Welcome! We come together, a collection of those who are Jewish and Jew ish,  proximal to or in loving relationship with Jews, those who are Jews by choice or becoming-Jews. We come here across vast distances and representing many identities and experiences. It’s perfect that we participate in a seder together, for the seder itself has brought Jews together across time and all the world. We, like all those many others, respect this tradition while we make it our own. 

All spiritual growth is internal based upon prayer, meditation, self-observations, as well as the effort that changes our behavior, thoughts and feelings. So, in some sense, ritual does not serve inherent purpose. Yet every culture, religion and nation has rituals. They are effective as reminders to think about reality and life’s inner meaning. They also serve as an invitation to pause in thanksgiving.

The goal then is to look beyond the ritual for the deeper meaning. With recognition of the real power of rituals, we begin to approach them with deeper devotion. Holiness is not a random event; it is a choice we make, a state of being and a quality of consciousness. A Passover Seder is a powerful reminder to pay attention to the things that matter most within ourselves and within the world in which we live.

In every generation it is our duty to look upon ourselves as if we had gone forth from Egypt. Haggadah means the Telling, the story of the slavery, the awakening, and the liberation, which has evolved over many centuries. The Telling continues to change to reflect the times. For more than two millennia Jews have used the Seder ritual as a call to begin working on healing and transforming the world. We come together this evening as Jews and as a family and friends to share our lives and the ritual of telling the story of the Exodus.

Like the blind men trying to describe an elephant, the best we can do is use a variety of words/names for God. If any make you uncomfortable, substitute another one: Adonai,  Source,  Oneness, HaShem (The Name), Divine Consciousness, Shekhina (Feminine aspect of The One, in Hebrew) Ayn Sof (Without end, in Hebrew), etc.

This blessing can be recited as we light the candles to begin the Passover Seder and to celebrate the arrival of spring:

Blessed is the light in the world.
Blessed is the light within humanity.
Blessed is the light of Passover.

Barukh ha-or ba-olam
Barukh ha-or ba-adam
Barukh ha-ror ba-Pesakh

(If this blessing is different or new to you: Judaism is a constantly evolving conversation, practice, and identity. This text has been used by tens of thousands of Jews over the past fifty years.)

Roasted Shank Bone (Zeroah)

“Passover is the amalgamation of two ancient festivals—one called Pesach, the other Chag Hamatzot. Pesach was originally a shepherd festival, observed in the early spring when the sheep gave birth to their young. It was customary for each family to sacrifice a lamb to assure a healthy flock. The presence of the shank bone on our seder table recalls the primitive beginnings of the festival we now call Passover and impresses us with the antiquity of our holiday celebration.”

— Rabbi Daniel Friedman, Haggadah for Passover

Beet (Selek)

[Some substitute a roasted beet for the shank bone at vegan/vegetarian Seders.]

“The redness of the beet symbolizes the blood of the Passover sacrifice. Our tradition tells us that Moses was chosen because he showed compassion to a lamb. We will show compassion by substituting the beet for the lamb. Our compassion extends to our care and devotion to all people and creatures.”

— Barry Swan, Madrikh (Ceremonial Leader), The Seder, Beth Haskalah, Rochester, NY

Roasted Egg (Baytzah)

“Baytzah, the egg, is a universal symbol of birth, whole- ness, and potentiality, as folk customs to this day amply attest. Curiously though, the egg on the seder plate always appears roasted. This is taken by some scholars to sym- bolize the other Temple sacrifices at Passover. Much more interesting, however, is the lesser known symbolic of the egg with mourning, which helps to account for the ritual, in some communities, of eating eggs directly following a burial ceremony.... This fascinating connection is almost certainly the origin of serving hard-boiled egg in salt water prior to the rest of the festive meal.”

— Oraynu Congregation, Roots and Branches, Toronto, Ontario

Seeds (Z’raeem)

[Some substitute seeds for the egg at vegan/vegetarian Seders.]

“Baytsa is the seed of life. Each of us begins as a seed and grows into womanhood or manhood. The seed is our potential. It is the power of our evolutionary past and the gift of our human inheritance. But the seed is fragile.... Growing life needs warmth and love, and security. It needs guidance, hope, and vision. Birth is only the beginning. Human life needs the gentle care of others. Life needs the encouragement of family and friends, and community.”

— Barry Swan, Madrikh (Ceremonial Leader), The Seder, Beth Haskalah, Rochester, NY

Bitter Herbs (Maror)

“Maror is the bitterness of the bitter herb. Tradition says that this root is the reminder of the suffering of slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we more readily value pleasure. Scholars inform us that our ancestors ate bitter herbs at the time of the spring festival. The sharpness of the taste reawakened their senses and made them feel as one with the revival of nature. Maror is the stimulus of life remind- ing us that struggle is better than boredom, that striving in the equal of serenity.”

— Rabbi Sherwin Wine, The Humanist Haggadah

Matzah

“Matzah is the bread of our freedom. Legend has it that when our ancestor fled Egypt they moved so quickly that the bread they baked did not have time to rise. Scholars tell us that in ancient Israel flat bread was baked from the unfermented grain of the spring harvest to celebrate the newness of the reborn earth. Matzah is the bread of dignity, preferring liberty to luxury, avoiding pretense. It is the bread of life, rejecting the cold slavery of winter, affirming the warm vitality of spring.”

— Rabbi Sherwin Wine, The Humanist Haggadah

Haroset

“Haroset is a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine. Tradition tells us it is a reminder of the bricks and mortar our ancestors made as slaves in Egypt. The sweetness summons us never to forget the sweet taste of freedom. As we call to mind the sweetness in the shadow of bitterness, and pleasure in the shadow of pain, may we become more aware of the experience of opposites during our lifetime. Let us appreciate that life is full only when we experience the full range of human emotion, including its opposite polarities.”

— Rabbi Miriam Jerris, Passover Haggadah, Unpublished

Karpas

“Passover heralds the arrival of spring. Ancient Israelites perceived a natural connection between the rebirth of the land and the rebirth of their people. Our seder acknowledg- es this link with the karpas, a green vegetable... We dip the karpas in salt water, representing the tears that the Israel- ites shed as slaves in Egypt. In this way we combine a token of spring with the Exodus narrative.”

— Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick, A Humanistic Seder

Orange (Tapooz)

“The orange is on the seder plate to remind us that the Seder is always growing and new symbols can be included in our celebration with evolving messages of their own. And to remind us that all people have a legitimate place in Jewish life, no less than an orange on a seder plate, regardless of gender or sexual identity.”

— Rabbi Peter Schweitzer, The Liberated Haggadah

Tomato - 
" This tomato brings our attention to the oppression and liberation of farmworkers who harvest fruits and vegetables here in the United States. And it reminds of us of our power to help create justice."

Cannabis Flower/Leaf

"Tonight we introduce a new item on the Seder plate, a single cannabis leaf, the aleh yarok. Cannabis (bud, ganja, dagga, chronic, kind, herb, etc.) is a symbol of protest and a symbol of freedom. The freedom to control one’s own body and mind is the ultimate expression of liberty."
- Roy & Claire Kaufman
 

Aloe Vera Plant

I am choosing to add yet another item to the ever-increasingly crowded ritual seder plate. The aloe vera plant at this time symbolizes the healing and harming powers of nature. Its outer rough edge can cause harm - like the coronavirus taking hold of the entire global population at this moment, yet its inner juices are healing both on their own, and when mixed with other elements as is happening around the world right now to create healing salves and homemade hand sanitizers.

In joy and celebration, we come together at this seder.

Brukhim ha-adama ha-shemesh v’ha-geshem shehborim pre hagafen. Blessed are the earth, the sun, and the rains that bring forth the fruit of the wine. 

The wine of Passover is the wine of joy, the wine of love, the wine of celebration, the wine of freedom:

Freedom from bondage and freedom from oppression,

Freedom from hunger and freedom from want,

Freedom from hatred and freedom from fear,

Freedom to think and freedom to speak,

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn,

Freedom to love and freedom to share,

Freedom to hope and freedom to rejoice,

Soon, now, in our days, and forever.

Precious is the life within the world.

Precious in the life within us.

Praised are those who bring forth the fruit of the vine

L’chaim!

May we consume our cannabis as free and responsible people, as expressions of our joy and our freedoms. Given that cannabis is one of the most fragrant of spices, this is a fitting blessing for tonight’s celebration.

Baruch atah Adonay Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam boreh minei besamim -  Blessed are you, Adonay, Source of Life, who gives us the fragrant herbs.

Water is life. Life is sacred. "Save a life, and it is as if you have saved a world."

For those who travel on foot through the borderlands, water is an essential component of the journey.  It is a privilege to be able to use water for a ritual like urchatz, and as we purify our hands, we think of those who thirst in the desert. As we have access to plentiful soaps, we do our parts to preserve the sanctity of life and community.

We wash our hands now, with no blessing, to help us prepare for the rituals of the Seder to come. In doing our parts to wash hands, we are stopping the spread of disease and each one of us is actively saving worlds.

Take the water, pour it over your hands three times, alternating between hands with each pour. 

Pause and give thanks for ready access to clean, safe water, bountiful disinfectants, and consider what symbolism you see in spilling water tonight. 

Choose from among the spring vegetables on the Seder table and dip one in salt water.

The spring vegetable reminds us to pay attention to this season, the time in the northern hemisphere when we again see flowers blooming and hear birds chirping.  The salt water in which we dip the vegetable recalls the salty tears our ancestors shed when they were enslaved as well the tears of those today who are oppressed or enslaved.  The blessing we recite heightens our awareness and gratitude for this moment, when we are free to celebrate together.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה עוֹלָמֵנוּ, יָחִיד וּמְיוּחָד

.בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאַדָמָה

Ba-rookh a-ta o-la-may-noo, ya-cheed u-m'yoo-chad, bo-ray p'ree ha-a-da-ma.

Blessed are you, unique world of ours, for producing the fruit of the earth. 

Some households serve a salad of seasonal vegetables at this point, to take the edge off people's hunger and thus to allow greater ease for telling and discussing the Passover story.

Leader: We have drunk the wine and tasted the special foods of the Passover celebration. They symbolize our attachment to the traditions of our culture, to freedom, and to life. To remind us of these values as we go back out into the world, at the end of our festival meal, we shall return to have a final taste of matzah - our symbol of suffering and liberation, of renewal in nature and humanity.

I am breaking this matzah into two pieces. One half I will return to the table.

[Leader breaks a matzah, sets down half, and holds up half as the afikoman.]

The other half I will wrap in a napkin and save until the end of the meal. This piece is called the 'Afikoman'

Without it the seder cannot end, so I must make sure that it does not get lost. Of course, I am very forgetful, so I may need help finding it if I do misplace it. In fact, I manage to lose it every year - it ends up seemingly "hidden" (tsaphun). So just figure that I'll be asking all you younger folks to help me find it pretty soon.

"On Passover, Jews are commanded to tell the story of the Exodus and to see ourselves as having lived through that story, so that we may better learn how to live our lives today. The stories we tell our children shape what they believe to be possible.." - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg

This is a supplement prepared by Rabbi Jeffrey Falick, a secular humanistic rabbi, addressing the modern archeological discoveries about the exodus and origins of the Israelites.  It blends the ancient story with the newly uncovered information to help keep the seder relevant even for those who do not regard the Torah as a history book.  

----------------------------------------------------------- 

Leader: The great scientist Carl Sagan wrote: Just when we’ve finally understood something [that] scientists are talking about, they tell us it isn’t any longer true.  And even if it is, there’s a slew of new things - things we never heard of, things difficult to believe, things with disquieting implications - that they claim to have discovered recently.  Scientists can be perceived as toying with us….

Sagan was writing about physics, but he just as well might have been referring to historical archeology.  Less than 100 years ago, scholars still believed that the basics of our Exodus tale were true in most details.  But then they started digging.  And soon it became clear that the story we had told ourselves for millennia was not true in its details.  

Together: That’s when they made an astonishing discovery:  There had been no mass Exodus from Egypt.  The Israelites were natives of the Land of Israel.  They were Canaanites themselves!

Leader: Our ancestors were Canaanites living in their own land.  But they were not free and Egypt was not innocent.  For while they might not have been slaves IN Egypt, we discovered that they were slaves TO Egypt.

What history revealed was a story every bit as wondrous as the myth of Moses and the Exodus.  It is a narrative of Egyptian conquest of the Land of Israel and how the Pharaoh Ahmose and his descendants established a crippling system of corvée labor among the peasants of the land.  

Together: It is the story of kings of Canaan who bowed to the Pharaohs.  They forced their own people to abandon family fields and to work their royal lands.  

Reader: From their midst arose bands of rebels who led a peasant revolt and soon Israel was freed from the yoke of the Egyptians.  Archeology shows that tribes and towns began to form, bringing together the disparate rebels.  In a long, complicated and gradual process they became known as the Israelites.  They did not conquer the land from abroad, but they fought fiercely to unite their brothers and sisters so that they might thrive in their homeland.

Together: Here’s another question on a night of questions.  Why did people who were native to the Land of Israel tell a story in which they were outsiders?  

Reader: Exoduses from Egypt to Israel and back were common occurrences.  The Nile provided a more constant source of water than Israel’s rains.  This ongoing dependence was a kind of servitude, too.  In short, Egypt dominated everything in the entire region for generations.

Perhaps the real story was too complicated and perhaps, like us, the Israelites needed a clear and simple narrative in order to appreciate the significance of freedom and to celebrate their special attachment to a land that was always claimed and conquered by others.  

Together: The details are buried in history, but history gives wings to legends and legends yield heroes like Moses.

Reader: Over hundreds and hundreds of years, the story of this successful rebellion and the freedom it brought transformed  into the tale of one great man, dedicated to justice and liberation for his people.  Like the rebels of history, he challenged a Pharaoh and brought freedom to his people.  And he came to represent the hundreds or perhaps thousands who fought to be free…. 

Together: It is his story - now our story - that we tell tonight.

Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick, Revised for Pesach, 2011/5771 
http://www.TheAtheistRabbi.com 

Mah nishtanah ha-lailah ha-zeh mi-kol ha-leilot? mi-kol ha-leilot? 
Why is this night different from all other nights?

She-b-khol ha-leilot `anu `okhlin hamets u-matsah, hamets u-matsah, ha-lailah ha-zeh ha-lailah ha-zeh kulo matsah? 
On all other nights we eat either bread or matsah. Why, on this night, do we eat only matsah?

She-b-khol ha-leilot `anu `okhlin sh'`ar y'raqot, sh'`ar y'raqot, ha-lailah ha-zeh, ha-lailah ha-zeh maror, maror? 
On all other nights we eat herbs of any kind. Why, on this night, do we eat only bitter herbs?

She-b-khol ha-leilot `ein `anu matbilin `aphilu pa'am `ehat, `aphilu pa'am `ehat, ha-lailah ha-zeh ha-lailah ha-zeh sh'tei ph'amim? 
On all other nights, we do not dip our herbs even once. Why, on this night, do we dip them twice?

She-b-khol ha-leilot `anu `okhlin bein yoshvin u-vein m'subin, bein yoshvin u-vein m'subin, ha-lailah ha-zeh, ha-lailah ha-zeh kulanu m'subin? 
On all other nights, we eat either sitting or leaning. Why, on this night, do we eat while leaning?

Leader:
As we continue our seder, we will answer these four questions about what makes this night different from all other nights. 

I would like to include additional questions here:

- Our world is different right now, but consider how is this night the same for you, as other nights? 

- What privileges are we able to exercise to make this time feel similar to other times?

- What are you doing to take advantage and make the most of the new differences in our lives and our worlds?

ANOTHER SET OF ANSWERS

Traditionally the Torah speaks of the four types of sons to describe the four types of Jews. Tonight we will speak of four different people using this ritual to share their spirituality: (1) the Traditionalist, who is active, knowledgeable and involved in his or her Judaism, (2) the Humanist or Secular Jew, who has a sense of the Jewish community that drives his or her social activism, (3) the Buddhist, whose heritage is at least partly Jewish, but who seeks enlightenment through other paths, (4) the Friend, a non-Jewish person interested enough to join us this evening. Each of these represents attitudes and questions concerning the nature of this ritual and the nature of being a Jew in today’s world.

Traditionalist: Why do we find a need for this non-traditional Seder?  We need a Seder that articulates the Divine in Creation, in Nature, in Love and in both traditional Judiasm and Eastern Philosophies. Although our theologies may differ, we are all sharing a universal experience that leads to an increased awareness of Ayn Sof in our lives. One of the messages of Jewish history is that we are a chosen people when we choose Hashem. What has been unsaid, is that we are special because everyone is a special child of God. This non-traditional Seder seeks to include everyone in the Telling of the liberation from Egypt. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord, and shall be my people; and I will dwell within your midst. Zechariah 2:11

Humanist: Why are we having a Seder at all?  Jewish tradition speaks of working for tikkun olam, the healing of the world. Jews have often been at the forefront of social change movements. It is time we recognize that our Jewish heritage can motivate us toward inner work that may result in increased social justice. As Jews, we can be leaders in recognizing and sharing the process of healing the pain of the world. The Passover story is the story of our ongoing struggle for liberation and this ritual is a celebration of past liberation struggles of Jews and of all people. The ritual is a renewal of our commitment to being part of the ongoing process of liberation from the many internal and external Pharaohs who would oppress us.

Buddhist: What does the Seder mean to you? To be fully who we are, we must claim all parts of ourselves. Only when we quiet our minds, and recognize and acknowledge our internal oppression can we truly work to end it. The Dalai Lama says that the first step in changing the world is trying to improve ourselves, which “brings change within yourself. That will help change your family. From there it just gets bigger and bigger. Everything we do has some effect, some impact.” We live in a world of ideas, and when ideas are shared they spread. When others incorporate peaceful and compassionate ideas into their own lives and belief systems, those ideas become much stronger. This Seder is about sharing and reinforcing the essential truths that comes from all spiritual paths. Every human being desires freedom from suffering. Having learned that it ispossible to escape from suffering, we are called to participate in the healing and transformation of all humanity. This message is essential to humanity’s growth and development. Differing cultures and backgrounds necessitate many paths to guide people to enlightenment.

Friend: Where do I fit into this festival? The story of Passover is the story of an ongoing struggle of liberation. In various ways, we are all committed to moving towards freedom and enlightenment. As non-Jewish people joining in the celebration of a Jewish holiday of freedom, we look at our own heritage and our struggle for freedom. We see our shared oppression as women, as men, as people of color, as __________, or as members of any other oppressed group. We hear the call to work for freedom for everyone.

The Passover Seder has a series of 'fours' in its text. There are four cups of wine, four questions, and a discussion about four types of children. People throughout the ages have pondered - who are the four children? Are they among us? Are they within us? This reading about the four children is different from many others.

Our version deals with the continuing struggle in the Middle East between Israel and her Arab neighbors.

The Angry Child asks, "Why should I compromise?"
And we answer that we choose the route of compromise because the alternative is the mutual destruction, both moral and physical, of our two people. If we fail to compromise we will lose a vision of the future for our children.

The Naive Child asks, "Why can't we just love each other?"
And we answer that neither of us can live as if history has not happened. Unfortunately, too much blood has already been shed on both sides. It takes time to build trust.

The Frightened Child asks, "How can I be safe?"
And we answer that we are both afraid. Neither of us will be safe until the other is safe.

The Wise Child asks, "Why don't we share the land in peace?"
We will hope for, and work toward, peace in the Middle East.

SONG:
Redemption Song
Bob Marley
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental
slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look? Ooh
Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the Book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental
slavery
None but…

It saddens us that any struggle for freedom involves suffering. Generally, we drink wine to rejoice. Therefore, for each plague we take out a drop of wine from our cup. This way we do not rejoice over the suffering of others. The plagues that, we are told, afflicted the Egyptians were:

 (Take a drop of wine out of your cup for each plague)

 ALL:

1- blood 

2- frogs 

3- vermin 

4-beasts 

5- boils  

6- cattle disease 

7- locusts 

8- hail 

9- darkness

10- slaying of first born

Our world today is still greatly troubled. Let us take a moment to recognize the 11th plague challenging all of humanity and our lives at this time - The viral plague of COVID-19 itself, coupled with international under-preparedness and un-cooperation. 

Many people perished during the plagues and the suffering was great. Pharaoh remained obstinate. However, with the tenth plague, the death of the first born, a great cry went up throughout Egypt. On that night, the Hebrews marked their door posts with the blood of the paschal lamb so the Angel of Death would 'pass over' their homes. Thus, the name Passover for this holiday. Pharaoh finally ordered Moses to take the Jewish people out of Egypt.

After the slaves hurriedly left, the Pharaoh had a change of heart and the Egyptian army pursued them. Legend has it that when Moses and his people came to the Red Sea, the waters parted to allow them to cross. The Egyptians followed and were engulfed when the waters returned. Thus, the Exodus from Egypt was complete.

Whether the waters actually parted overlooks the inner meaning of this event; when the Hebrews reached the edge of the desert and found the courage to continue, the Sea of Obstacles parted and they walked toward freedom.

-------

As the pain of others diminishes our own joys, let us once more diminish the wine of our festival as we imagine a new list of plagues, 10 Modern Plagues of the Drug War.

One, the criminalization of nature
Two, the suppression of science and information
Three, the prison-industrial complex
Four, the radically undemocratic and unequal
application of laws
Five, the systemic violence against the poor
Six, the denial of medicine to the sick and dying
Seven, the destruction of families
Eight, the isolation of stigma and shame
Nine, the perversion and erosion of a faithful justice
system
Ten, the perpetuation of violence by those sworn to
protect us

(raise second cup of wine)

The fate of every Jew is bound up with the fate of the Jewish people and the destiny of the Jewish people cannot be separated from the destiny of all humanity. Let us drink this cup of wine to symbolize our pledge to break the bonds of slavery for all who are not free.

L'CHAIM!
(Drink the second cup of wine)

At this point in our festivity, let us reflect upon the significance of Passover. Passover celebrates freedom. Can we be free while others are not?   If there are people anywhere who are oppressed, then we cannot celebrate Passover with a clear conscience.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. 
Injustice to any people is a threat to justice to ALL people.
I will not remain silent in the face of injustice."
— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At the seder we say/sing that:

If we had been brought out of Egypt, Dayenu

If we had received Torah, Dayenu

If we had received Manna, Dayenu

Etc.

Dayenu means “it would have been enough.” The idea is to be grateful for what one has; to count our blessings. Think of dayenu as a template for gratitude. 

But think, too, about how actually it is to enough to be satisfied when there is still suffering and oppression. Some say “lo dayenu,” meaning, “it is not enough.” 

When we are free and others are not, lo dayenu

We work to find the balance between being grateful for what is right with our lives and with the world, and also striving for more that fulfills us and more that increases justice in the world. 

From Marti Keller:

DAH YAY NU “ It would have been enough.”

Everyone Join in Song ( we will just sing the Chorus)

EE-LOO HO-TSI AH-NOO

HO-TSI AH-NOO MEE-MITS-RAY-YEEM

HO-TSI AH-NOO MEE MITS-RA-YEEM

DAH YAY-NOO.

DAH-DAH YAY-NOO, DAH DAH YAY-NOO

DAH DAH YAY-NOO, DAH=YAY NOO DAH YAY NOO

Dayenu- the recognition of and giving of blessings of life, no matter what trials. No matter what we have been given to work with.

It is after the telling of the parting of the Sea of Reeds and the Egyptian army has been turned back, after Miriam, Moses' sister, dances as she crosses over the shallow river bed that the Dayenu is sung. We are told that the Dayenu is a blessing is for all that led to the deliverance of the Jewish people. The traditional Dayenu has 15 verses, shaped and modified over the centuries:15 different thanks and praises.

Dayenu. Dayenu. Dayenu.

One rabbi has said that it is a Zen Koan in the midst of a bible story. Even before we are freed, we are given enough, we are given what we need. In the story of the Exodus, even before we are given the tablets of laws, we are given enough, we are given what we need. Even before we cross into the Promised Land, even if we never reach it, we are given what we need.

The story of the Exodus, the Passover myth, the Dayenu blessings, remind us of the difference between freedom—being released from captivity or slavery from being physically bound or imprisoned—and true liberation from all the emotional and social oppressions that keep us captive. The kind of liberation that finally frees us from just surviving, the most superficial safety, and allows for the kind of salvation and redemption that in freeing us, frees the whole world…

As one Passover Hagadaah urges us- we can sing Dah Yay Nu to celebrate each step we take toward liberation as if it were enough and then start on the next step. We can say today, though, these gifts are not enough unless we apply these lessons to our daily lives. The freedom struggle continues and there are many wrongs we must right before we are fully satisfied. *

Full liberation for all.

Passover Haggadah Congregation Kol Chaim 1999

DAYENU

If He had given us doctors and nurses, it would have been enough – dayenu!

If He had given us doctors and nurses, but not given us amazing teachers – dayenu!

If He had given us amazing teachers, but not given us the Internet – dayenu!

If He had given us the Internet, but not given us Instacart and Hangouts – dayenu!

If He had given us Instacart and Hangouts, but not given us Birks and Fauci – dayenu!

If He had given us Birks and Fauci, but not given us Inslee, Whitmer, and Cuomo – dayenu!

If He had given us Inslee, Whitmer, and Cuomo, but not given us truckers and grocery clerks – dayenu!

God bless them all.

Once again, we pass around a clean bowl of water to pour over our fingers and a towel for drying. This time we make a blessing.

,בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה עוֹלָמֵנוּ, יָחִיד וּמְיוּחָד

אֲשֶׁר לִמֵּד אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאוֹתָנוּ 

.עַל נְטִילַת יָדָיִם

Blessed are you, unique world of ours,

for teaching our ancestors and us

to make a sacred custom of washing our hands before meals.

From ReformJudaism.org

Source of Blessing:
Our lives are in turmoil
our hearts heavy
help us to cope
with this modern plague
we are worried for our families,
we are concerned for our communities,
our world is on the brink. 
           Bless us with strength.

Source of Mercy: 
We pray for courage
to stay strong
for those in our care,
and for ourselves.
We pray for insight
to act in loving ways
to keep our communities safe.
            Bless us with strength.

Source of Hope:
We pray for those
who are at greatest risk
vulnerable and scared
isolated and lonely,
and for those heroes
leading on the front lines
who keep us alive and fed.
            Bless us with strength.

Source of Life:
Throughout history
our people has faced plagues,
forced expulsions, slavery,
exile and extermination.
We have walked in narrow places
wandered many deserts
Sustain us now,
             Bless us with strength.  

Source of Love:
We celebrate our fortitude 
our shared history
the traditions which
have gifted us the DNA,
spiritual armor
to overcome
this modern imprisonment.
             Bless us with strength.

Source of Healing:
We give thanks for the gifts
sometimes taken for granted
our homes, our families,
friends, communities,
We are blessed to connect with
technology and computers.
May we honor this sharing.
             Bless us with strength.

Source of Courage:
Quell our anxiety,
keep us safe
help us continue to pray
sing and study
We see the light of redemption
Just beyond the horizon.
Let us virtually join hands
and march together
towards the promised land.
             Bless us with freedom.

Amen.

[Matsah held up for all to see.]

MATSAH - Why do we eat matsah?
Matsah is the symbol of our affliction and our freedom. Legend has it that when Moses and his followers fled Egypt, they moved so quickly that the bread they baked did not have time to rise.

However, scholars have noted that long before the Jews celebrated Passover, Middle Eastern farmers celebrated a spring festival of unleavened bread. This was a festival where unleavened bread was made from the fresh barley grain newly harvested at this time of the year.

The old fermented dough was thrown out so that last year's grain would not be mixed with this year's. Therefore, the new season began with the eating of unleavened bread - matsah. Later on, the Jewish people incorporated this agricultural festival into the celebration of freedom and renewal we now call Passover.

Leader:
Let us now say a blessing for the matsah.

A BLESSING FOR THE UNLEAVENED BREAD
NOTSI` MATSAH- LET US BRING FORTH MATSAH

Leader:

Notsi`matsah-lehem min ha-`arets
- k'dei she-nistapeq v'-nit-kalkelkula-nu.

Everyone:

Let us bring forth matsah - food from the land -
so we all may be satisfied and sustained.

Leader:
Let us all now eat a piece of matsah.

[Maror held up for all to see.]

MAROR--Why do we eat maror?
Tradition says that this bitter herb is to remind us of the time of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure.

Scholars inform us that bitter herbs were eaten at spring festivals in ancient times. The sharpness of the taste awakened the senses and made the people feel at one with nature's revival. Thus, maror is the stimulus of life, reminding us that struggle is better than the complacent acceptance of injustice.

Leader:
As a blessing for the maror, let us all sing this song about striving to be fully human.
Then we will all take a taste of horseradish on a piece of matsah.  

LIH'YOT `ISH - TO BE FULLY HUMAN  (Mishnah, Pirqei `Avot 2.6)

Ba-maqomshe-`ein`anashim, hishtaddel lih'yot `ish.
Where people are less than human, strive to be fully human. 

Nothing has contributed more to the systematic mass incarceration of people of color in the United States than the war on drugs... Convictions for drug offenses are the single most important cause of the explosion incarceration rates in the United States The United States imprisons a larger percentage of its black population than South Africa did at the height of apartheid.

In Washington DC, our nation’s capital, it is estimated that three out of four young black men (and nearly all those in the poorest neighborhoods) can expect to serve time in prison…as many as 80% of young AfricanAmerican men now have criminal records and are thus subject to legalized discrimination for the rest of their lives. - Prof. Michelle Alexander

You will not find an orange included in any ancient Haggadah. It is a brand new tradition and it demonstrates just how quickly new traditions can spread. 

Its origins lie in a fable that some university students invented for a feminist Haggadah in the 1980s. It tells the story of a girl who asks a rabbi about the placein Judaism for a lesbian. The angri rabbi retorts, "There's as much room for a lesbian in Judaism as there is for a crust of bread on the Seder plate."

When a prominent professor of Jewish studies came across the students' Haggadah, it gave her an idea for a new ritual. Placing bread on her Seder plate was out of the question. This, she believed, who suggest that people who were different violated Judaism. But maybe another symbol might do the trick. She selected the orange, noting that "it suggests the fruitfulness for all Jews when lesbians and gay men are contributing and active members of Jewish life."

Today thousands of Jews around the world place an orange on their Seder plate. It serves as a proud statement of inclusivity. 

Refugee and French Jewish orphans celebrate Passover together in 1947.

The Afikomen is the last piece of matza to be eaten at the Seder. It is part of the middle matza that has been hidden at the beginning of the Seder. The Afikomen must be eaten before the Seder can be completed. 

Traditionally, the children try to find it and are then in a good position to bargain with the leader to get it back. This symbolizes the right of children to be heard and to be involved in family decisions and of their importance in our future.

Although everyone will eat a last piece of matzah, the search for the afikomen will be different because of the number of children present.

Song: Hiney Mah Tov

Hiney mah tov
U-mah-na-tim
She-vet a-khim-gam-ya-khad

Behold how good and how pleasing for brothers (people) to sit together in unity.

The legends of our Rabbinic sages teach us that a miraculous well of healing waters accompanied the children of Israel throughout their journey in the desert, providing them with water. This well was given to Miriam, the prophetess, to honor her bravery and devotion to the Jewish people. According to the legend, both Miriam and her well provided comfort and gave our forbearers the faith and confidence to overcome the hardships of the Exodus. We fill Miriam’s cup with water to honor her contribution to the Jewish people. Like Miriam, Jewish women in all generations have been essential for the continuity of our people. Women passed down songs and stories, rituals and recipes, from mother to daughter, from generation to generation. Let us each fill the cup of Miriam with water from our own glasses, so that our children may continue to draw from the strength and wisdom of our heritage.

We place Miriam’s cup on our Seder table to honor the important and often unrecognized role of Jewish women in our tradition and history, to tell their stories that have been too sparingly told.
 

Let us drink the third cup of wine to the heroism of the Jewish fighters who fought in the ghettos, the forests, on the war fronts together with the righteous gentiles and all of decent humanity to stop the curse of fascism from engulfing the earth. Let us be true to their memory by being ever vigilant to the cause of peace and freedom in our land and throughout the world.

L'CHAIM!

In the sacred memory of the twelve million people who died in the holocaust we light this candle. And we light it also for the future…our future in a world of peace, justice and freedom.

(Light Candle)

On the Seder night, we open the door for Elijah the Prophet, and we place a cup of wine on the table especially for him.

Our hopes have long been centered around Elijah since legends suggest that he will herald the time of complete human freedom. But he will come only when people have prepared the way for him. This simply means that we, the all, are Elijah. We must liberate ourselves from prejudice and injustice. We must truly listen to each other for better iunderstanding. We need to remember our goal of creating a world where all people will be free, just as we were liberated from slavery in ancient Egypt.

Song: Eliyahu Ha'Navi

E-lee-ah-hu hah-nah-vee     
E-lee-ah-hu hah-tish-bee    
E-lee-ah-hu A-lee-ah-hu    
E-lee-ah-hu ha-gil-a-dee    

Bim-hay-rah B'yah-may-nu
Yah-voh a-lay-nu
Eem mah-she-ach ben-David
Eem-mah-she-ach ben-David

E-lee-ah-hu hah-nah-vee
E-lee-ah-hu hah-tish-bee
E-lee-ah-hu A-lee-ah-hu
E-lee-ah-hu ha-gil-a-dee

Translation: Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah the Gileadite, Come to us quickly and in our day.

FOURTH CUP OF WINE

(The Cup of Responsibility, The Liberated Haggadah, Rabbi Peter Schweitzer)

Tonight we are free, while so many remain enslaved.

Let us not stand idly by.

Let us work to bring them freedom too.

Tonight we are free, while so many remain embittered.

Let us not stand idly by.

Let us work to bring them gladness too.

For freedom does not come by chance.

It is born of earnest struggle.

It is the gift of life, which we must now bring to others.

Precious is the life within the world.

Precious in the life within us.

Praised are those who bring forth the fruit of the vine

L’chaim!

For centuries, at the Seder’s conclusion, Jews repeated the phrase “next year in Jerusalem”. They longed for their homeland. It would be comforting to end this story in the land of milk and honey. But, in fact, there will be no land of milk and honey until all groups can put aside their differences and come together in peace.

Leader: [Announces the name of the child or children who found the `afikoman.]
Let us continue our seder by eating one last little piece of matsah to leave us with the taste of freedom's struggles.

[Everyone eat a last piece of matsah.]

Now, let us conclude our seder.

Everyone:

We have recalled struggles against slavery and injustice.
We have sung of freedom and peace.
We revisited times of persecution and times of fulfillment.
Only half a century ago, Nazis committed the crimes of the Holocaust.
Today, as Jews in the United States, we are more free than at any other time.

Yet Jewish history shows that life is ever-changing,
and we must learn how to survive under all conditions.
When we are persecuted, we must struggle for our own freedom.
The more freedom we attain,
the more we must help others attain freedom.

This is the lesson of Passover. This is why we celebrate the Festival of Freedom. 

We pledge to rise up in Revolutionary Love.

We declare our love for all who are in harm’s way, including refugees, immigrants, Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, LGBTQIA people, Black people, Latinx, the indigenous, the disabled, and the poor. We stand with millions of people around the globe rising up to end violence against women and girls (cis, transgender and gender non-conforming) who are often the most vulnerable within marginalized communities. We vow to see one another as brothers and sisters and fight for a world where every person can flourish.

We declare love even for our opponents. We vow to oppose all executive orders and policies that threaten the rights and dignity of any person. We call upon our elected officials to join us, and we are prepared to engage in moral resistance throughout this administration. We will fight not with violence or vitriol, but by challenging the cultures and institutions that promote hate. In so doing, we will challenge our opponents through the ethic of love.

We declare love for ourselves. We will practice the dignity and care in our homes that we want for all of us. We will protect our capacity for joy. We will nurture our bodies and spirits; we will rise and dance. We will honor our mothers and ancestors whose bodies, breath, and blood call us to a life of courage. In their name, we choose to see this darkness not as the darkness of the tomb - but of the womb. We will breathe and push through the pain of this era to birth a new future.

When earlier we recalled the story of the Exodus, we acknowledged it as a work of fiction. Yet only one hundred years ago, most scholars still believed that the tale was true in many of its details. 

Then they started digging … literally … with shovels and pails. It eventually became clear that the story we had told ourselves for millennia did not take place. There had been no mass flight from Egypt, no conquest of the land of Israel, otherwise known as Canaan. The Israelites were natives of the land; they were Canaanites themselves!

So how did the story come to be?

In the late second millennium B.C.E., Egypt dominated Canaan. The pharaohs demanded regular tribute from vassal kings who in turn exploited their own peasant populations.

According to some scholars, in the thirteenth century B.C.E. the region experienced significant upheavals and power shifts. Taking advantage of these changes, many peasants rebelled, throwing off the yoke of their vassal kings. Archeological remains reveal that some fled to and cleared Israel’s central highlands, where tribes and towns began to form. In a long, complicated and gradual process they became known as the Israelites. Did this contribute to inspiring our story?

If so, the Exodus tale may have served as an allegory about liberation from Egypt’s ongoing domination and exploitation of Canaan’s populace. The narrative may also reflect other ancient regional instabilities. Famines and droughts provoked repeated migrations. The Torah’s stories about Abraham and Sara’s journey to Canaan and their grandchildren’s descent to Egypt may disclose memories of these population shifts.

Other historians suggest an alternative possibility. They propose that the Exodus story was influenced by the experience of one tribe, the Levites, that may have come to Israel from Egypt. Many Levite names, including Moses and Aaron, are Egyptian in origin. The Levites were cultic experts and possessed no territory. Were they the outsiders who circulated the original Exodus tale?

The details are buried in history, but history gives wings to legends and legends yield heroes like Moses. Over hundreds of years, our story emerged with its account of one great man, dedicated to justice and to the liberation of his people. He challenged Pharaoh and led the Israelites to freedom. For millennia he has inspired many others who have been downtrodden or enslaved to bring about their own deliverance. And that’s why we told it tonight!

For more on these ideas, see S. David Sperling, The Original Torah: The Political Intent of the Bible’s Writers (New York: New York University Press, 1998); and Richard Elliott Friedman, The Exodus [New York: HarperOne, 2017].

-

Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick, Birmingham Temple Congregation for Humanistic Judaism

We shall overcome,

We shallovercome,

We shall overcome

Some day.

Oh, deep in my heart

I do believe

We shall overcome,

Some day!

We shalllive in peace,

We shall live in peace

We shall live in peace

Some day.

Deep in my heart

I do believe

We shall live in peace

Someday!

Bashanah haba-ah / Neshev al ha-mir-peset / Ven-is-por tse-porim no-de-dot.
Ye-lodim be-khufsa / Ye sa-ha-ku to-feset / Beyn ha-bayit le veyn ha-sadot.

Od-tireh od-tireh / Kamah-tov-ye-yey / Bashanah bashanah ha-ba-ah  (repeat stanza)

Soon the day will arrive / When we will be together / And no longer will we live in fear.
And the children will smile / Without wondering whether / On that dark day new clouds will appear.

Wait and see, wait and see / What a world there can be / If we share, if we care, you and me  (repeat stanza)
We have dreamed, we have died / To make a bright tomorrow / And their vision remains in our hearts.

Now the torch must be passed / With hope and not in sorrow / And a promise to make a new start.

Od-tireh od-tireh / Kamah-tov ye-yey / Bashana bashana haba-ah  (repeat stanza)