This Haggadah is designed to be short, sweet, and simple. Pictures and prayers are gathered from Jews all across Haggadot.com to create this. Some may even be my own photos: can you guess which ones? This Haggadah is open and wants to accept all. Yes, I did just personify a Haggadah. But to some extent, the Haggadah is alive inside each of us. After all, the Haggadah contains the story that we must pass down from generation to generation. And so as we keep the story alive, we keep the Haggadah and all of its words, blessings, and memories alive with it.

Leader: On this night of remembrance, we look at how God delivered us from oppression. We were once slaves in Egypt and God heard us and saved us from our enslavement. Just as God freed us in Egypt, so too can He free us now from the many chains that bond us. Let us be free from the oppressions of this world, and fight the stigmas of what it means to be beautiful. Let us learn how the Exodus story applies to our lives today.

(Raise the cup of wine)

Group: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, borei p'ri hagafen.

Group: Praised are you, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has created the

fruit of the vine.

Praised art Thou, Lord God, King of the Universe: who chose us from all peoples, and exalted us above all tongues, and hallowed us by Thy commandments. Thou didst give us, Lord God, in Thy love, anniversaries for rejoicing, festivals and seasons for happiness: this feast of Passover, the anniversary of our freedom, in love, a holy convocation, as a memorial of our departure from Egypt. For us didst thou choose, and us didst Thou hallow of all peoples: and Thou gavest us as heritage Thy holy seasons in love and in favor, in joy and in gladness. Praised art Thou, Lord Hallower of the Sabbath and Israel and the festive seasons.

Praised art Thou, Lord God, King of the Universe, who didst preserve us and sustain us and enable us to reach this season.

 (Drink the first cup of wine)

The first hand-washing of the seder is unusual. The rabbis point out that even a child would wonder at least two things: why do we wash without a blessing and why do we bother to wash when we will not be eating our meal for some time. They suggest that we wash our hands here in order to raise questions. Questions, both of wonder and of despair, are crucial to our growth as human beings. As Jews we have permission to ask questions, even of God, when we see and experience suffering.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, borei p’ri ha’adamah.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה.

Praised are you, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, who creates the fruit of the earth.

Just as Karpas reminds of spring, flowers bring us the sweet aromas of the season.

 matzah break

We take the piece of matzah that rests in the middle of the pile. We hold it up for the rest of the guests to see, and we announce, "This is how God split the Red Sea." We break the matzah in half. The bigger piece we set aside to become the afikoman. The smaller piece is returned to the pile.

Tell the story of the Exodus, and identify the Pharaohs in your life today.

Blessing over the second cup of wine.

We are descended from slaves who staged the first successful slave rebellion in recorded history. Ever since, our people has kept alive the story of liberation, and the consciousness that cruelty and oppression are not inevitable “facts of life,” but conditions that can be changed.

The oppressive ancient Egyptian regime in which Jews lived as slaves was overthrown. The Passover story reminds us that in every age we must continue the struggle for liberation, which Jews first experienced on the first Passover some 3,200 years ago.

The Haggadah reminds us that the primary obligation of Passover is to experience ourselves as though we personally went out of Egypt. So now, let someone at the table tell the story of our enslavement, of the genocide against the firstborn Hebrew males, of the way Moses was saved and grew up in the palace and then came to identify with his own people the slaves. Let someone tell of how Moses killed an Egyptian policeman who was beating an Israelite slave and then fled to Midian, how Moses heard God’s voice through a fire that was burning inside him and returned to Egypt, how his demand to “let my people go” was met by the Pharaoh with an escalation of oppression of the Israelites, how his own people shunned him as a trouble-maker who was only making things worse, and how God brought forth a set of environmental disasters. Let someone tell of how Moses was able to convince the Israelites and the Pharaoh that these disasters were intentional plagues from God, how the Israelites eventually came to accept that they could use those plagues as cover to leave Egypt, how 80 percent of the slaves couldn’t make that leap and so decided not to leave with Moses, and how joyful a celebration it was for those who did leave by making a huge leap of faith in believing that transformation was really possible. While this story is being told, let all the other people at the table keep their eyes closed and try to imagine that it is you who are going through this experience, you who have the doubts about Moses and the possibility of a radical transformation, and you who finally is able to take that leap of faith. And allow yourself to feel what that must feel like when you can do that in your own life today!

THREE SYMBOLS OF PASSOVER

PESACH (the Bone or Beet): Our Seder plate includes a symbol of the ancient Passover sacrifice, which was brought each year to the Temple in Jerusalem. The Hebrew word for sacrifice is korban, which comes from the root meaning “near.” What could bring you closer to your highest spiritual self?

MATZAH: The Torah tells us that the Israelites had to take the uncooked dough with them, “for they had prepared no provisions for the way.” Symbolically, the matzah reminds us that when the opportunity for liberation comes, we must seize it, even if we do not feel fully prepared — indeed, if we wait until we feel prepared, we may never act at all. If you had to jump into such a struggle tomorrow morning, what would you have to leave behind?

The matzah also stands in contrast to chametz (Hebrew for the expansive yeast that makes bread rise), which symbolizes false pride, absorption in our individual egos, and grandiosity.

MAROR (the Bitter Herbs): The suffering of the Jews in Egypt has been matched by thousands of years in which we were oppressed as a people. Our insistence on telling the story of liberation and proclaiming that the world could be and should be fundamentally different has angered ruling elites. These elites often tried to channel against the Jews the anger that ordinary people were feeling about the oppression in their own lives. But Jews are not the only ones to have suffered oppression and violence. We think of the genocide against native peoples all around the world, including in the United States. We think of the enslavement of Africans, and the oppression of Armenians, homosexuals, women, and many others. Yet, tonight it is appropriate for us to focus also on the suffering of the Jewish people and to affirm our solidarity with victims of anti-Semitism through the ages. Anti-Semitism still persists in our own time in the use of double standards in the judgment of Jews, in acts of violence against Jews, and in refusing to acknowledge the history of Jewish suffering as equal to the suffering of other victims of oppressive social regimes in Christian, Islamic, and some secular societies, as well. Meanwhile, we Jews need to acknowledge the ways that this suffering has at times distorted our consciousness and made it hard to fully grasp the pain others feel. We must evolve a Global Judaism that compassionately embraces the Jewish people and all other peoples.

The Ten Plagues

As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings made in the image of God. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them.

Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague.

These are the ten plagues which God brought down on the Egyptians:

דָּם Blood | dam |

 צְפַרְדֵּֽעַFrogs | tzfardeiya |

 כִּנִּים Lice | kinim |

 עָרוֹב Beasts | arov |

 דֶּֽבֶר Cattle disease | dever |

 שְׁחִין Boils | sh’chin |

 בָּרָד Hail | barad |

 אַרְבֶּה Locusts | arbeh |

 חֹֽשֶׁךְ Darkness | choshech |

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

The Egyptians needed ten plagues because after each one they were able to come up with excuses and explanations rather than change their behavior. Could we be making the same mistakes? Make up your own list. What are the plagues in your life? What are the plagues in our world today? What behaviors do we need to change to fix them? 

We raise our cups as we recall the second promise of liberation to the people of Israel. Let us glorify God who performed these miracles for our ancestors and for us. Let us rejoice at the wonder of our deliverance from bondage to freedom, from servitude to redemption. Hallelujah. We praise God who has delivered us and our ancestors from Egypt and brought us here this night to eat matzoh and maror. Our God and God of our ancestors, help us celebrate future holidays and festivals in peace and in joy.

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, borei p'ri ha-gafen.

Praised be thou, O Lord Our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine!

All drink the entire second cup of wine

מַה נִּשְּׁתַּנָה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכָּל הַלֵּילוֹת
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין חָמֵץ וּמַצָּה,
-הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כּוּלוֹ מַצָּה.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין שְׁאָר יְרָקוֹת,
 - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מָרוֹר.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אֵין אֶנוּ מַטְבִּילִין אֲפִילוּ פַּעַם אֶחָת,
- הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים.
שֶׁבְּכָל הַלֵּילוֹת אָנוּ אוֹכְלִין בֵּין יוֹשְׁבִין וּבֵין מְסֻבִּין,
 - הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה כֻּלָנו מְסֻבִּין

Mah nishtanah halaylah hazeh mikol haleilot?

Sheb’chol haleilot anu och’lin chameitz umatzah,

-halaylah hazeh kulo matzah.

Sheb’chol haleilot anu och’lin sh’ar y’rakot,

-halaylah hazeh maror.

Sheb’chol haleilot ein anu matbilin afilu pa’am echat,

-halaylah hazeh sh’tei f’amim.

Sheb’khol haleilot anu okhlim bein yoshvin uvein m’subin,
-halailah hazeh kulanu m’subin.

Why is this night different from all other nights?

On all other nights we eat bread or matzah. On this night, we eat only matzah.

On all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables. On this night, we eat biter herbs.

On all other nights we do not dip vegetables even once. On this night, we dip them twice.

On all other nights we eat either sitting upright or reclining. On this night, we eat reclining.

The Torah describes four children who ask questions about the Exodus. Tradition teaches that these verses refer to four different types of children.

The wise child asks, “What are the laws that God has commanded us?”
The parent should answer by instructing the child in the laws of Passover, starting from the beginning and ending with the laws of the Afikomen.

The wicked child asks, “What does this Passover service mean to you?”
The parent should answer, “It is because of what God did for me when I came out of Egypt. Specifically ‘me’ and not ‘you.’ If you had been there (with your attitude), you wouldn’t have been redeemed.”

The simple child asks, “What is this Seder service?”
The parent should answer, “With a mighty hand God brought us out of Egypt.
Therefore, we commemorate that event tonight through this Seder.”

And then there is child who does not know how to ask.
The parent should begin a discussion with that child based on the verse:
“And you shall tell your child on that day, ‘We commemorate Passover tonight because of what God did for us when we went out of Egypt.’”

These are the three verses most commonly sung at the Passover Seder. There is a sephardic tradition that during the chorus, participants lightly (key word: lightly) hit each other with scallions.

Ilu hotzi-hotzi'anu hotzi'anu mimtzrayim, hotzi'anu mimtzrayim DAYEINU

CHORUS

Day-dayenu, day-dayeinu, day-dayeinu, dayeinu dayeinu! (dayeinu) Day-dayenu, day-dayeinu, day-dayeinu, dayeinu dayeinu!

CHORUS

Ilu natan natan lanu, natan lanu et ha-Shabat natan lanu et ha-Shabbat dayeinu!

CHORUS

Group:

Praised are you, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through commandments, commanding us to wash our hands.

Leader:

This time we wash our own hands to wash away the stereotypes of beauty that have been placed on us and we wash away our incorrect responses to our suffering.

Praised are you, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has taught us the way of holiness through commandments, commanding us to wash our hands.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִם.

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu bimitzvotav vitzivanu al nitilat yadayim.

מוֹצִיא מַצָּהThe blessing over the meal and matzah | motzi matzah |

The familiar hamotzi blessing marks the formal start of the meal. Because we are using matzah instead of bread, we add a blessing celebrating this mitzvah.

בְָּרוּךְ 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.

Distribute and eat the top and middle matzah for everyone to eat.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מָרוֹר.

 maror

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu bimitzvotav vitzivanu al achilat maror.

Praised are you, Adonai, our God, sovereign of the universe, who has made us holy through His commandments, commanding us to eat the bitter herb.

Charoset is a smooth mixture of various chopped fruits including apples, and nuts, as well as wine and spices. It represents the mixture of clay and straw from which we made the mortar during our bondage. It also calls to mind the women of Israel who bore their children in secret beneath the apple trees of Egypt,  and, like the apple tree that first produces fruit and then sprouts leaves to protect the fruit, our heroic mothers first bore children without any assurance of security or safety. This beautiful and militant devotion sweetened the misery of slavery, even as we dip our bitter herbs in Charoset. The pattern of our celebration is the mixture of the bitter and the sweet, sadness and joy, of tales of shame that end in praise.

Each person receives some bitter herbs and ḥaroses, which he places between two pieces of matzo. The leader then reads:

This was the practice of Hillel, at the time the Temple was still in existence. He combined the unleavened bread and the bitter herbs and ate them together, to carry out the injunction concerning the Passover sacrifice: "With unleavened bread and with bitter herbs, they shall eat it."

All read in unison:

BORUCH ATTO ADONOI ELOHENU MELECH HO‘OLOM ASHER KIDD’SHONU B’MITZVOSOV V’TZIVONU AL ACHILAS MOROR.

Praised art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments, and ordained that we should eat bitter herbs.

Eat the Moror.

This way of eating matzah, maror and haroset reminds us of how Hillel would do so when the Second Temple still existed, making a sandwich of the Pashal lamb, matzah and maror, fulfilling the Torah injunction: “with matzot and maror they shall eat the Pashal lamb.”

שֻׁלְחָן עוֹרֵךְEating the meal! | shulchan oreich |

Enjoy! But don’t forget when you’re done we’ve got a little more seder to go, including the final two cups of wine!

Rabbi Meir ben Tzipporah v’Nechemia haLevi was often asked about the meaning of the roasted egg. It remains on the Seder Plate, yet never discussed. The egg reminds us of many things. Its presence on the Seder Plate represents the holiday sacrifice our ancestors made when the Temple stood. But, as with any good symbol it is rich with meaning. The egg itself is symbolic of life and reminds us of the blossoming world around us. The egg’s roundness reminds us of the unending nature of life. But why is it roasted? Some tell us that, like the roasted egg, the Jewish people gets harder and stronger the more they are tested.

Toward the end of the meal, the children look for the afikoman, which has been hidden. Since neither the meal nor the Seder can be concluded before everyone has eaten a piece of it, whoever finds the afikoman is given a reward. Nothing is eaten after the afikoman, so that the matzoh may be the last food tasted. This custom of hiding the afikoman is not found in early Haggadot and was probably added as a device to keep up the interest of young children who might otherwise become bored with the ceremony.

In Temple times the Passover sacrifice was eaten at the end of the meal, when everyone was full. In remembrance of this, we each partake of the afikoman as the very last food to be eaten at our Seder.

Eat the afikoman

Shir Hama’alot, b’shuv Adonai et shivat Tzion, hayinu k’cholmim. Az y’malei s’chok pinu ul- shoneinu rina, az yomru vagoyim, higdil Adonai la-asot im eileh. Higdil Adonai la-asot imanu, hayinu s’meichim. Shuva Adonai et sh’viteinu, ka-afikim banegev. Hazor’im b’dima b’rina yiktzoru. Haloch yeileich uvacho nosei meshech hazara, bo yavo v’rina, nosei alumotav.

T’hilat Adonai y’daber pi, vivareich kol basar shem kod’sho l’olam va’ed. Va-anachnu n’varech ya, mei-ata v’ad olam, hal’luya. Hodu la-Adonai ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo. Mi y’maleil g’vurot Adonai, yashmi’a kol t’hilato.

Include parentheses when there is a minayn present.

Leader:

Rabotai n’vareich.

Participants:

Y’hi sheim Adonai m’vorach mei-atah v’ad olam.

Leader:

Y’hi sheim Adonai m’vorach mei-atah v’ad olam. Birshut maranan v’rabanan v’rabotai, n’vareich (Eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo.

Participants:

Baruch (Eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo uv’tuvo chayinu.

Leader:

Baruch (Eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo uv’tuvo chayinu.

All together:

Baruch hu u-varuch sh’mo.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hazan et ha-olam kulo b’tuvo, b’chein b’chesed uv-rachamim, hu noten lechem l’chol basar, ki l’olam chasdo, uv-tuvo hagadol, tamid lo chasar lanu v’al yechsar lanu mazon l’olam va’ed. Ba-avur sh’mo hagadol, ki hu Eil zan um’farneis lakol, u-meitiv lakol u-meichin mazon l’chol- b’riyotav asher bara. Baruch atah Adonai, hazan et hakol.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, hazan et ha-olam kulo b’tuvo, b’chein b’chesed uv-rachamim, hu noten lechem l’chol basar, ki l’olam chasdo, uv-tuvo hagadol, tamid lo chasar lanu v’al yechsar lanu mazon l’olam va’ed. Ba-avur sh’mo hagadol, ki hu Eil zan um’farneis lakol, u-meitiv lakol u-meichin mazon l’chol- b’riyotav asher bara. Baruch atah Adonai, hazan et hakol.

V’al hakol Adonai Eloheinu anachnu modim lach um’varchim otach, yitbarach shimcha b’fi kol chai tamid l’olam va’ed. Kakatuv, v’achalta v’savata uveirachta et Adonai Elohecha al ha’aretz hatova asher natan lach. Baruch atah Adonai al ha-aretz v’al hamazon.

Racheim na Adonai Eloheinu al Yisrael amecha v’al Y’rushalayim irecha v’al Tzion mishkan k’vodecha v’al malchut beit David m’shichecha v’al habayit hagadol v’hakadosh shenikra shimcha alav. Eloheinu Avinu r’einu zuneinu parn’seinu v’chalk’lenu v’harvicheinu v’harvach’lanu Adonai Eloheinu m’heira mikol-tzaroteinu. V’na al tatz’richeinu Adonai Eloheinu, lo lidei matnat basar vadam v’lo lidei hal’va’atam, ki im l’yad’cha ham’lei’a hap’tucha hak’dosha v’har’chava, shelo neivosh v’lo nikaleim l’olam va’ed.

On Shabbat:

R’tzei v’hachalitzeinu Adonai Eloheinu b’mitzvotecha, uv’mitvat yom hash’vi’i haShabbat hagadol v’hakadosh hazeh. Ki yom zeh gadol v’kadosh hu l’fanecha, lishbat bo v’lanuach bo b’ahavah k’miztvat r’tzonecha. U’birtzoncha hani’ach lanu Adonai Eloheinu, shelo t’hei tzara v’yagon va’anacha b’yom m’nuchateinu. V’har’einu Adonai Eloheinu b’nechamat Tzion irecha, uv’vinyan Yerushalayim ir kodshecha, ki atah hu ba’al ha’y’shuot u’va’al hanechamot.

Eloheinu vEilohei avoteinu, yaleh v’yavo v’yagiah v’yeira’eh v’yeiratzeh v’yishma v’yipakeid, v’yizacheir zichroneinu ufikdoneinu, v’zichron avoteinu, v’zichron Mashiach ben David avdecha, v’zikhron Y’rushalayim ir kodshecha, v’zichron kol amkha beit Yisrael l’fanecha, lifleita l’tova l’chein ul’chesed ul’rachamim, l’chayim ul’shalom b’yom chag hamatzot hazeh zochreinu Adonai Eloheinu

bo l’tova ufokdeinu vo livracha v’hoshieinu vo l’chayim. uv’dvar y’shuah v’rachamim chus v’chaneinu v’racheim aleinu v’hoshieinu ki eilecha eineinu, ki eil melech chanun vrachum ata.

Uv’nei Y’rushalayim ir hakodesh bimheira v’yameinu. Baruch atah Adonai, boneh v’rachamav Y’rushalayim. Amein.

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, ha’Eil Avinu Malkeinu Adireinu Bor’einu Go’aleinu Yotz’reinu K’dosheinu k’dosh Ya’akov ro’einu ro’ei Yisrael Hamelech hatov v’hameitiv lakol sheb’chol yom vayom hu heitiv, hu meitiv, hu yeitiv lanu. Hu g’malanu hu gomleinu hu yig’m’leinu la’ad, l’chein ul’chesed ul’rachamim ul’revach hatzala v’hatzlacha, b’racha vi’shua nechama parnasa v’chalkala v’rachamim v’chayim v’shalom v’chol-tov, u’mikol tuv l’olam al y’chasreinu.

Harachaman hu yimloch aleinu l’olam va’ed. Harachaman hu yitbarach bashamayim u’va’aretz. Harachaman hu yishtabach l’dor dorim, v’yitpa’ar banu la’ad u’l’neitzach n’tzachim, v’yit’hadar banu la’ad ul’olmei olamim. Harachaman hu y’far’n’seinu b’chavod. Harachaman hu yishbor uleinu mei’al tzavareinu, v’hu yolicheinu kom’miyut l’artzeinu. Harachaman hu yishlach lanu b’racha m’ruba babayit hazeh, v’al shulchan zeh she’achalnu alav. Harachaman hu yishlach lanu et Eliyahu Hanavi zachur latov, vivaser lanu b’sorot tovot y’shu’ot v’nechamot.

Harachaman hu y’vareich et

for one’s parents:

et avi mori (ba’al ha-bayit ha-zeh), v’et imi morati (ba’alat ha-bayit) ha-zeh, otam v’et beitam, v’et zar’am, v’et kol asher lahem,

for one’s family:

oti (v’et ishti / ba’ali / zar-i v’et) kol asher li,

for one’s hosts:

ba’al ha-bayit ha-zeh, v’et ba-alat ha-bayit ha- zeh, otam v’et beitam, v’et zar’am, v’et kol asher lahem,

for all others:

v’et kol ham’subim kan,

otanu v’et kol asher lanu, k’mo she’nitbarchu avoteinu Avraham Yitzchak v’Ya’akov bakol mikol kol, kein y’vareich otanu kulanu yachad bivracha sh’leima, v’nomar, Amein.

Bamarom y’lamdu aleihem v’aleinu z’chut she’t’hei l’mishmeret shalom. V’nisa v’racha mei’eit Adonai, utz’daka mei’Elohei yisheinu, v’nimtza chein v’seichel tov b’einei Elohim v’adam.

On Shabbat:

Harachaman hu yanchileinu yom shekulo Shabbat u’minucha ul’chayei ha’olamim.

Harachaman hu yanchileinu yom shekulo tov.

Some add the following blessings:

Harachaman hu y’variech et kol acheinu B’nei Yisrael han’tunim betzarah, v’yotzi’eim mei’afeilah l’orah.

Harachaman hu y’variech et M’dinat Yisrael, reishit tz’michat g’u’lateinu.

Harachaman hu y’variech et chayalei Tz’va Hagana l’Yisrael, v’yagein aleihem.

Harachaman hu y’variech et m’dinat hazot, v’et chayaleiha, v’yagein aleihem.

Harachaman hu yashkiyn shalom Bayn binei Ya’akov u’vnei Yishma’ayl.

Harachaman hu y’zakeinu limot Hamashiach ul’chayei ha’olam haba.

Migdol y’shu’ot Malko v’oseh chesed limshicho l’David ul’zar’o ad olam. Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol Yisrael v’imru, Amein.

Y’ru et Adonai k’doshav, ki ein machsor lirei’av. K’firim rashu v’ra’eivu, v’dorshei Adonai lo yach’s’ru chol tov. Hodu l’Adonai ki tov ki l’olam chasdo. Potei’ach et yadecha, u’masbia l’chol chai ratzon. Baruch hagever asher yivtach b’Adonai, V’haya Adonai mivtacho. Na’ar hayiti gamzakan’ti,v’lora’ititzadikne’ezav,v’zar’o 

m’vakesh lachem. Adonai oz l’amo yitein,

Adonai y’vareich et amo vashalom.

Reader 48: 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!

Reader 49: 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)

Open door and sing:

Eliyahu ha-navee Eliyahu ha-Tish-bee Eliyahu, eliyahu, Eliyahu ha-Giladee Beem-hei-ra b'ya-mei-nu Yavo ei-leinu Eem ma-shee-ach ben David Eem ma-shee-ach ben David

Death and loss often lead to a sense of isolation. The doors to the heart and the doors to community and love seem to be closed. What are the beliefs and the hopes you have which can help you to open the door again?

The wine glasses are filled — including the wine glass for Elijah, which is now filled to the top

We fulfill our obligations to God through Torah study and prayer but also through our daily lives — how we make a living, how we conduct our affairs, how we reach out to those around us.

In the center of our table is a cup of wine called “Kos Eliyahu;” the cup of Elijah. Elijah was a Prophet who is said to return in each generation disguised as a poor or oppressed person. He comes to people’s doors to see how he will be treated in order to determine if the people are ready to be redeemed.

Let us now open the door for Elijah!

A child is sent to open the door

ALL: We raise our cups in remembrance.

Remember all the people we have touched.

Remember all the gardens we have tended and the battles we have won.

Remember all the steps we have taken and the decisions we have made.

Remember our friends and allies.

Remember all that is good and rejoice.

We think, on this night of reflection and remembrance, as we celebrate together, the liberation from Egypt.

Remember the liberation of each and all of us.

L'CHAIM!

(Drink wine)

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)

 Our Seder now ends. Together we say, “Next year in Jerusalem. Next year in Health. Next year may we all be free!”

Counting the Omer

On the second night, this is recited:

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sfirat ha’omer.

Hayom yom echad ba’omer.

Chad gadya, chad gadya. D’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata shunra v’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata chalba v’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata chutra v’hika l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata nura v’saraf l’chutra, d’hikah l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata maya v’chava l’nura, d’saraf l’chutra, d’hikah l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata tora v’shatah l’maya, d’chava l’nura, d’saraf l’chutra, d’hikah l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata hashocheit v’shachat l’tora, d’shata l’maya, d’chava l’nura, d’saraf l’chutra, d’hikah l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata malach hamavet v’shachat l’shocheit, d’shachat l’tora, d’shata l’maya, d’chava l’nura, d’saraf l’chutra, d’hikah l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya. V’ata Hakodesh Baruch Hu v’shachat l’malach hamavet, d’shachat l’shocheit, d’shachat l’tora, d’shata l’maya, d’chava l’nura, d’saraf l’chutra, d’hikah l’chalba, d’nashach l’shunrah, d’achlah l’gadya, d’zabin aba bitrei zuzei,

chad gadya, chad gadya.

Adir hu, yivei baito b’karov. Bimheirah, bimheirah, b’yamainu b’karov. El b’nai, El b’nai, b’nai baitcha b’karov.

Bachur hu, gadol hu, dagul hu, yivei baito b’karov. Bimheirah, bimheirah, b’yamainu b’karov. El b’nai, El b’nai, b’nai baitcha b’karov.

Hadur hu, vatik hu, zakai hu, chasid hu, yivei baito b’karov. Bimheirah, bimheirah, b’yamainu b’karov. El b’nai, El b’nai, b’nai baitcha b’karov.

Tahor hu, yachid hu, kabir hu, lamud hu, melech hu yivei baito b’karov. Bimheirah, bimheirah, b’yamainu b’karov. El b’nai, El b’nai, b’nai baitcha b’karov.

Nora hu, sagiv hu, izuz hu, podeh hu, tzadik hu, yivei baito b’karov. Bimheirah, bimheirah, b’yamainu b’karov. El b’nai, El b’nai, b’nai baitcha b’karov.

Kadosh hu, rachum hu, shadai hu, takif hu yivei baito b’karov. Bimheirah, bimheirah, b’yamainu b’karov. El b’nai, El b’nai, b’nai baitcha b’karov.

And the women dancing with their timbrels Followed Miriam as she sang her song. Sing a song to the One whom we’ve exalted,Miriam and the women danced and danced the whole night long. And Miriam was a weaver of unique variety, The tapestry she wove was one which sang our history, With every strand and every thread she crafted her delight,

A woman touched with spirit she dances toward the light. Chorus

When Miriam stood upon the shores and gazed across the sea, The wonder of this miracle she soon came to believe, Whoever thought the sea would part with an outstretched hand, And we would pass to freedom and march to the promised land.

Chorus And Miriam the prophet took her timbrel in her hand, And all the women followed her just as she had planned, And Miriam raised her voice in song She sang with praise and might, We’ve just lived through a miracle, we’re going to dance tonight.