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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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Adir Hu - This Passover hymn lists attributes of God, with the refrain asking God to“build your House soon, speedily, in our time.” Today, we will sing “Adir Hu” both in praise and as a call for righteousness and compassion in our time. Adir hu, adir hu, (refrain) yivneh beito bekarov. Bimherah, bimherah, beyameinu bekarov. El bneh, el bneh, bneh beitcha bekarov. Bachur hu, gadol hu, dagul hu, (refrain) Hadur hu, vatik hu, zakai hu, (refrain) Chassid hu, tahor hu, yachid...

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Because on all other nights we are either Jewish or GLBTQA, but on this night we are both. 1) Because on all other nights we eat leavened bread – representative of the “airiness” and artificial nature of our lives – but on this night we eat matzah – representative of transparency and plain honesty. 2) Because on all other nights we enjoy a variety of tastes and vegetables, but on this night we focus on the maror – the bitterness of...

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We dedicate the first cup of this Seder to ending the occupation. (We fill our neighbors' cups.) In Israel/Palestine, the occupation continues to deny freedom and dignity to Palestinians. It has been over 50 years of home demolitions, endless checkpoints, and the imprisonment of children and teenagers like Ahed Tamimi. The occupation is a daily nightmare for Palestinians and a moral disaster for the Israelis who are mandated to enforce it as well as all those around the world who uphold...

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Lo yisa goy el goy cherev V’lo yil’medu od milchamah. (Nation shall not lift up sword against nation Nor shall they learn war anymore. From Isaiah 2:4)

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We now say grace after the meal, thanking God for the food we’ve eaten. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, hazan et ha’olam kulo b’tuvo b’chen b’chesed v’rachamin. Hu noten lechem l’chol basar ki l’olam chasdo. Uv’tuvo hagadol tamid lo chasar lanu v’al yech’sar lanu mazon l’olam va’ed. Ba’avur sh’mo hagadol ki hu zan um’farnes lakol umetiv lakol umechin mazon l’chol b’riyotav asher bara. Baruch Atah Adonai hazan et hakol. We praise God, Spirit of Everything, whose goodness sustains the world....

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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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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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Z’roa–זרוע: a shankbone or beet, which represents the mighty hand and outstretched arm that liberated us from Mitzrayim. Maror-מרור: horseradish, which represents the bitterness of slavery in Mitzrayim. Charoset–חרוסת: a mixture of dried fruits and nuts which represents the mortar used to lay bricks, the work done while enslaved in Mitzrayim. Beitzah–ביצה: an egg, which represents life, wholeness, and liberation.​ Karpas–כרפס: parsley, which represents growth, change, and life. Salt Water–מי מלח: which represents our tears while enslaved, and our tenacity and...

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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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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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(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...