Passover is also called Hag HaAviv, the Spring holiday. We celebrate the newness, the hope, the possibility that spring brings. We pray for renewal, as our spring renews us and the world in which we live. We dip the Karpas in salt water to remember the tears that our ancestors shed as slaves. Before eating dip the Karpas (we'll be using parsley) in salt water and recite: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech...

Urchatz is rooted in the Hebrew word rachatz, meaning wash. In Aramaic, the language of the Talmud (an ancient collection of Jewish writings), the word for washing actually means 'trust'. We trust in the water, it purifies us. Traditionally now we wash our hands without blessing to prepare ourselves for the rituals. Water is connected to women in both Islam and Judaism: to Hajjar and to Miriam. Jewish legend tells of Miriam's Well, a well filled with 'living waters,' waters of...

Jewish celebrations usually include wine as a symbol of joy. Wine sanctifies an occasion and makes it holy. During the Passover Seder we drink four cups of wine, why four? In the Book of Exodus, God convinced the Jews to leave Egypt using four statements: I shall take you out I shall rescue you I shall redeem you I shall bring you We toast each of these statements with a cup of wine. Pour and raise your first cup of wine/grape...

Welcome to the Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Committee's 4th Annual Passover in a Mosque! Whether you've been celebrating Passover your whole life or this is the first time you attend a Seder, we are so happy you are able to join us tonight! We are here together as one to share, learn, and be curious. We will experience some of the readings and rituals of the traditional Passover Haggadah, explore some moments it intersects with Islam, and reflect on our own stories and...

Elijah's Cup- In Jewish tradition, Elijah is the harbinger of the Messiah, or the Messianic era, a time of peace, solidarity, friendship, and wholeness. Elijah's cup is filled and left untouched, waiting for his arrival. Miriam's Cup- A recent addition to the Passover table, Miriam’s Cup is filled with water and serves as a symbol of Miriam’s Well, which was the source of water for the Israelites in the desert. Matzah- The Israelites left Egypt in a haste and did not...

This is the end. Now we pause and reflect on our experience. We have taken our steps out of Egypt, out of oppression and towards freedom. We realize although we are no longer slaves, there is still a long way to go. The last prayer echoes our hope for G-d to heal our broken world, that the promise for a world of peace becomes a reality. Every year, we sing: לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽיִם L’shana haba-ah biy’rushalayim NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM! The...

Three matzot are stacked on the seder table; at this stage, the middle matzah of the three is broken in half. The larger piece is hidden somewhere in the house. Later, the children get to search for it, and whoever finds it gets a prize. Much of the Seder is about engaging children to ask questions - to learn the stories and be curious. This part simply keeps them awake and excited to search for the hidden matzah at the end...