into freedom.

Participant: We’re across! We’re safe! The waters have rushed to cover the army of Pharaoh, may HaShem be praised. I cannot keep from raising my timbrel and leading the women in joyful song. “Sing to the Spirit of the Universe, for this glorious triumph! The horse and it’s rider have been thrown into the sea!” I dance and the women follow me. I am Miriam, the Prophetess. I am the sister of Moses who crept along the banks of the Nile, keeping watch over my baby brother all those years ago. Sing with me, a song of freedom. Today, the Children of Israel will begin our long journey home– to the land we have not seen for generations.

Leader: This is OUR story. This is the story of our slavery and the story of our flight into freedom. In the Talmud it says that the angels in Heaven rejoiced to see the Egyptian soldiers drowning in the sea.                     God silenced them and asked “how can you sing when My children are dying?” We must remember that freedom carries a heavy cost. We must remember that those we call our enemies are God’s children too. Without this knowledge, our freedom is incomplete. Ten plagues cursed Egypt. They still touch lives and communities today and so we pause in our celebration to remember and to mourn. We spill ten drops from our cups to show that we cannot be completely happy, because others had to die so that we could be free. We honor them and we recognize the ways in which we too, suffer the plagues of Egypt. The blood of tyrants and freedom fighters has watered history. It is incumbent upon us to remember the blood of tyrants and prophets and martyrs and to work to end the letting of blood in God’s name. As we empty one drop of wine for each of these plagues, let us cast them out of hearts, out of lives and our of our world. May we and all people be free.

All: Blood, frogs, live, wild beasts, disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death of the first born.

Leader: As there were plagues in the time of Moses, so too are there plagues that threaten us today. Let us names them together, as we pray that they may be cast out wherever they are found, beginning in our own hearts.

Participant: The making of war

Participant: The teaching of hate and violence

Participant: Despoliation of the earth

Participant: Perversion of justice and government

Participant: Formenting of vice and crime

Participant: Neglect of human needs

Participant: Oppression of nations and peoples

Participant: Corruption of cultures

Participant: Subjugation of science, learning and human discourse

Participant: The erosion of freedoms

Participant: The theft of our voices, autonomy and choice.

After each statement, those gathered should respond with “Dayeinu! It would be sufficient.”

 Leader:  As we have sung of the sufficiency's of our blessings and those received by our ancestors, we must recognize that there are insufficiencies in the world, for which we must accept responsibility:

If we speak truthfully about the pain, joys and contradictions of our lives…

If we listen to others with sensitivity and compassion...

If we fight injustice, sexism, racism and homophobia where we live, work, play and study...

If we continue to joyfully volunteer our time and work and money...

If we create art, music, dance and literature...

If we were realize our power to effect change….

If we bring holiness into our lives, homes and communities…

If we honor our visions more than our fears...

All: Dayeinu, v’lo dayeinu– It will, and will not be, enough.

All:  Blessed are you, Spirit of the Universe, where we can find renewal and peace.

  The Cup of Freedom

Leader: Now we are ready to drink the second cup of wine. This is the cup of freedom. Freedom from slavery is not possible until we become aware of our bondage. It is said that the Children of Israel had                                     become content in Egypt. Until they realized that they were slaves, they could not be freed. It is for this reason that we tell the story of our liberation tonight. Without remembering and retelling, we risk forgetting the sweetness of freedom and the danger of complacency. If we fail to recall the Exodus, we risk losing our resolve to fight for the liberation of all people, everywhere.

All: With this cup, we commit ourselves anew to the memory and the struggle, until all people, everywhere, live in peace and freedom.

Leader: Baruch atah Adonai, ga’al Yisrael. Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p’re hagafen.

Leader: Gamaliel said “whoever does not explain the following three things has not fulfilled the Passover Obligation: namely, the Passover sacrifice, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs.” We do  this to remind ourselves that this is our story– not just that of our ancestors.

Participant: Matzo is the bread of affliction, which the Hebrews took with them as they fled Egypt. Each year, we eat matzo as a reminder that we too, were freed from slavery.

Participant: Maror and Chazeret, the bitter herbs, symbols of slavery and oppression. They remind us that even a bitter meal can sustain us in times of need.

Leader:  It was the practice of Rabbi Hillel, at the time when the Temple stood in Jerusalem, to combine matzo and maror and eat them together. He did this to carry out the injunction concerning the Passover sacrifice: “they shall eat the paschal lamb with the matzo and maror together.”

All: Together they shall be: the matzo of freedom and the maror of slavery, for in the time of freedom we there is knowledge of servitude and in times of bondage there is hope for redemption.

Leader: We remember our slavery and our liberation. But just as it was we, and not our ancestors only, who were liberated in Egypt, so it is we, and not our ancestors only, who live in slavery. Our slavery is not over and our liberation is not complete. The task of liberation is long and it is work we must do for ourselves.  What is the task of liberation?

All: The same Rabbi Hillel answers in three questions: If we are not for ourselves, who will be for us? If we are for ourselves only, what are we? And if not now, when?