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CHAD GADYA  Aramaic Transliteration Chad gadya, chad gadya. dizabin aba bitrei zuzei, chad gadya, chad gadya. Va'ata shunra,  ve'achla legadya dizabin aba bitrei zuzei, chad gadya, chad gadya. Va'ata chalba,  venashach leshunra de'achla legadya dizabin aba bitrei zuzei, chad gadya, chad gadya. Va'ata chutra, vehikah lechalba, denashach leshunra de'achla legadya dizabin aba bitrei zuzei, chad gadya, chad gadya. Va'ata nura, vesaraf lechutra, dehikah lechalba, denashach leshunra de'achla legadya dizabin aba bitrei zuzei, chad gadya, chad gadya. Va'ata maya, vekavah lenura, desaraf...

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Break up into groups of two to discuss the following questions: Have you or your family ever had the experience of being a stranger? Each person take a minute to share a story. Can you think of any contemporary examples of oppression of the stranger? What parallels or tensions exist between these examples, the Passover story, and the story you just shared with your partner? In today's world, what can we do, concretely, to follow the commandment to love the stranger?...

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At this point in the Seder, we fill one additional cup and set it aside for the prophet Elijah. Traditionally, Elijah - Eliyahu in Hebrew - will come to herald the coming of the Messiah. It would be much easier to think that liberation will come because of some outside force - whether it be Elijah, the Messiah, or an idea of inevitable historical progress. But, in some traditions, Elijah's visit to our Seder is to check the work  we  are...

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As we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we acknowledge that our freedom was hard-earned. We regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings. We pour out a drop of wine for each of the plagues as we recite them to signify having a little less sweetness in our celebration. Dip a finger or a spoon into your wine glass for a drop for each plague. These are the ten plagues...

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If my voice were louder, If my body stronger, I would tear through the streets, Crying: Peace, Peace, Peace. Volt ikh gehat koyekh, Volt ikh gelofn in di gasn, Volt ikh geshrign sholem, Sholem, Sholem, Sholem. Lu haya li koach, Hayiti ratsa barechov, Hayiti tsoeket shalom, Shalom, Shalom, Shalom. This song - in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew - was written by Jewish singer, musician, and activist Adrienne Cooper. It comes from a much older Shabbat tune. Adrienne Cooper was a leader...

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Olam chesed yibaneh, We will build this world with love. Psalm 89:3, tune by Rabbi Menachem Creditor, written after 9/11

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Now we move to Karpas. Karpas is the Hebrew word for green vegetable. Traditionally, the karpas is either parsley or lettuce and represents the renewing of the seasons. Passover takes place during spring, and the karpas represents the beginning of a new season and the beginning of nature’s flowering. We hope the American Jewish community will renew its commitment to freedom and dignity for all peoples. The Karpas is also dipped in salt water to remind us of the bitterness of...

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"You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the Land of Egypt" (Exodus 23:9). This commandment - the negative mitzvah not to oppress the stranger, combined with the positive mitzvah to love the stranger - is repeated more times than any other in the Torah. And, again and again, the justification is clear - you were strangers in the lang of Egypt. From the ADL Hagaddah: Our ancestors were immigrants...

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The Torah speaks of four types of children: one is wise, one is wicked, one is simple, and one does not know how to ask. At the Passover seder, we are all commanded to ask questions about the story in order to fulfill the mitzvah of retelling the Passover story as if we, ourselves, were freed from Egypt. Our tradition speaks of four children: the wise child, the wicked child, the simple child, and the child who does not know how...

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It is traditional to drink four cups of wine or grape juice over the course of the Seder. At this Liberation Seder, we dedicate each cup to one part of the work of liberation: Ending the Occupation LGBTQ Liberation Racial Justice Justice for Immigrants and Refugees

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(Hold up matzah.) This is the bread of affliction Which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, let them enter and eat. All who are in need, let them come celebrate Passover with us. (Break back up into groups of 3-4. Take 10 minutes to read the following and respond to the discussion questions.) Eloheinu v'Elohei Avoteinu v'Imoteinu, our God and God of our ancestors, we are gathered around this seder table as b'nei khorin, free...

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1. Once upon a time our people went into exile in the land of Egypt. During a famine our ancestor Jacob and his family fled to Egypt where food was plentiful. His son Joseph had risen to high position in Pharaoh’s court, and our people were well-respected and well-regarded, secure in the power structure of the time. 2. Generations passed and our people remained in Egypt. In time, a new Pharaoh ascended to the throne. He found our difference threatening, and...

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(While we go around the circle, taking turns reading paragraphs, those not reading sing quietly the tune from the beginning of the Seder.) It is traditional to end the Seder with a promise: "l'shana ha'ba'a b'yerushalayim - next year in Jerusalem." What does this promise mean? The city of Jerusalem is sacred for Jews, Muslims, and Christians - for billions of people around the world. For Jews forced into the diaspora 2,000 years ago, wandering always in countries which were sometimes...