Maggid/The Narration
Amidst the retelling of the exodus from Egypt, additional stories can be shared surrounding the oppression or redemption of other peoples, such as:
- Ethiopian Jews's rescue during the 1980's;
- Emigration of Soviet Jewry during the 1970's and 1980's;
- Current groups still found in slavery, such as those in Sudan.
Black-Jewish seders often focus on the Maggid portion of the Haggadah to tell the common story of slavery and freedom. A Common Road to Freedom: A Passover Haggadah, prepared by the Religious Action Center in 1996, provides materials to discuss these themes.
The Maggid is also an excellent opportunity to study current immigration and refugee concerns. Consult a website such as www.rac.org//issues/issueir.html, the Religious Action Center's (RAC) focus page on Immigration and Refugees, or www.refugeesinternational.org for current statistics and areas of concern. Prepare one-page summary of current refugee hotspots for use during the Seder. During the Seder, focus on the theme of flight to freedom as a parallel experience of the Jews leaving Egypt, and today's refugees leaving their homelands. Prepare sample letters regarding a current immigration concern, with reference to the special motivation that Passover provides, to congressional leaders for all guests to sign throughout the night, and then mail them the following day. (A sample summary and letter can be found in Appendix I.)
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