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Jews from Spain, Italy, Sicily, Morocco, Tunisia, and Sardinia would bring the Seder plate to the table with ceremony. Sometimes, they would cover it with a nice scarf and sing as it arrived to the table. They would pass it from person to person around the table, and place it on each head for a moment. This demonstrates that we were once slaves in Egypt and carried heavy burdens on our heads. In Hungary, they go even further by decorating the...

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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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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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URCHATZ  The Leader of the Seder only, now washes his/her hands from an ewer into a bowl held by another celebrant, wiping them dry on a hand towel. We have accepted the need for leadership, we wash the leaders's hands. This small, formal act of service is a symbol of our recognition of their leadership. This is an ancient Jewish ritual in and of itself.  At this point in the Seder, washing the hands has a specific purpose other than to...

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In 2008, we moved from Boise to Corvallis Oregon. Why did we leave? The job? Were we through with Boise? Did we need to begin a new chapter in our lives? We were uncertain about many things. The economy, tearing ourselves from the place we had raised a family. Our move was very difficult physically and emotionally. There were many things we clung to here in Boise. People, places and things that were familiar to us and gave us comfort. Yet...

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We start the seder by noticing what is out of the ordinary and then investigating its meaning further. How is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we depend on the exploitation of invisible others for our food, clothing, homes, and more. Tonight, we listen to the stories of those who suffer to create the goods we use. We commit to working toward the human rights of all workers. On all other nights, we have allowed human...

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רַבָן גַמְלִיאֵל הָיָה אוֹמֵר:כָל שֶלֹא אָמַר שְלשָה דְבָרִים אֵלו בַפֶסַח, לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, וְאֵלו הֵן: פֶסַח, מַצָה, ומָרוֹר.Point to the shank bone פֶסַח שֶהָיו אֲבוֹתֵינו אוֹכְלִים בִזְמַן שֶבֵית הַמִקְדָש הָיָה קַיָם, עַל שום מָה? עַל שום שֶפֶָסַח הַקָדוֹש בָרוךְ הוא עַל בָתֵי אֲבוֹתֵינו בְמִצְרַים , שֶנֶאֱמַר: וַאֲמַרְתֶם זֶבַח פֶסַח הוא לַיי, אֲשֶר פֶָסַח עַל בָתֵי בְני יִשְרָאֵל בְמִצְרַים בְנָגְפוֹ אֶת מִצְרַים , וְאֶת בָתֵינו הִצִיל? וַיִקדֹ הָעָם וַיִשְתַחוו. Point to the matzah מַצָה זו שאנו אוֹכְלִים, עַל שום מה? עַל...

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Leader: When Israel came forth out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language; Company: Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion. Leader: The sea saw it, and fled; The Jordan turned backward. Company: The mountains skipped like rams, The hills like young sheep, Leader: What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleest? Thou Jordan, that thou turnest backward? Company: Ye mountains that ye skip like rams; Ye hills, like young sheep? Leader: Tremble, thou earth,...

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בָרוךְ אתה יי אֱלֹהֵינו מֶלֶךְ העוֹלָם, אֲשֶר גְאָלָנו וְגָאַל אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינו מִמִצְרַים , וְהִגִיעָנו לַלַיְלָה הַזֶה לֶאֱכָל בוֹ מַצָה ומָרוֹר. כֵן יי אֱלֹהֵינו וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינו יַגִיעֵנו לְמוֹעֲדִים וְלִרְגָלִים אֲחֵרִים הַבָאִים לִקְרָאתֵנו לְשָלוֹם, שְמֵחִים בְבִנְיַן עִירֶךָ וְשָשִים בַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ. וְנאֹכַל שָם מִן הַזְבָחִים ומִן הַפְסָחִים אֲשֶר יַגִיעַ דָמָם עַל קִיר מִזְבַחֲךָ לְרָצוֹן, וְנוֹדֶה לְךָ שִיר חָדָש עַל גְאֻלָתֵנו ועַל פְדות נַפְשֵנו. בָרוךְ אַתָה יי גָאַל יִשְרָאֵל. בָרוךְ אַתָה יי אֱלֹהֵינו מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בוֹרֵא פְרִי הַגָפֶן.