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Pass a pitcher, basin, and towl around the table. Rinse and dry your hands, saying: Let our telling pour forth like water, strengthening spirits, refreshing souls.

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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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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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The Four QuestionsWhy is it onlyon Passover nightwe never know howto do anything right?We don't eat our mealsin the regular ways,the ways that we doon all other days.'Cause on all other nightswe may eatall kinds of wonderfulgood bready treats,like big purple pizzathat tastes like a pickle,crumbly crackersand pink pumpernickel,sassafras sandwichand tiger on rye,fifty felafels in pita,fresh-fried,with peanut-butterand tangerine saucespread onto each sideup-and-down, then across,and toasted whole-wheat breadwith liver and ducks,and crumpets and dumplings,and bagels and lox,and doughnuts with one holeand doughnuts...

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Leader: God brought ten plagues upon the Egyptian people as part of the Israelites’ journey to freedom. Tonight we read ten modern plagues that result from unfair, inequitable, and excessive practices in the criminal justice system. As we read each plague we remove a drop of wine from our glasses to symbolize our anguish at the suffering these plagues have caused. Recite together:  The concentration of police drug enforcement resources in poor communities of color  The forfeiture laws and...

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We are going to conclude our dinner tonight with a celebratory toast - a l’chaim. Rather than filling our own cup tonight, though, and focusing on us as individuals, let’s fill someone else’s cup and recognize that, as a family and group of friends, we have the resources to help each other and those in our community if we are willing to share our resources and collaborate – whether those resources are time, money, skills, or any of the other gifts...

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“An Invitation to a Plant-Based Meal”  Adam Gorod, Jewish Veg. D.C.  Our food choices during the Exodus were so much simpler. We could subsist on manna alone. Free of animal products, manna was a bread from heaven with a taste like coriander seed. Today the options—even during Passover—are more varied. Any number of Kosher-for-Passover items sit in the curated displays of many supermarkets at the arrival of spring. These options, however, make one fact unavoidable: we are now, at all seasons,...

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The Passover Seder is one of the most recognized and widely practiced of Jewish rituals, yet had our ancestors visited one of these modern-day celebrations, they would be baffled. Not only does our modern Seder wildly diverge from the Passover of old: during antiquity itself the holiday underwent radical changes. As the centralized Israelite state took shape about 3,000 years ago, the religion of the people varied from place to place and took variegated forms, hints of which we can see...

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By Rabbi Melissa Klein, Rabbi Joanna Katz, Rabbi Julie Greenberg, Rabbi Jo Hirschmann, Susan Kaplow, Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell This year, we add a padlock and a key to our seder plate. Those of us who are blessed to live in our own homes tend to associate locks and keys with protection and access. Many of us have homes that keep us safe and that allow us to go in and out as we please. In contrast, for more than two...

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A Jewish community that has lived in Kochi, India for more than 2,000 years starts preparing for Passover right after Hanukkah. They believe that if a Jewish woman were to make even the slightest mistake in Passover preparation during the 100 days before the actual seder, then the lives of her husband and her children would be endangered. They keep special rooms that hold all of the Passover utensils. Houses would be scraped and immediately repainted after Purim. Wells would be...

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It is one of life's joys that each year Jews celebrate the holiday of Pesach - its message of freedom - its response to suffering - its hope for renewed life. United with family and dear friends, Jews celebrate the holiday of Pesach - with gratitude for blessings - for love - for freedom.

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Kafka once wrote in his journal: "You can hold yourself back from the sufferings of the world. That is something you are free to do and it accords with your nature. But perhaps this very holding back is the one suffering you could avoid." The "you" that Kafka is addressing might be himself, or it might be each of us. But it also could be -- and here's the stunner -- the God of Exodus Himself. It accords with His nature,...

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Passover is a holiday with many different themes.  This breadth ensures that no two seders will ever be exactly alike and encourages each of us to engage equally, whether this is the first or hundredth seder you’ve attended.  It also challenges each of us to connect to the seder on a personal, individual level.  The themes offered are just a sampling, what other themes are you drawn to? Redemption: In the Exodus story, the Jews were redeemed physically from slavery. While...

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The top MatzohAnd bottom Matzoh are,it is said,Pesach substitutesFor the two loaves of challah on Shabbat,Supposedly a reminderOf the two portions of mannaThey received  in the dessertEvery Friday before Shabbat. But the middle matza?!Ah,That's for the seder.We break it in halfAnd call it the bread of affliction,Just like the unleavened breadWe ate as we fled slavery Matza Number Two,The afflicted matza, We break it in halfAnd separate ourselves from joySo we don't forget the painThat has been ours.We break it in...

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פֿאַרוואָ אין די נאַכט פֿוּן פסח אנדערש פֿוּן אַלע נאַכט פֿוּן אַ גאַנץ יאָר? אַלע נאַכט פֿוּן אַ גאַנץ יאָר עסן חמץ אָדער מצה; אַבער די נאַכט פֿוּן פסח, עסן מיר נאָר מצה. אַלע נאַכט פֿוּן אַ גאַנץ יאָר עסן אַלערליי גרינסן; אַבער די נאַכט פֿוּן פסח, עסן מיר ביטערע גרינסן. אַלע נאַכט פֿוּן אַ גאַנץ יאָר טרינקן מיר ניט אַיין אַפֿילוּ אַיין מאָל; אַבער די נאַכט פֿוּן פסח, טרינקן מיר צוײ מאָל. אַלע נאַכט פֿוּן אַ גאַנץ יאָר טרינקן מיר...

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Some parsley, lettuce or watercress is distributed to all present who dip it in salt water or in vinegar, and before partaking of it say in unison: BORUCH ATTO ADONOI ELOHENU MELECH HO‘OLOM BORE P’RI HO’ADOMO. Praised art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the earth.

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Pesach Family, On behalf of myself, Rachel, and Lucy, we want to welcome you all to the first ever Seder that we have hosted in our own home! We are honored and blessed to have all of you here with us, as we attempt to make this service as meaningful and joyful as possible. I know there are many challenges and stresses throughout the year, including work (do I really have to go back tomorrow??), family commitments (aren't Lucy and Nadav...