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)

 Each person takes the Karpas and dips it in salt water.

Group:

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.

Leader: We remember the tears of the slaves in Egypt and we remember the tears of our daughters.

 matzah break

watercolor and pen on paper

Beth Flusser

2011

כַמָה מַעֲלוֹת טוֹבוֹת לַמָקוֹם עָלֵינו!
אִלו הוֹצִיאָנו מִמִצְרַים, וְלֹא עָשָה בָהֶם שְפָטִים,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו עָשָה בָהֶם שְפָטִים, וְלֹא עָשָה בֵאלֹהֵיהֶם,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו עָשָה בֵאלֹהֵיהֶם, וְלֹא הָרַג אֶת בְכוֹרֵיהֶם,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו הָרַג אֶת בְכוֹרֵיהֶם, וְלֹא נָתַן לָנו אֶת
מָמוֹנָם, דַיֵינו.
אִלו נָתַן לָנו אֶת מָמוֹנָם, וְלֹא קָרַע לָנו אֶת הַיָם,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו קָרַע לָנו אֶת הַיָם, וְלֹא הֶעֱבֵירָנו בְתוֹכוֹ
בֶחָרָבָה, דַיֵינו.
אִלו הֶעֱבֵירָנו בְתוֹכוֹ בֶחָרָבָה, וְלֹא שְקַע צָרֵנו
בְתוֹכוֹ, דַיֵינו.
אִלו שִקַע צָרֵנו בְתוֹכוֹ, וְלֹא סִפֵק צָרְכֵנו במִדְבָר אַרְבָעִים שָנָה, דַיֵינו.
אִלו סִפֵק צָרְכֵנו במִדְבָר אַרְבָעִים שָנָה, וְלֹא הֶאֱכִילָנו אֶת הַמָן, דַיֵינו.
אִלו הֶאֱכִילָנו אֶת הַמָן, וְלֹא נָתַן לָנו אֶת הַשַבָת,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו נָתַן לָנו אֶת הַשַבָת, וְלֹא קֵרְבָנו לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו קֵרְבָנו לִפְנֵי הַר סִינַי, וְלֹא נַָתַן לָנו אֶת הַתוֹרָה
, דַיֵינו.
אִלו נַָתַן לָנו אֶת הַתוֹרָה, וְלֹא הִכְנִיסָנו לְאֶרֶץ יִשְרָאֵל,
דַיֵינו.
אִלו הִכְנִיסָנו לְאֶרֶץ יִשְרָאֵל, וְלֹא בָנָה לָנו אֶת בֵית הַבְחִירָה, דַיֵינו

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

This is an interesting addition to any Seder. This is for Holocaust rememberance, the 5th chld who did not survive to ask a question. It went over extremely well at my Reform Seder this Pesach!

Two times so far we've talked about

this matzah here to figure out

And now's our chance to take a bite

to remind us of the slaves rushed flight

But first some blessings say we should

Thank God for our gifts so good

Ba-ruch A-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam,

Ha-mo-tzee le-chem meen ha-a-retz.

O Holy One of Blessing, Your Presence fills creation;

Thank you for the nourishing goodness of bread.

Ba-ruch A-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam,

a-sher keed-sha-nu be-meetz-vo-tav, vee-tzee-va-nu

al a-chee-lat ma-tzah.

O Holy One of Blessing, your Presence fills creation;

You have made us special with your Mitzvot, and You have

Instructed us to eat Matzah during Pesach

 maror

כּוֹרֵךְEating a sandwich of matzah and bitter herb | koreich |

When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the biggest ritual of them all was eating the lamb offered as the pesach or Passover sacrifice. The great sage Hillel would put the meat in a sandwich made of matzah, along with some of the bitter herbs. While we do not make sacrifices any more – and, in fact, some Jews have a custom of purposely avoiding lamb during the seder so that it is not mistaken as a sacrifice – we honor this custom by eating a sandwich of the remaining matzah and bitter herbs. Some people will also include charoset in the sandwich to remind us that God’s kindness helped relieve the bitterness of slavery.

I've added a fifth question to the seder this year:

Why is it that in any other form, this matzoh we eat is the bread of affliction which our forefathers ate when the holy one, blessed be he brought us forth with an outstretched arm from bondage in the land of egypt.  But, when combined with salt, schmaltz, and chicken broth, becomes a delicious comfort food served by Jewish bubbys year round? 

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism posted a great idea for the Afikomen.  We used it this year, and it was a blast for both the teenagers and the younger kids.

When it is time to search for the Afikomen, the leader provides the oldest child with a Tanach and a piece of paper with a chapter and verse number.  Then, the group of children must find the relevant line that will direct them to someplace in the house.  Hidden in that spot is another chapter and verse reference and so on until they find it.

The following was p repared by Serene Victor, National Consultant for Synagogue Education, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, for use by its affiliated congregations.

Afikomen Treasure Hunt Clues

Clue #1: Exodus 35:16

"the altar of burnt offering, its copper grating, its poles and all its furnishing...."

(Location of Clue #2 - oven)

Clue #2: Ezekiel 5:1

"...take thee a sharp sword, as a barber's razor shalt thou take it unto thee, and cause it to pass upon thy head and upon they beard; then take thee balances to weigh and divide the hair.."

(Location of Clue #3 - scales)

Clue #3: Ezekiel 1:27

"And I saw as the color of electrum, as the appearance of fire round enclosing it..."

(Location of Clue #4 - TV)

Clue #4: Amos 4:6

"And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities."

(Location of Clue #5 - next to the toothpaste)

Clue #5: Exodus 12:7

"And thou shall take of the blood and put it on the two side posts and on the lintel above the houses..."

(Location of Clue #6 - behind mezuzah

Clue #6: Genesis 19:26

"Lot's wife looked back and she thereupon turned into a pillar of salt."

(Location of Afikomen - near salt shaker)

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

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

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.

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.