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At Passover, we are confronted with the stories of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. Facing this mirror of history, how do we answer their challenge? How do we answer our children when they ask us how to pursue justice in our time? What does the Activist Child ask? “The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice shall you pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?” Empower him always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up...

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While our tradition applies specific meaning to the four cups of wine found within the Passover seder, many modern Haggadot have begun to reinterpret the original four cups. The four cups are derived from four expressions of redemption found in Exodus 6:6-7: “I will bring you out;” “I will deliver you;” “I will redeem you;” and “I will take you.” Due to the positive, redemptive focus of each phrase, each cup could come to represent current groups that need to be...

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The brutality of corrective rapeSouth Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of sexual assault. According to a 2009 government survey, one in four men admit to having sex with a woman who did not consent to intercourse, and nearly half of these men admitted to raping more than once.  An earlier government study found that a majority of rapes were committed by friends and acquaintances of the victim. Just as disturbing is a practice called “corrective rape” — the...

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For a well-formatted printable ritual, and for more information about Rabbis Organizing Rabbis, please visit http://www.rac.org/ror/ The traditional Ha Lachma Anya is found at the beginning of the Maggid, or “storytelling,” section of the Haggadah. This ritual connects both our Exodus story and the Jewish immigrant narrative to the reality of aspiring Americans today. This is the Bread of Affliction - Ha Lachma Anya Reader: In America, over 11 million undocumented immigrants live in our midst.We identify with their struggles from...

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The Anti-Slavery Seder Centerpiece (Grades 3-6): Religious School teachers can use the story of Passover to teach about modern manifestations of slavery and discuss the need for awareness. This age-appropriate activity, in addition to others available at the www.iabolish.com website, will help children teach their parents about this critical issue: Materials needed for each student: Scissors Glue stick (or other Elmer’s) A copy of the “templates” page (available at www.iabolish.com/passover/center-template.htm) A copy of the “photos” page (available at www.iabolish.com/passover/centerpiecephoto1.htm) Markers or...

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Passover: Slavery, Freedom and Migration Supplementary Resource Introduction    Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt and their freedom from slavery. At the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob and his sons face a famine in Canaan and travel to Egypt in search of food. Their outsider status in Egypt eventually makes them vulnerable to oppression and enslavement. The path of the Israelites from insecurity to migration to oppression and enslavement reoccurs throughout history. Jews have continually migrated...

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Child labor in cocoa fields has been documented in the following countries: Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, (leading supplier, accounting for around 40% of production) Guinea and Nigeria.Hundreds of thousands of children work in cocoa fields, and many of them are exposed to hazardous conditions, where they:- Spray pesticides and apply fertilizers without protective gear- Use sharp tools, like machetesSustain injuries from transporting heavy loads beyond permissible weight- Do strenuous work like felling trees, and clearing and burning vegetationThese children are treated...

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STANDING WITH FARMWORKERS Supporting Those Working to End Modern-Day Slavery PART 1 Please read this towards the beginning of the seder. The seder begins: “Let all who are in need, come and share in the Passover meal.” In this year of struggle for workers’ rights, we want to symbolically welcome members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a human rights organization made up of Florida farmworkers, primarily tomato harvesters, to share in our seder. Before we begin to tell our story...

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Why do we eat much on this night and others eat little? Why do we eat the unleavened bread and throw our leavened bread away instead of donating it to the food pantry? Why do we dip our food into sauce and salt andcharosetwhile others may not even havea crumb to dip? Why do we lay back, relax and eat the food that comes to us so easily while others work to buy bread for their family? This clip originally appeared...

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To highlight the continuing existence of slaver, spiritual leaders and families may use the following original prayer, written Rabbi Joel Soffin of Temple Shalom in Succasunna, NJ, while holding up a fourth piece of matzah: "We raise this fourth matzah to remind ourselves that slavery still exists, that people are still being bought and sold as property, that the Divine image within them is yet being denied. We make room at our Seder table and in our hearts for those in...

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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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Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu lirdof tzedek Brucha Yah Shechinah, eloheinu Malkat ha-olam, asher kid’shatnu b’mitzvotayha vitzivatnu lirdof tzedek Blessed is the Source, who shows us paths to holiness, and commands us to pursue justice. 

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By: Rabbi David Jaffe In Talmud Bavli Pesachim 115b, Rava teaches, "[One who] swallows the matzah [without chewing] has fulfilled the obligation [of eating matzah]. [However, one who] swallows the maror [without chewing] does not fulfill the obligation [of eating maror]." Rashbam explains that even though ideally one should taste the matzah, after the fact, even swallowing without tasting is a form of eating and thus one has fulfilled the mitzvah. Maror is different. Actually tasting the maror, and not just...

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From Oppression to Liberation: For the Pursuit of Reproductive Justice in this Generation The four cups of wine we drink this evening are symbols of our freedom and God's presence in our lives. But, as the seder ritual reminds us, freedom is an ongoing journey. True freedom can only be enjoyed when all our sisters, brothers and others are freed of the many burdens that would delay or deny their inherent dignity. As women, we still know the shackles of oppression...

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For the chief musician, on common instrument: a song of rebellion. Praise rising up. Praise unlawful assembly.Praise the road of excess and the palace of wisdom.Praise glass houses. Praise the hand that cradles the stone.Praise refusal of obedience. Praise the young on Raamses Street.Praise Galileo. Praise acceleration.Praise bombshells and en masse.Praise sit-down strikes. Praise outside agitators.Praise Red Emma. Praise her pistol and praise her restraint.Praise living your life. Praise Joan of Arc.Praise wayward daughters. Praise their wayward sons.Praise the power of...

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Was unterscheidet diese Nacht von allen anderen Nächten? In allen anderen Nächten brauchen wir nicht ein einziges Mal einzutunken, in dieser Nacht zweimal. In allen anderen Nächten können wir Gesäuertes und Ungesäuertes essen, in dieser Nacht nur Ungesäuertes. In allen anderen Nächten können wir verschiedene Kräuter essen, in dieser Nacht nur bittere Kräuter. In allen anderen Nächten können wir freisitzend oder angelehnt essen, in dieser Nacht sitzen wir alle angeleh

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Hallel הלל לֹא לָנוּ ,יי, לֹא לָנוּ, כִּי לְשִׁמְךָ תֵּן כָּבוֹד, עַל חַסְדְּךָ, עַל אֲמִתֶּךָ. לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם, אַיֵּה נָא אֱלֹהֵיהֶם.  ואֱלֹהֵינוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר חָפֵץ עָשָׂה. עֲצַבֵּיהֶם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָדָם. פֶּה לָהֶם וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ, עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ. אָזְנָיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ, אַף לָהֶם וְלֹא יְרִיחוּן. יְדֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְמִישׁוּן, רַגְלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יְהַלֵּכוּ, לֹא יֶהְגּוּ בִּגְרוֹנָם. כְּמוֹהֶם יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם. יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטַח בַּיי, עֶזְרָם וּמַָגִנָּם הוּא. בֵּית אַהֲרֹן בִּטְחוּ בַּיי, עֶזְרָם וּמַָגִנָּם הוּא. יִרְאֵי יי בִּטְחוּ...