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Sometimes I lay under the moon And thank God I'm breathing Then I pray: Don't take me soon 'Cause I am here for a reason Sometimes in my tears I drown But I never let it get me down So when negativity surrounds I know some day it'll all turn around because... Chorus: All my life I've been waiting for I've been praying for, for the people to say That we don't wanna fight no more There will be no more...

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Olam chesed yibaneh עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָנֶה I will build this world from love... yai dai dai And you must build this world from love... yai dai dai And if we build this world from love... yai dai dai Then G-d will build this world from love... yai dai dai ********* Hava nagila Hava nagila Hava nagila venis'mecha (repeat stanza once) Hava neranenah Hava neranenah Hava neranenah venis'mecha (repeat stanza once) Uru, uru achim! Uru achim b'lev sameach (repeat line three times)...

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Although our seder is not over, we have filled the commandment to tell the story. To celebrate, we begin with a taste of the hallel ( praise or song) that will follow dinner. Betzeit yisrael mimitzrayim,. ............. בְּצֵאת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרָיִם beit Ya'akov meam loez. .................... בֵּית יַעֲקֹב מֵעַם לֹעֵז. Haytah yehudah lekodsho. ................ הָיְתָה יְהוּדָה לְקָדְשׁוֹ Yisrael mamshelotav...... .................... יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמְשְׁלוֹתָיו. Hayam ra'ah vayanos,.... .................... הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנֹס hayarden yisov leachor... ................... הַיַּרְדֵּן יִסֹּב לְאָחוֹר. Heharim rakedu cheilim,... .................. הֶהָרִים רָקְדוּ...

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We've been on a crazy dance floor this evening. Let's take a few steps up... say, to the balcony. How was this experience for you? How did we do as a group? What will you take with you? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Eliyahu (or more specifically, his cousin Dror, from the maintenance staff at Bina) would want you to help clean up! :)

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The Jerusalem Talmud claims that the Pesach Hallel is not “recited”, rather it is belted out in the kind of song which suits a miraculous moment of reclaiming our lives after a national near-death experience. It is a current, relevant, real singing of salvation, said by Jews worldwide, every year. On this night I attempt to identify with the pain and tortures of the darkest nights of history. On this night, in contrast, I feel more a deep connection to my...

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The quality of being a rodef shalom (pursuer of peace) requires the ability to recognize the value of different perspectives and the skill of unifying conflicting truths into a harmonious whole. It requires the recognition that single individuals perceive only a portion of the complete truth. Hillel says: “If I am not for myself, who is for me? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" [...] Appropriately, the haggadah depicts Hillel as requiring the...

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Our eating of maror and talking about slavery might [...] carry with it a lesson about the negative power of shame. I don’t like sharing my stories of pain or difficulty. They often feel like stories of failure. It often feels like my pain is a result of my inadequacy in managing my life or lack of success. If I were a better person, more capable, wiser, more powerful, my story would be all about happiness. Sadness becomes associated with failure....

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One of most beloved songs in the Passover seder is "Dayenu". A few of us will read the stanzas one at a time, and everyone else will respond, "Dayenu" – meaning, “it would have been enough for us”. Fun fact: Persian and Afghani Jews hit each other over the heads and shoulders with scallions every time they say Dayenu! They especially use the scallions in the ninth stanza which mentions the manna that the Israelites ate everyday in the desert, because...

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The Grace after meals is long and complex for those whose knowledge of Hebrew may be limited. The essence of this prayer is to give thanks for the blessing of food and land. We can conclude our meal with a simpler prayer that the sages recount that expresses the same idea. בריך רחמנא מרן מלכא דעלמא מריה דהאי פיתא Barikh rachmana Malka D’alma Maray d’hi pita. Blessed is the all-merciful one, master of the universe who created this food!

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This is the full text of the traditional blessing after meals. It is long and in Hebrew. Jess thinks it is beautiful and fun to sing it out loud, and would love if you would join her, humming along or clapping if you don't know the words. Alternatively, take a brief nap and we'll be back shortly. שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת: בְּשׁוּב יהוה אֶת־שִׁיבַת צִיּוֹן הָיִ֫ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִים. אָז יִמָּלֵא שְׂחוֹק פִּינוּ וּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ רִנָּה, אָז יֹאמְרוּ בַגּוֹיִם, הִגְדִּיל יְיָ לַעֲשׂוֹת עִם אֵלֶּה. הִגְדִּיל יְיָ...