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We take the uppermost Matzah and break it into pieces and distribute it to each participant at our Seder. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam Ha’Motzi Lechem Min Ha’Aretz. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Who brings forth sustenance from the Earth. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל אֲכִילַת מַצָּה Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kidshanu Bemitzvotav Ve-Tzivanu Al Achilat...

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These events on our timeline reflect mostly accomplishments of the GLBT community in the face of adversity. Tonight we acknowledge and recognize the GLBT community’s endurance under ten additional plagues. For each of these plagues we continue our tradition of dipping our finger tip in our wine cups, and for each plague we place one drop of wine on our plates: Blood: The blood shed in the Nazi death camps and in Queer-bashings. Laughter: The laughter caused by our stereotyped representation...

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When the hardships imposed by the Pharaoh did not slow down the population growth of the Israelites, Pharaoh then decreed that all Israelite males born should be killed. However, the Israelite midwives – Shifra and Puah – who were ordered by Pharaoh to be in charge of this task, feared the wrath of God and made sure that this did not happen.  The Pharaoh then ordered his people to throw every male child born to an Israelite in the Nile River....

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During the time when Pharaoh issued his decree to kill Israelite males, Moses, who later was to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to freedom, was an infant. His concerned mother, Jochebed placed him in a basket of reeds in the Nile River while Moses’ sister Miriam watched from a distance to see who would come to find him. The basket was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter, who decided to raise the infant as her own son and named...

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Dayenu! it would have been enough We show our gratitude for each of the many ways God protected the Israelites as they journeyed from slavery to freedom. We acknowledge that each saving act would have been sufficient. Nevertheless, we are grateful for God’s manifold gifts and we sing Dayenu! Had God brought us out of Egypt and not divided the sea for us, Dayenu! Had God divided the sea and not permitted us to cross on dry land, Dayenu! Had God...

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We sanctify the name of God and proclaim the holiness of this festival of Passover. With a blessing over wine, we lift our wine, our symbol of joy; let us welcome the festival of Passover. In unison, we say… Our God and God of our ancestors, we thank You for enabling us to gather in friendship, to observe the Festival of Freedom. Just as for many centuries the Passover Seder has brought together families and friends to retell the events that...

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Tonight’s Haggadah contains the following ingredients:    Kadesh – Sanctification – קַדֵש  Oorhatz – Washing of the hands – וּרְחַץ  Carpas­ – The eating of the green vegetables – כַּרְפַּס  Yahatz – Breaking of the Middle of the three Matzot – יַחַץ  Maggid – The story of Exodus – מַגִיד  Eyru’ayim - The reading of the GLBT timeline – אֵירוּעַיִם  Rachatz – Washing of the hands before the meal – רַחַץ  Motzi – Blessing before the meal – מוֹצִיא  Matzah – Blessing...

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“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm,” Exodus 6:7 - בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam Borey P’ree Hagafen. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Who creates the fruit of the vine.

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The traditional Haggadah preserves some customs from when the Temple was still in existence in Jerusalem. All formal dinners began with an appetizer. Karpas is the appetizer of the Passover meal. It may consist of any green vegetable: parsley, lettuce, endive, cress, even scallion.  The green vegetable is a symbol of springtime and the miracle of natures renewal. At this season, when Mother Earth arrays herself anew, the human spirit rises, and we renew our faith in a world where freedom...

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What’s the story behind the Haggadah? According to Rabbi Moshe Lazarus, the word Haggadah comes from the Torah command – “And you shall tell (v’Higadeta) your children on that day…” Although the minimal fulfillment of this mitzvah is a simple recounting of the going out of Egypt and explaining a few of the Passover symbols, proper fulfillment requires much more. Over the centuries, additions have been made to the Haggadah to enhance this mitzvah. Many of these additions gained such wide...

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The MaNishtana traditionally asks us, “What is unique or different about tonight?” and, “Why do we eat Matzah, why do we dip and eat Bitter Herbs not just once, but twiceand why do we recline?” These elements are symbolic themes that mirror the reflection our ancestor’s liberation from slavery, the hardships they experienced and theoppression that infringed on their freedoms. Tonight at our GLBT Passover Seder we incorporate a fifth question and answer. “What is unique or different about tonight’s seder,...

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We are about to take the middle matzah and divide it in half. This matzah which we break and set aside is a symbol of our unity with Jews throughout the world. We will not conclude our Seder until the missing piece (the Afikomen) is found and spiritually reunited. This is a reminder of the indestructible link which infuses us as a world family.  In unison we say… We cannot forget those who remain behind in any land of persecution, fearful...

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As we begin the Seder meal, we link physical delight and pleasure to our celebration of faith and freedom. Judaism calls upon us to serve God with all that we are and have. In unison we say: Enjoying the Festival Meal As we enjoy our Festival meal, we pray that joy and contentment may soon be the lot of all God’s children, in a world of peace and freedom.

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The Supportive/Open Minded Child How do we make our GLBT Seder more inclusive? We seek to ensure that everyone is included and that all of their needs are being met. For example, there is a movement to encourage the use of gender-neutral pronouns like ze for he/she and hir for him/her at inclusive Seders. We have incorporated many new traditions into our own Seder for example, the orange on our Seder plate, or the creation of a whole second Seder plate. ...

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This GLBT Haggadah was created as a result of a collaborative effort by JQ International and the Institute for Judaism & Sexual Orientation at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (IJSO). Our goal was to create a comprehensively GLBT-oriented Haggadah and GLBT Passover experience by codifying the annual GLBT Seder experience created by lay members of JQ International since 2004 and making it available to GLBT Jews for reapplication anywhere around the world. A committee of dedicated members representing...

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We sing “Miriam’s Song,” by Debbie Friedman in honor of Miriam and the Israelite women at the crossing at the Sea. Chorus: And the women dancing with their timbrels Followed Miriam as she sang her song. Sing a song to the One whom we’ve exalted. Miriam and the women danced and danced the whole night long. And Miriam was a weaver of unique variety. The tapestry she wove was one, which sang our history. With every thread and every strand she...

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We sanctify the name of God and proclaim the holiness of this festival of Passover. With a blessing over wine, we lift our wine, our symbol of joy; let us welcome the festival of Passover. In unison, we say… Our God and God of our ancestors, we thank You for enabling us to gather in friendship, to observe the Festival of Freedom. Just as for many centuries the Passover Seder has brought together families and friends to retell the events that...

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The Candle lighting celebration begins by honoring light We light the candles and say… בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheynu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kidishanu B’Mitzvotav V’Tzivanu L’Hadlik Ner Shel Yom Tov. Blessed are You, Lord, our God, Ruler of the universe, Who sanctifies us with commandments, and commands us to light the candles on this holiday. - בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶה...

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The traditional Haggadah preserves some customs from when the Temple was still in existence in Jerusalem. All formal dinners began with an appetizer. Karpas is the appetizer of the Passover meal. It may consist of any green vegetable: parsley, lettuce, endive, cress, even scallion.  The green vegetable is a symbol of springtime and the miracle of natures renewal. At this season, when Mother Earth arrays herself anew, the human spirit rises, and we renew our faith in a world where freedom...