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The seder officially begins with a physical act: lighting the candles.  In Jewish tradition, lighting candles and saying a blessing over them marks a time of transition, from the day that is ending to the one that is beginning, from ordinary time to sacred time.  Lighting the candles is an important part of our Passover celebration because their flickering light reminds us of the importance of keeping the fragile flame of freedom alive in the world. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech...

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I welcome all of you to our seder--a feast of freedom that Jewish people have been celebrating for thousands of years. Our guide for the seder is the book we are holding, called a Haggadah; its words help us retell the story of Pesach, or Passover. We will use the traditional ritual of the Seder to learn about our people's journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom, eat special foods that stand for Passover's many messages, and teach these traditions and...