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On Passover, Jews are commanded to tell the story of the Exodus and to see ourselves as having lived through that story, so that we may better learn how to live our lives today. The stories we tell our children shape what they believe to be possible—which is why at Passover, we must tell the stories of the women who played a crucial role in the Exodus narrative.  The Book of Exodus, much like the Book of Genesis, opens in pervasive...

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by Lisa/Leah Russ     I dreaded passover growing up. It seemed boring and oppressive and... dreadful with the emphasis on DREAD. I never really named it, but felt somewhere in my hungry gut that this wasn't a great place to be...my grandparents’ overheated undersized apartment in Queens, with these flat books in our hands, these hollow songs, this jelly on my fish. A couple of years ago I was at a workshop called L'dor V'dor (generation to generation) and I thought about...

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We begin our Seder by calling to mind the efforts of those everywhere who celebrate the Passover by searching for its meaning in their lives. In our house, we're marrying multiple traditions, genetic lines, and ways of being. It's through rituals like this that we hope to form the strands of our life into a family that's woven together for all the time we can know. We're ecstatic you can join us for Octavio Moses's first Passover, and hope we can...

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If we were to end a single genocide, but not stop the wars that kill people as we sit here. it would not be sufficient If we were to end those bloody wars, but not disarm the nations it would not be sufficient If we were to disarm the nations, but not prevent some people from starving while others wallowed in luxury it would not be sufficient If we were to make sure that no person starved, but we were not...

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By Rabbi & Dina Brewer Dayeinu is a highly counter-intuitive hymn. Among its fourteen stanzas it proclaims that: Had God taken our ancestors out of Egypt, but not rescued them at the Red Sea, it would have been sufficient. And had God rescued them at the Red Sea, but not nourished them in the dessert, it would have been sufficient. And had God brought them to Sinai, but not given them the Torah, it would have been sufficient. These statements make...

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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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How is this night different from other nights?  On other nights we are not obligated to ask the questions of what separates us from redemption.  Tonight we are so obligated.1)  Why are women not yet universally recognized as being created in the divine image?2)  Why are Israelis still living in a state of war?3)  Why are millions of people still suffering from hunger?4)  Why are there still dictators who prevent the voices of their people from being heard?Like the traditional Four...

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(1) How big of a problem is this? According to the U.S. department of state, there are over 12 million slaves around the world. (2) What is being done about the problem? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services assists victims of trafficking in the United States by funding service programs and through public information campaigns. (3) Why isn't more being done? Money doesn't grow on trees (and politics). (4) What can you do to help? Go to this government...

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The seder opens with kiddush (the sanctification over wine). This is certainly unremarkable after all, kiddush is the opening act of every shabbat and holiday meal. But kiddush – a ritual .sanctification of time – has an intimate and unique connection to Pesach’s central theme: freedom. How so? As Israel was about to be released from slavery, God instituted a new calendar: “This month shall (mark for you the beginning of months; the first of the months of the year for...

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Freedom. It isn’t once, to walk outunder the Milky Way, feeling the riversof light, the fields of dark—freedom is daily, prose-bound, routineremembering. Putting together, inch by inchthe starry worlds. From all the lost collections."For Memory,"  A Wild Patience Has Taken Me This Far

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It is traditional at this point in the seder, to sing songs of praise. This is one of my favorites for this event.Hinei ma tov umanaimShevet achim gam yachadHinei ma tov umanaimShevet achim gam yachadBehold how good andHow pleasant it isFor brothers to dwell together

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Opening Song (Sung to the tune of "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel") Oh, welcome everybody.Time to gather round.We will tell the story.We'll smile and then we'll frown.  Oh Pesach, Pesach, PesachWe were slaves but now we're free.Oh Pesach, Pesach, PesachLet's tell our history!

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