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Skit for the telling of the Passover story in word and songNarrator 1: The story of Moses has been told and retold.  It is a reminder to the Jewish people that once we were slaves in Egypt, but now we are free.  Once, we were downhearted, but now we are happy.  In our times of despair, it is important for us to remember the miracles performed by a merciful God, whose love for His people is never-ending.And so, this year, as...

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At Passover each year, we read the story of our ancestors’ pursuit of liberation from oppression. When confronting this history, 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 you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?”Empower him always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Speak...

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The story of Passover may seem very remote to you, as it happened thousands of years ago, when the oldest people at your seder table were very, very young, and so many of the details of the story seem somewhat old-fashioned, such as the smearing of lamb’s blood over the doorway of one’s home, which has largely been replaced by signs warning away solicitors.  But in fact, the story of liberation is one that is still going on, as people all...

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1. Why eat plain matza which is hard to digest? Poor laborers and slaves are fed matza not only because it is cheap but because it is filling and requires a long digestion period. The diet was designed by the oppressor to exploit the people efficiently.      2. Why eat raw, bitter vegetables? Maror is eaten plain only by the most oppressed workers who are given little time to prepare their meals. With more time they would have made these herbs into...

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Many questions have arisen about this snippet of text.  What were these rabbis doing in B’nei Brak, which was the hometown of Rabbi Akiva only?Why didn’t their students join them in celebrating the seder?  Why didn’t the rabbis themselves notice the rising of the sun? Context is everything.  This story takes place during the rule of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who ordered that the Temple be moved so he could put a temple to Jupiter on the Temple Mount.In the year...

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The word “Karpas” derives from the Greek “Karpos” meaning fruit of the soil.  The historical origins of dipping Karpas at the Seder reflect the accepted cuisine of the Greco-Roman symposium.Metaphorically, Karpas, the spring vegetable, represents both the historic birth of Israel out of the womb of Egypt and the rebirth of nature renewed each spring.  According to Philo and Rabbi Joshua the original birthday of nature - The Creation - occurred at Pesach-time, not Rosh Hashanah.Similarly, the Italian name for spring...

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The single most important thing you can do for your family may be the simplest of all: develop a strong family narrative.“The ones who know a lot about their families tend to do better when they face challenges,” said Sara Duke, a psychologist who works with children with learning disabilities.“Do You Know?” Do you know where your grandparents grew up? Do you know where your mom and dad went to high school? Do you know where your parents met? Do you...

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Ha lachma anya—this is the bread of affliction.At the seder we begin as slaves. We eat matzah, the bread of affliction, which leaves us hungry and longing for redemption. It reminds us of a time when we couldn’t control what food was available to us, but ate what we could out of necessity. The matzah enables us to taste slavery— to imagine what it means to be denied our right to live free and healthy lives.But, while we will soon enjoy...

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Just where did the rabbis themselves determine the idea of instituting four cups of wine? The rabbis wrote these instructions in Tractate Pesachim during the time of Roman rule in Israel, and during that time it was customary at Roman feasts or banquets (known as symposiums (sym – together, posium – drinking wine)) to begin the festivities by drinking wine. This was followed by going into the dining hall and eating the main meal which was accompanied by more wine. At...

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Each holiday is a place in time and space, with its own story, its own message and its own rituals.  If we open ourselves, the rituals and messages of each holiday find a way to enter our hearts.This holiday of Pesach enters our hearts with the themes of freedom, defiance, hope and renewal.  Pesach is the retelling of how a rabble of slaves was infused with a sacred purpose and grew to enter into a covenant with God.  It is a...

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The Four Cups by Rabbi Yael LevyIt is time, the Infinite calls,ComeV’hotzeyti, I will take you outV’hitzalti, I will deliver you to a new placeV’ga’alti, I will help you to transformV’lakachti, I will take you into relationshipAnd you will know your beloved place amid the myriad of all life (Exodus 6:6-7).I can’t the soul cries, I am so afraid.Of course you are, the Infinite responds.You have been in the narrow place for so very longBut I will lift you up,So just...

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Passover is a story of centuries of slavery, and years of wandering in the desert; a story of perseverance amidst persecution, and faith in God and the Torah. It is a story about finding freedom in your own land. For the Jewish people, this story is central to who you have become. But it is also a story that holds within it the universal human experience, with all of its suffering and salvation. It is a part of the three great...