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 LEADER: Welcome to our Seder. The Seder takes us back to events that happened more than 3,000 years ago in Egypt where Jews were slaves and rebelled against the tyranny of Pharaoh. PARTICIPANT: Many other peoples have been enslaved and many nations observe an Independence Day. Tonight we celebrate ours. PARTICIPANT: Pharaoh is symbolic of all tyrants. The Seder is meant to remind us of the importance of personal liberty and our need to support others who struggle for freedom. LEADER: We begin with a blessing over the wine, symbol of joy.

ALL: Baruch atta Adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam, boray p’ri hagafen. Praised be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine (drink wine).

PARTICIPANT: Greens, karpas, are symbolic of springtime and the miracle of nature’s renewal. During the Spring Season, we renew our hope for a world where freedom and justice prevail. PARTICIPANT: The salt water, into which the karpas is dipped, reminds us of the tears shed by all people who are oppressed. PARTICIPANT: Traditionally, for the daily meal, there was one loaf of bread. On Sabbath, there were two loaves as a reminder of the double portion of manna that fell on Fridays for the Children of Israel as they wandered in the Wilderness. In honor of Passover, a third matzah is added for the Seder.

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PARTICIPANT: The middle matzah is broken into 2 pieces. The larger piece is wrapped in a napkin as a symbol of the afikomen that was saved and eaten as dessert. LEADER: We need the afikomen in order to finish the Seder. I’m going to put it here so nobody can take it and trick us.

ALL: As we celebrate Passover in freedom, let us pray for the day when all are free….free from poverty, free from fear, free from bigotry and free from war.

LEADER: As a sign of hospitality, we open the front door of our house to let all who are hungry come in and eat. Let all who are needy celebrate Passover with us. (drink wine from Elijah’s cup).

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

LEADER: Passover is a very special holiday. We do many things differently during Passover.

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THE FOUR CHILDREN

LEADER: On four occasions, the Torah instructs parents to teach their children the story of the Passover. Thus the Sages inferred that there are four types of children. PARTICIPANT: Wise Children ask: “What is the meaning of the duties, laws and rules which God has commanded?” Such children should be taught everything, for their minds are open to learning about, and appreciating, our heritage.

PARTICIPANT: Other Children ask: “What does this service mean to you?” To you and not to us. Since such children cut themselves off from the community of Israel, we respond: “I do this because of what God did for me when I came out of Egypt.”

PARTICIPANT: Simple Children ask: “What does this mean?” To them we say: “With a mighty hand God led us out of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage.”

PARTICIPANT: And to Children who do not know how to ask, we begin by explaining that our Torah commands: “You shall tell your child on that day…” And so we begin our story now.

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PARTICIPANT: We eat matzah because when Pharaoh told the Jews that they could leave Egypt, they left as quickly as possible. They didn’t even wait for their bread to rise. PARTICIPANT: We eat bitter herbs to remind us of the bitterness of the lives of all who aren’t free. PARTICIPANT: Slaves eat hurriedly….either standing or squatting. We recline while eating to symbolize our freedom.

ALL: We were once the slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us forth from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Had the Lord not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, then we and our children and our children’s children might still be enslaved. We tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt each year at Passover so we don’t forget.

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LEADER: In the beginning, our ancestors worshiped idols. God, however, called Abraham to his service and caused him to wander through the land of Canaan spreading His Word. PARTICIPANT: God told Abraham that his descendants would be strangers in a land not their own where they would be enslaved and oppressed for 400 years. God promised, however, that He would bring judgment on the nation that held them in slavery and that in the end, the Children of Israel would go free with great substance. PARTICIPANT: Abraham’s son, Isaac, had 2 sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob took his family to live in Egypt where they were enslaved. When the Lord finally asked Pharaoh to let the Children of Israel leave, Pharaoh wouldn’t listen (eat haroset & matzah). PARTICIPANT: God visited 10 plagues upon the Egyptians. We dip a finger into a glass of wine as the name of each plague is spoken.

ALL: Blood, Frogs, Vermin, Wild Beasts, Cattle Disease, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Smiting of the First Born.

PARTICIPANT: The Bible records that when Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Children of Israel leave Egypt, even after the first nine plagues, God told him, “I shall pass through the land of Egypt. On that night, I shall smite all the first-born children in the land…….both man and beast. I shall execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.” PARTICIPANT: Pharaoh wouldn’t yield so the Lord brought us out of Egypt himself. PARTICIPANT: How thankful we are to God for his many deeds of kindness to us (drink wine).

ALL SING “DA-YEY-NU”

Eelu hotzi, hotzi-anu, Hotzi-anu mi-mitz-ra-yim, Hotzi-anu mi-mitz-ra-yim, Da-yey-nu Da Da-yey-nu, Da Da-yey-nu, Da Da-yey-nu, Da-yey-nu, Da-yey-nu

Eelu natan, natan lanu, Natan lanu et ha-shabbat, Natan lanu et ha-shabbat, Da-yey-nu

Da Da-yey-nu, Da Da-yey-nu, Da Da-yey-nu, Da-yey-nu, Da-yey-nu Eelu natan, natan lanu, Natan lanu et ha-torah, Natan lanu et ha-torah, Da-yey-nu

Da Da-yey-nu, Da Da-yey-nu, Da Da-yey-nu, Da-yey-nu, Da-yey-nu

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ALL: How manifold are God’s blessings. He freed us from the Egyptians and brought judgment upon them; He divided the Red Sea for us; He led us through it on dry land and drowned our oppressors in it; He sustained us in the Wilderness for 40 years and fed us with manna; He gave us the Sabbath and brought us to Mount Sinai; He gave us the Torah and brought us into the Land of Israel; He built a Temple for us where we prayed for the atonement of our sins. LEADER: The following is the explanation of the three Seder symbols…the Paschal Lamb, the Matzah and the Moror. PARTICIPANT: The Paschal Lamb is to remind us that the Lord passed over the houses of our ancestors in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and spared us. PARTICIPANT: The Matzah, the unleavened bread, is to remind us that when Pharaoh finally agreed to let our people go, they didn’t have time to prepare for the journey...not even enough time for dough to rise. PARTICIPANT: The Moror, the bitter herbs, is to remind us how the Egyptians embittered the lives of our ancestors. They made their lives bitter with hard labor, with mortar and brick and with every kind of work in the field. All the labor which the Egyptians forced upon them was harsh. LEADER: Therefore, we should thank and praise, laud and glorify, exalt and honor, extol and adore God who performed all these miracles for our ancestors and for us. He brought us from slavery to freedom, from sorrow to joy, from mourning to festivity, from darkness to great light and from bondage to redemption.

ALL: Halleluyah, Praise the Lord. Baruch atta Adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam, boray p’ri ha-gafen.

Praised be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the Fruit of the Vine (drink wine).

Baruch atta Adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam, ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz. Praised be Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who bringest forth sustenance from the Earth.

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About Miriam

Miriam was the sister of Moses and a prophetess in her own right. The tradition of Miriam's cup stems from the legendary well that followed her and the Israelites in the desert and also the way in which she spiritually supported her people. The cup is meant to honor Miriam's story and the spirit of all women, who nurture their families just as Miriam helped sustain the Israelites.

ALL SING “ONE KID……HAD GADYA”

One kid, one kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim.

Had Gadya, Had Gadya. Along came a cat and ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim.

Had Gadya, Had Gadya Then came a dog and bit the cat that ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim.

Had Gadya, Had Gadya Then came a stick and beat the dog that bit the cat that ate the kid that Father bought

for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya

Then came a fire that burned the stick that beat the dog that bit the cat that ate the kid

that Father bought for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya

Then came the water that quenched the fire that burned the stick that beat the dog that bit the cat that ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya

Then came the Ox that drank the water that quenched the fire that burned the stick that

beat the dog that bit the cat that ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya

Then came the slaughterer who slaughtered the Ox that drank the water that quenched

the fire that burned the stick that beat the dog that bit the cat that ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya

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Then came the Angel of Death who slew the slaughterer who slaughtered the Ox that drank the water that quenched the fire that burned the stick that beat the dog that bit

the cat that ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya

Then came the Holy One and smote the Angel of Death who slew the slaughterer who slaughtered the Ox that drank the water that quenched the fire that burned the stick

that beat the dog that bit the cat that ate the kid that Father bought for 2 zuzim. Had Gadya, Had Gadya.

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“THE MIND CANNOT DIGEST WHAT THE ASS CANNOT ENDURE” — Henry Halem ‘89