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At Passover each year, we read the story of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. When confronting this history, how do we answer our children or our contacts when they ask us how to pursue justice in our time? WHAT DOES THE REVOLUTIONARY CHILD ASK? “The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?” Empower him always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for...

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SALT WATER - Why do we dip our food in salt water two times on this night? The first time, the salty taste reminds us of the tears we cried when we were slaves. [Greens held up for all to see.] KARPAS - Parsley and celery are symbols of all kinds of spring greenery. The second time, the salt water and the green can help us to remember the ocean and green plants and the Earth, from which we get the...

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We are grateful that we are together on this night as a family ~ DayenuWe are grateful that we are together to share this moment ~ DayenuWe are grateful that we are together, alive and healthy ~ DayenuWe are grateful that we are able to eat together ~ DayenuWe are grateful that we have a light shining upon us ~ DayenuWe are grateful for everything and everyone that we have ~ DayenuWe are grateful for all that has touched our lives...

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As we sit here as free men and women, it is so easy for us to forget the hardships that our ancestors had to overcome for our freedom. The exodus from servile Egypt to liberated Israel is viewed as the most pivotal event in Jewish history. So why do we lean on Pesach? It was the custom of ancient royalty to recline on the left for two reasons: a) Food is normally held in the right hand. Leaning toward the left...

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YACHATZ Is matzo poor man's bread or the food of free men? Can it be both? If we regard it as the Bread of Affliction why did we carry dough on our backs out of Egypt, to let it bake in the hot sun without leavening and rising? Can one Matzo be both a symbol of wretchedness and deliverance? Matzo is a paradox. Not only is it so, but in breaking the middle matzo we also break with symmetry. There is...

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On the First Seder Night AND THUS IT HAPPENED AT MIDNIGHT Of old, most of the wonders You did perform at night. At the head of the watches is this very night. Full victory came to Abraham, When he divided his company that night. IT HAPPENED AT MIDNIGHT ! You judged the king of Gerar in a dream at ngiht; You frightened Laban in the midst of the night; And Israel wrestled with God and prevailed at night. IT HAPPENED AT...

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Mah Nishtana: What's New? What significant change has occurred in your life since this time last year? Name one meaningful piece of news. ​Elijah's Cup is passed around as each guest speaks. A blessing or toast concludes the round. Avadim Hayinu: Our Slavery. Identify the problem. What enslaves you today? What's holding you back from being freer, happy, and creative? ​Use a blank note of paper - on one side write HOW AM I FREE and on the other side write...

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The formal telling of the story of Passover is framed as a discussion with lots of questions and answers. The tradition that the youngest person asks the questions reflects the centrality of involving everyone in the seder. The rabbis who created the set format for the seder gave us the Four Questions to help break the ice in case no one had their own questions. Asking questions is a core tradition in Jewish life. If everyone at your seder is around...

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Matzah. It’s flat, it has holes in it, it breaks easily, it crumbles, it’s bitter, and it’s nothing creative, yet Jewish people and Non-Jewish people that observe Passover eat it every day for at least 8 days out of the year. Sometimes more. “Something second hand and broken, still can make a pretty sound, and that second hand white baby grand still has something beautiful to give.” Megan HiltyEvery year we look at Matzah like it’s nothing special. But it represents...

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“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” –Martin Luther King Jr.“A lesson for all of us is that for every loss, there is victory, for every sadness, there is joy, and when you think you’ve lost everything, there is hope.” ―Geraldine SolonWhy is it that through all the bad things our ancestors went through, that they didn’t lose hope?Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops…...

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Together as we wash our hands, they move into the bowl of water, and back out of the water. Why do we do this? Are our hands really getting clean without soap? We won’t be eating for some time, why do we do this so early? The washing of our hands suggests that we are open to question. One question that is always asked is about hope. Rick Recht answers in his song: This is the hope that holds us together,...