The story we recall tonight is the product of Israelite imagination. It does not describe actual events.  There are aspects that are somewhat disturbing. Some parts of the narrative even suggest that Pharaoh is not completely responsible for his own behavior. Just when it seems that he might relent, the Israelites’ God actually “hardens his heart!”  In any case, both Pharaoh and the God of the Israelites are responsible for much torment. To our modern sensibilities, neither of them comes out...

This blessing can be recited as we light the candles to begin the Passover Seder and to celebrate the arrival of spring: Blessed is the light in the world. Blessed is the light within humanity. Blessed is the light of Passover. Barukh ha-or ba-olam Barukh ha-or ba-adam Barukh ha-ror ba-Pesakh (If this blessing is different or new to you: Judaism is a constantly evolving conversation, practice, and identity. This text has been used by tens of thousands of Jews over the...

MAGGID - STORY These questions are important. But before I answer them, let me tell you the story of Jewish hope. Our ancestors lived in the land of Israel. But their children have wandered the earth to look for freedom and dignity. Our roots are in Israel. But our branches travel the surface of the globe. Some of our ancestors traveled to Egypt. It was a time of famine and they were hungry. The king of Egypt welcomed them and gave...

You will not find an orange included in any ancient Haggadah. It is a brand new tradition and it demonstrates just how quickly new traditions can spread.  Its origins lie in a fable that some university students invented for a feminist Haggadah in the 1980s. It tells the story of a girl who asks a rabbi about the placein Judaism for a lesbian. The angri rabbi retorts, "There's as much room for a lesbian in Judaism as there is for a...

FOURTH CUP OF WINE (The Cup of Responsibility, The Liberated Haggadah, Rabbi Peter Schweitzer) Tonight we are free, while so many remain enslaved. Let us not stand idly by. Let us work to bring them freedom too. Tonight we are free, while so many remain embittered. Let us not stand idly by. Let us work to bring them gladness too. For freedom does not come by chance. It is born of earnest struggle. It is the gift of life, which we...

The wine of Passover is the wine of joy, the wine of love, the wine of celebration, the wine of freedom: Freedom from bondage and freedom from oppression, Freedom from hunger and freedom from want, Freedom from hatred and freedom from fear, Freedom to think and freedom to speak, Freedom to teach and freedom to learn, Freedom to love and freedom to share, Freedom to hope and freedom to rejoice, Soon, now, in our days, and forever. Precious is the life...

The legends of our Rabbinic sages teach us that a miraculous well of healing waters accompanied the children of Israel throughout their journey in the desert, providing them with water. This well was given to Miriam, the prophetess, to honor her bravery and devotion to the Jewish people. According to the legend, both Miriam and her well provided comfort and gave our forbearers the faith and confidence to overcome the hardships of the Exodus. We fill Miriam’s cup with water to...

When earlier we recalled the story of the Exodus, we acknowledged it as a work of fiction. Yet only one hundred years ago, most scholars still believed that the tale was true in many of its details.  Then they started digging … literally … with shovels and pails. It eventually became clear that the story we had told ourselves for millennia did not take place. There had been no mass flight from Egypt, no conquest of the land of Israel, otherwise...

The holiday of Passover is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Jewish calendar. Some believe that’s because the holiday is primarily home-based and does not require membership or involvement in a synagogue or temple, although it can. The history of Passover, like most Jewish holidays, is multi-layered. It began with the celebration of spring, the rebirth of nature, and the birth of baby animals. The Exodus from Egypt was a later layer, which became the central and compelling story...

Roasted Shank Bone (Zeroah) “Passover is the amalgamation of two ancient festivals—one called Pesach, the other Chag Hamatzot. Pesach was originally a shepherd festival, observed in the early spring when the sheep gave birth to their young. It was customary for each family to sacrifice a lamb to assure a healthy flock. The presence of the shank bone on our seder table recalls the primitive beginnings of the festival we now call Passover and impresses us with the antiquity of our...