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GARLIC ON THE SEDER PLATE  Dori Midnight I began placing garlic on our seder plate a few years ago, as it has been central to my work of reconnecting to and re-enlivening Jewish folk healing traditions and a lifelong love. After the birth of Nishmat Shoom (the queer, radical, non-zionist minyan project I am part of, whose name, inspired by this work, means Breath or Soul of Garlic), many of the Garlic Eaters in our community began adopting this practice and...

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CUP OF REDEMPTION At a traditional seder we fill a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah who is a symbol of redemption. At this seder we are raising a cup of water as a symbol of the redemption that women have brought through the generations. All: Water is the symbol of life. Reader: The biblical prophet Miriam saved her brother from the waters of the Nile, she led the song of victory aber the waters of the red sea parted...

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THE MATZAH OF HOPE and PEACE Neal Borovitz Avadim Hayinu:  Not only were we slaves to the Pharaoh of Egypt, we have also been enslaved and persecuted by other Pharaohs.  Among these Pharaohs of every age were the Kings of Babylonia, the Emperors of Greece and Rome, the Churchmen and Nobles of Medieval Spain, Hitler and his Nazi followers, the Pharaohs of Moscow, and the dictators, potentates and terrorists of the contemporary Arab world.  The Babylonian exile was followed by a...

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At Passover, we receive a personal directive to create an inclusive and welcoming community. Even when we intend to be welcoming, many in our community still feel like strangers. The things that divide us — race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, among others — also have the power to unite us. During the Seder, we are each meant to remember that we ourselves were once strangers in a strange land. If the Jewish community is to be a home for all, we...

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So, first of all, the four children appear in the Jerusalem Talmud, where Rabbi Hyyia, a student of Rabbi Judah the Prince, is quoted as bringing this parable.  Hyyia’s text varies quite a bit from the text we know today: for one, the simple child is not "simple" but stupid. But it is Rabbis at the time of the collection of the Mishnah and Talmud who are creating this rubric. And so we proceed:  The "Wise" Child asks about the rules...

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A blessing on your head...Mazel tov! Mazel tov! Our spin on the Moroccan Jewish tradition is to pass the remaining pieces of matzah around for everyone to both make and receive a blessing. Hold the matzah up over the person's head to your left and whisper a private blessing or wish for them. We will continue with our Seder while you each partake in this private moment. Wishes and blessings around themes of freedom are especially appropriate tonight but feel free...

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You may be wondering why this Haggadah claims to be written by you. The answer is that parts of tonight’s service will be uniquely yours. The written Haggadah is our road map, but what we see along the way will be based on who we are. Judaism has evolved into a tradition without high priest, sage, or ultimate leader. It is the joy and responsibility of every Jew to engage with the tradition. Because of this, our seder has no leader...

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Passover celebrates freedom, exemplified in the story of our Exodus from Egypt. Thatstory leads our entry into Israel—not exactly a simple redemption tale. Especially notnow, as Israelis and Palestinians continue to fight for their mutual Promised Land, andto shed blood in pursuit of its ownership.In light of that situation, some of us may have complicated feelings about identifyingwith Israel. But “Israel” doesn’t refer only to the Land. “Israel” is the name which wasgiven to Jacob after he spent the night wrestling...

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Questions are not only welcome during the course of the evening but are vital totonight’s journey. Our obligation at this seder involves traveling from slavery tofreedom, prodding ourselves from apathy to action, encouraging thetransformationof silence into speech, and providing a space where all different levels of belief andtradition can co-exist safely. Because leaving Mitzrayim--the narrow places, theplaces that oppress us—is a personal as well as a communal passage, yourparticipation and thoughts are welcome and encouraged. We remember that questioning itself is...