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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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I grew up in an irreligious home. We rarely belonged to a Temple (Synagogue was too traditional) and attending a service was even rarer. When we did go to temple you would never a yarmulke except on the Rabbi & Cantor (sometimes). The only tallitot were these little vest things that the clergy wore. The only Hebrew was the Sh'ma, the Torah/Haftarah readings and the Mourner's Kaddish (which is really Aramaic). But every year, without fail, the Passover dishes and linens...

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The First Cup: We drink to Ending Racism and Poverty, and Birthing Racial and Economic Justice We begin with the teaching of Dr. Martin Luther King 50 years ago, on the evening before his death. He came to Memphis, Tennessee to support the striking sanitation workers of the city, and he spoke to a gathered crowd: “The issue is the refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants, who happen to be sanitation workers....

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While we’re enjoying in the sweetness of wine, we still show sympathy for those that suffered. The joys of just punishment and the need for restraint are vengeful feelings. For your own discussion later during the meal: The traditional Haggadah questions and debates the number of plagues in terms of impact. In this Seder, let's debate violence vs. nonviolence as a way of getting to freedom.  How can we exercise empathy in today’s political climate? How do we show mercy to...

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Breaking the middle matzah | yachatz | יַחַץ There are three pieces of matzah stacked on the table. We now break the middle matzah into two pieces. The host should wrap up the larger of the pieces and, at some point between now and the end of dinner, hide it. This piece is called the afikomen, literally “dessert” in Greek. After dinner, the guests must hunt for the afikomen in order to wrap up the meal. Because the meal cannot end...

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Charoset is our symbol of mortar, recalling the brutal work conditions experienced by the Israelite slaves in Egypt. This year, we introduce a Charoset recipe that includes pine nuts. Makes approximately 5-6 cups Charoset: 4 medium sized granny smith apples, cored, peeled, and 1/4 inch diced 1 cup dates (about 15-20) 3/4 cup pine nuts 2 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 cup sweet red wine 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp finely grated orange zest 1. Heat brown sugar in large saucepan over...

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The karpas, the green vegetable, is the first part of the seder that makes this night different from all other nights. So far, the first glass of wine and the hand washing, though significant, do not serve to mark any sort of difference; they are regular parts of meals. The karpas, however, is not. As a night marked by difference, that difference starts now. Tonight, we celebrate difference with the karpas. Here, difference brings us hope, joy, and renewed life. We...

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Pack Nothing. Bring only your determination to serve and your willingness to be free. Don’t wait for the bread to rise. Take nourishment for the journey, but eat standing, be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Do not hesitate to leave your old ways behind - fear, silence, submission. Do not take time to explain to the neighbors.Tell only a few trusted friends and family members. Then begin quickly, before you have time to sink back into the old slavery....

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The next item on our plate is the karpas: the vegetable representing spring. Many families use a green leafy vegetable because the green makes people think about freshness, coming alive, being healthy- all the wonderful things that go along with freedom. But when families do not have enough resources they can't always get fresh fruits and vegetables. When our family lived in Eastern Europe it was also difficult to get fresh green vegetables, so our tradition is to use what those...

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On Passover, we read about the ten plagues God unleashed on the Egyptians. The plagues we see today, however, are not punishments from God, but ones of our own doing – the awful, unintended consequences of our own actions and inactions. As we read each of these plagues aloud, we dip a finger into the wine and touch a drop onto our plate. This reminds us that, even as we celebrate freedom, our freedom is not complete when others still suffer....

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Around our tables sit four daughters: Wise Daughter The wise daughter understands that not everything is as it appears. She is the one who speaks up, confident that her opinion counts. She is the one who can take the tradition and ritual that is placed before her, turn it over and over, and find personal meaning in it. She is the one who can find the secrets in the empty spaces between the letters of the Torah. She is the one...

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There they were at the Seder table, as they always are. Between the first cup and the second cup, right in the middle of the telling of the tale, they made their appearance, right on schedule. First was the wise child, the one who seems to have all the answers; sober, sensible and responsible in everything he does. “We knew the end was coming,” said the wise child. “Mom had a long life, a good life. Her time had come. We...

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Invite guests to bring their passports, and share the various ports they’ve been through. Give the children an art project, like make pillow covers that will be used to lean on, making matzah covers, drawings, plague charts, colored sand-jars, shoe box diagrams, sugar cube pyramids, mezuzas, anything, giving the adults time to meditate or discuss, and the children a memorable keepsake.

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- Prepare card with the names of the plagues on them. Have guests select a card and then pantomime the plague while others try to guess which one it is. - Divide the kids into three group, give each group either “blood” “frogs” or “animals,” the first, second, and fourth plagues. Give them five or ten minutes to create a short dramatization. The parents will then award the best performance (ideally all of them!) with an Oscar, or better yet, a...

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Ideas for Spicing Up Kiddush -Have an empty cup in the middle. Have everyone add a little form their own cups to the middle cup. This cup then will be Elijah’s cup, and everyone will have shared with Elijah from their own. -Pour the wine or grape juice for each other, each person pouring for the person to their right, to give a sense of sharing and elegance. -Have the younger participants pour everyone’s glasses, playacting as if the adults are...