Thank you Kalamazoo College and community members for joining us for our Passover Seder that falls on Earth Day. We want to today take the opportunity to draw parallels between the liberation of Jews in Egypt and the freedom of our planet from humanity’s effects on the land and the natural world we surround ourselves in.

Passover is a week-long holiday that commemorates the Israelite's exodus, or freedom, from slavery in Egypt in the 13th century BCE. People who observe this holiday are said to 'keep Passover', meaning they do not eat or drink foods made from grains, such as wheat, that have been allowed to rise. Passover is celebrated primarily with a festive meal called a seder in which the Haggadah is recited to tell the story of the exodus.

We will use this Haggadah to remind ourselves of the Jewish tradition that teaches us to care for all living things, including the earth and our neighbors. We also need to remind ourselves to think of the future, as we do each year in remembering the Exodus and by teaching this story to new generations. Each of us has a personal responsibility to understand what the future holds if we don’t consider what we’re damaging now.

As a note, a very important Passover seder tradition is giving thanks to God, and we invite you to think of it this way. If you would prefer, you can instead give thanks to mother earth or yourself to spark creation.

The seder officially begins with a physical act: lighting the candles.  In Jewish tradition, lighting candles and saying a blessing over them marks a time of transition, from the day that is ending to the one that is beginning, from ordinary time to sacred time.  Lighting the candles is an important part of our Passover celebration because their flickering light reminds us of the importance of keeping the fragile flame of freedom alive in the world. Today is additionally Shabbat, making the candle lighting even more special as we welcome the new week with a day of rest to reflect on the past week.

As we light the candles, we acknowledge that as they brighten our Passover table, good thoughts, good words, and good deeds brighten our days.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם 
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ, בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצוָּנוּ 
לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב 

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Yom Tov.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with laws and commanded us to light the festival lights.

We place a Seder Plate at our table as a reminder to discuss certain aspects of the Passover story. Each item has its own significance.

Maror  – The bitter herb. This symbolizes the harshness of the lives of the Jews in Egypt.

Charoset  – A delicious mix of sweet wine, apples, cinnamon, and nuts that resembles the mortar used as bricks of the many buildings the Jewish slaves built in Egypt

Karpas  – A green vegetable, usually parsley, is a reminder of the green sprouting up all around us during spring and is used to dip into the saltwater

Zeroah  – A roasted lamb or shank bone symbolizing the sacrifice made at the great temple on Passover

Beitzah  – The egg symbolizes a different holiday offering that was brought to the temple

Matzah – The unleavened bread we eat to remember that when the Jews fled Egypt, they didn’t even have time to let the dough rise on their bread. We commemorate this by removing all bread and bread products from our home during Passover.

We will speak of Elijah's cup and Miriam's cup later in the seder.

Each Seder we join together to drink four glasses of wine to represent the promises of freedom that God made the Israelites in Egypt. This Passover, for each glass, we will make promises to our earth and ourselves.

While we today drink wine or juice, we must remember that many do not even have access to clean water. Clean water should be a human right, not a privilege.

Our first cup of wine is our first promise. We will work to ensure everyone has access to water free from pollution.

Together we say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Tip: Buy a reusable bottle instead of using bottled water.

In preparation for the seder, we perform a ritualistic handwashing to sanctify the eating of Karpas.

We can take this time to call to mind the promise we made when drinking our first cup of wine. Let us now focus on our individual water usage, and how we can make our water consumption more sustainable. let us call to mind the importance of water to all life and be more aware of the amount of water we use daily.

If you would like to participate in the handwashing, please take this time to use the restrooms across the hall, or carefully pour a small amount of water on your hands three times, alternating between hands.

We'll allow several minutes for you to do so if you choose to.

As we remember the liberation from Egypt, we also recognize the stirrings of spring and rebirth happening in the world around us. We now take parsley, representing spring, and dip it into salt water, a symbol of the tears that our ancestors shed as slaves. Here, we make a promise to do our part to protect our forests, oceans, and waters.

Together we say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree ha-adama.

We praise Adonai, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruits of the earth.

We now break the middle matzah into two pieces, one called the afikomen, to be found before the seder ends, but after dinner. We have hidden one for any children here, and one for anyone else wanting to search. 

The breaking of the matzah is a remind of the fractures in the world when the Pesach story began, in a world admist slavery and oppression. Today, it is additionally a time to think about the current state of the environment and the communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental issues.

One reason that we physically look for the afikomen is to bring the two broken pieces of matzvah back together and symbolize a move from brokenness toward healing. 

Here we begin to walk you through the story of Passover.

This is the bread

Of poverty and persecution

That our ancestors ate

In the land of Egypt.

Let all who are hungry,

Come and eat.

Let all who are in need,

Come and share the Pesach meal.

This year we are still here-

Next year

In the land of Israel.

This year we are still slaves-

Next year free people.

We traditionally call on our youngest Seder attendee to pose the Four Questions asked about the story of Passover. Here, we would like to invite our freshmen volunteers to read for us.

These questions remind us to reflect on the very process of questioning and remembering. Why is it that we do things as we have done them for so long? For example, we take stock of the status quo and enjoy our daily habits and rituals. As our youngest Hillel members lead us in this process of reflection, we must look back into ourselves.

מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילות

Ma nishtana halaila hazeh mikol haleilot?

Why is this night different from all other nights?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכלין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה  הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ מצה  

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin chameitz u-matzah. Halaila hazeh kulo matzah.

On all other nights we eat both leavened bread and matzah.
Why on this night only matzah?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin shi’ar yirakot haleila hazeh maror.

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

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אָֽנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּֽעַם אחָת  הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעמים

Shebichol haleilot ain anu matbilin afilu pa-am echat. Halaila hazeh shtei fi-amim.

On all other nights, we don't dip our vegetables even once. Why on this night do we dip twice?

שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָֽנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין.  :הַלַּֽיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָּֽנוּ מְסֻבין

Shebichol haleilot anu ochlin bein yoshvin uvein m’subin. Halaila hazeh kulanu m’subin.

On all other nights we eat either sitting normally or reclining.
Why on this night do we all recline?

1. MATZAH:

Matzah is the symbol of our affliction and our freedom. For the full duration of Passover, Jews are commanded to refrain from eating any leavened bread and may eat only matzah, unleavened bread. This commemorates how the Jews were in such a hurry to leave Egypt they could not wait for their bread to rise. They made matzah instead, and we do the same today.

Matzah also has symbolic significance. Flat and deflated in appearance – especially next to a fluffy loaf of leavened bread – matzah represents the humility of poverty and slavery, and is appropriately called the “bread of affliction.”

2. BITTER HERBS:

Tradition says that this root is to remind us of the time of our slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so that we may more readily value pleasure. The horseradish awakens our senses, so therefore it is the stimulus of life, reminding us that struggle is better than the complacent acceptance of injustice.  Let us all eat bitter herbs.

3. DIPPING:

The first time, the salty taste reminds us of the tears we cried when we were slaves. The second time, the salt water and the green help us to remember the ocean and green plants and the Earth, from which we get air and water and food that enable us to live.  Let us all dip the parsley in salt water twice.

4. RECLINING:

This question goes back to ancient times in Rome, when it was the custom for rich people to eat while lying on a couch leaning on one elbow as slaves and servants fed them. The Jewish people thought of this relaxed type of eating as a sign of freedom and prosperity, so they would lean to one side eating at the Seder on Passover, the festival of freedom. Today, we who are free eat while sitting up, even at Passover, but the question remains in the service as a reminder of how it was when our people longed for freedom.

As we rejoice in our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of Egyptian's suffering, for we are all human beings. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them. Dip a finger or a spoon in your wine glass and put it on your plate for each plague. These are the 10 plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:

Blood | dam | דָּם

Frogs | tzfardeiya |  צְפַרְדֵּֽעַ

Lice | kinim | כִּנִּים

Beasts | arov | עָרוֹב

Cattle disease | dever | דֶּֽבֶר

Boils | sh’chin | שְׁחִין

Hail | barad | בָּרָד

Locusts | arbeh | אַרְבֶּה

Darkness | choshech | חֹֽשֶׁךְ

Death of the Firstborn | makat b’chorot | מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת

The story of each of the ten plagues contains a reminder and a warning to all nations. When they oppress any of their people, when they show no concern for human beings, when they do not care about human suffering, they are preparing for destruction. A nation which wants to grow and prosper must grant "liberty and justice for all". The Torah commands "Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants". Let us consider the modern plagues that have caused our suffering: hunger, war, tyranny, greed, bigotry, injustice, poverty, ignorance, pollution, and indifference to suffering.

We recall our story of redemption and deliverance from bondage by blessing the second glass of wine.

Our second glass acts as our second promise, we will provide communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change with the information necessary to adapt.

Together, we recite:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Dayeinu commemorates the list of miracles God did for us. It translates to "it would have been enough". Half of the miracles we received would have been enough, and yet we received more. Dayeinu is a constant reminder to never forget the miracles in our lives, to be mindful of what our real needs are, and what constitutes "enough".

Together while we sing, consider your own desires, what you can live without, and all the reasons you have to say "Dayeinu".

Together we sing:

אִלּוּ הוֹצִיאָֽנוּ מִמִּצְרַֽיִם, דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu hotzi- hotzianu, Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim Hotzianu mi-mitzrayim, Dayeinu

If God had only taken us out of Egypt, that would have been enough!

אִלּוּ נָתַן לָֽנוּ אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה, דַּיֵּנוּ

Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Torah, Natan lanu et ha-Torah , Dayeinu

If God had only given us the Torah, that would have been enough.

 The complete lyrics to Dayeinu tell the entire story of the Exodus from Egypt as a series of miracles God performed for us. 

Now, we raise the matzah and recite two blessings. One, the regular hamozti blessing, and the second specifically mentions the mitzvah of eating matzah at Passover.

Together, we recite:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶֽחֶם מִן הָאָֽרֶץ

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who brings bread from the land.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתַָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat matzah.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat matzah.

While here we have verbally shown our gratitude, we must remember how powerful our actions can be. let us work to ensure that sustainable food is accessible to all.

Tip: Try purchasing locally-grown food for fresh, local produce.

The bitter herbs serve to remind us of how the Egyptians embittered the lives of the Israelites in servitude. When we eat the bitter herbs, we share in that bitterness of oppression. We must remember that slavery still exists all across the globe. When you go to the grocery store, where does your food come from? Who picked the sugar cane for your cookie, or the coffee bean for your drink? We are reminded that people still face the bitterness of oppression, in many forms.

Together, we say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מרוֹר

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al achilat maror.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who made us holy through obligations, commanding us to eat bitter herbs.

The great sage Hillel, a Jewish religious leader, provided us with the tradition of constructing the Hillel sandwich. We combine the bitterness of the maror with the sweetness of the charoset, between the fortitude of the two pieces of matzah-- the symbol of freedom. Through this ritual, we think of the Israelites traveling through the desert with no homes, no place to land, and how they built up their strong communities with only matzah as a reminder of their freedom. It is not until they came to the biblical Promised Land that they experienced the sweetness of their redemption.

We sit tonight in a place of both freedom and comfort, while we remember the bitterness of the hardships of our ancestors. But what about those who cannot foresee their own redemption from the impending impacts of climate change, those who do not have the infrastructure redemption?

Tonight, as we eat this sandwich, let us remember the privilege of our infrastructure and the freedom and comfort that our homes provide us, and let us consider all those who are in need of a home tonight.

Shulchan Orech signifies the start of the Passover meal. 

Every day, we decide what foods to consume. We decide whether to eat foods that have significant benefits for the wellbeing of our health, the planet, other people, and animals. We choose whether to promote environmental sustainability by saving rainforests, protecting wildlife habitats and marine ecosystems, alleviating water shortages and pollution, and reducing antibiotic, growth hormone, and chemical use. We choose whether to minimize world hunger and the dangers confronted by slaughterhouse workers. We choose whether to prevent the abuse, exploitation, and killing of land and sea animals. 

Passover is a time to appreciate the choices that freedom allows us to make. Each of us should, therefore, welcome this annual opportunity to ensure that our current food choices are in accord with the values we want to embrace.

Tip: Reduce food waste by planning well and eating leftovers. Consider composting what's left.
 

Before we eat, let us make our third promise over our third cup of wine. Our third promise is to celebrate and protect all the species and natural resources of our earth.

Together, we say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p’ree hagafen.

We praise God, Ruler of Everything, who creates the fruit of the vine.

We now refill our wine glasses one last time. With this final cup, we give thanks for the experience of celebrating Passover together, for the traditions that help inform our daily lives, and guide our actions and aspirations. 

We also open the front door to invite the prophets Elijah and Miriam to join our Seder. In the Bible, Elijah was a fierce defender of God to a disbelieving people. At the end of his life, rather than dying, he was whisked away to heaven. Tradition holds that he will return in advance of messianic days to herald a new era of peace, so we set a place for Elijah at many joyous, hopeful Jewish occasions. As we open the door for Elijah, our guest, we open the door for collaboration and new possibilities as we work to solve environmental injustice. This open door is an opportunity, for every individual to make a commitment this year to take part in writing our communal environmental future.

Miriam’s Cup is a new ritual, placed on the seder table beside the Cup of Elijah. Miriam’s Cup is filled with water. It serves as a symbol of Miriam’s Well, which was the source of water for the Israelites in the desert. It is also a way of drawing attention to the importance of Miriam and the other women of the Exodus story, women who have sometimes been overlooked but about whom our tradition says, “If it wasn’t for the righteousness of women of that generation we would not have been redeemed from Egypt” (Babylonian Talmud, Sotah 9b).

For our fourth cup, together, we recite:

 בָ רּוְך אַ תָ ה יי, אֱ להֵ ינּו מֶ לֶ ְך הָ עולָ ם, ּבורֵ א פְ רִ י הַ גֶ פֶ ן. 

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei p’ri hagafen 

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

For Elijah’s cup, together, we recite:

 אֵ לִ יָ הּו הַ נָבִ יא, אֵ לִ יָ הּו הַ תִ שְ ב ִ י, אֵ לִ יָ הּו הַ גִ לְ עָ דִ י, ב ִ מְ הֵ רָ ה ב ְ יָמֵ ינּו יָבֹוא אֵ לֵ ינּו, עִ ם מָ שִ יחַ בֶ ן דָ וִ ד. 

Eliyahu haNavi, Eliyahu haTishbi, Eliyahu Eliyahu, Eliyahu haGiladi, Bimheirah v’yameinu, Yavo eileinu, Im mashiach ben David 

May Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah of Gilead, quickly in our day come to us heralding redemption

We end our seder not only with prayer but with awareness that we're never done liberating even as we wrap up our ritual with conviction. We can't afford to pray and hope alone. We need to work diligently to make the world just a little more ready for redemption. Let us declare all we've done so far, dayeinu, enough for us and declare it "good" and "done". And for all that must yet be done, together, let us say "od lo dayeinu, it's not yet enough".

Tomorrow, let's pick up where all previous efforts have left off, and bring our world one more small step towards redemption. Together.

לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם

L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim

Next year in Jerusalem!