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ח ס פ ל ה ד ג הP A S S O V E RH A G G A D A H2024

Table of Contents Seder Plate.................................................. 3-4Kadesh............................................................. 5UrchatzKarpas............................................................... 5YachatzMaggid......................................................... 6-11Rachtza........................................................... 12Motzi-Matza................................................. 13Maror............................................................... 14Koreich............................................................ 15Shulchan OreichTazfun.............................................................. 16Bareich............................................................. 16Hallel................................................................ 17Nirtzha............................................................ 181

There are so many Haggadot outthere. Every Jewish household seemsto have an unending supply ofdifferent ones with different authors,goals, and highlights. This Haggadahwas written with our Canadian Kencommunity in mind, and by membersof our Hadracha. The blessings arehumanistic and open ended, and thecommentary is through the lens ofour progressive political and socialvalues. We hope you will find parts ofit meaningful, and perhaps adoptsome of them in your own sedertraditions.2

Roasted Shank Bone (Zeroah) “Passover is the amalgamation of two ancient festivals—one called Pesach, the other ChagHamatzot. Pesach was originally a shepherd festival, observed in the early spring when thesheep gave birth to their young. It was customary for each family to sacrifice a lamb to assurea healthy flock. The presence of the shank bone on our seder table recalls the primitivebeginnings of the festival we now call Passover and impresses us with the antiquity of ourholiday celebration.”— Rabbi Daniel Friedman, Haggadah for PassoverBeet (Selek)[Some substitute a roasted beet for the shank bone atvegan/vegetarian Seders.]“The redness of the beet symbolizes the blood of the Passoversacrifice. Our tradition tells us that Moses was chosen becausehe showed compassion to a lamb. We will show compassion bysubstituting the beet for the lamb. Our compassion extends toour care and devotion to all people and creatures.”— Barry Swan, Madrikh (Ceremonial Leader), The Seder, BethHaskalah, Rochester, NYRoasted Egg (Baytzah)“Baytzah, the egg, is a universal symbol of birth, whole-ness, and potentiality, as folk customs to this day amplyattest. Curiously though, the egg on the seder plate alwaysappears roasted. This is taken by some scholars to sym-bolize the other Temple sacrifices at Passover. Much moreinteresting, however, is the lesser known symbolic of theegg with mourning, which helps to account for the ritual, insome communities, of eating eggs directly following a burialceremony.... This fascinating connection is almost certainlythe origin of serving hard-boiled egg in salt water prior tothe rest of the festive meal.”— Oraynu Congregation, Roots and Branches, Toronto, OntarioSeeds (Z’raeem)[Some substitute seeds for the egg at vegan/vegetarian Seders.]“Baytsa is the seed of life. Each of us begins as a seed and grows into womanhood or manhood.The seed is our potential. It is the power of our evolutionary past and the gift of our humaninheritance. But the seed is fragile.... Growing life needs warmth and love, and security. Itneeds guidance, hope, and vision. Birth is only the beginning. Human life needs the gentle careof others. Life needs the encouragement of family and friends, and community.”— Barry Swan, Madrikh (Ceremonial Leader), The Seder, Beth Haskalah, Rochester, NY3

Olive (zait)Most of us’ first associate olives with an olive branch carried by a dove, the Jewish symbol for peace.Olive trees are also a major native plant to Palestine. Olive trees are important in Palestinianculture, agriculture, and cuisine, and their history of destruction is an upsetting mirror to, and partof, their suffering. Throughout the seder we are often instructed to eat things “kazait”, eat a piece assmall as an olive. While it usually means as small, when you’re eating an olive, Kazait becomes a fullbite. Let us put our whole heart into creating a better future for all the people living in Israel-Palestine, even if it may sometimes look like a small piece to others or to ourselves.Haroset “Haroset is a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine. Tradition tells us it is areminder of the bricks and mortar our ancestors made as slaves in Egypt. The sweetnesssummons us never to forget the sweet taste of freedom. As we call to mind the sweetness inthe shadow of bitterness, and pleasure in the shadow of pain, may we become more aware ofthe experience of opposites during our lifetime. Let us appreciate that life is full only when weexperience the full range of human emotion, including its opposite polarities.”— Rabbi Miriam Jerris, Passover Haggadah, UnpublishedOrange (Tapooz) “The orange is on the seder plate to remind usthat the Seder is always growing and new symbols can be includedin our celebration with evolving messages of their own. And toremind us that all people have a legitimate place in Jewish life, noless than an orange on a seder plate, regardless of gender or sexualidentity.”— Rabbi Peter Schweitzer, The Liberated HaggadahKarpas “Passover heralds the arrival of spring. Ancient Israelitesperceived a natural connection between the rebirth of the land and therebirth of their people. Our seder acknowledg- es this link with thekarpas, a green vegetable... We dip the karpas in salt water,representing the tears that the Israel- ites shed as slaves in Egypt. Inthis way we combine a token of spring with the Exodus narrative.”— Rabbi Jeffrey L. Falick, A Humanistic SederBitter Herbs (Maror) “Maror is the bitterness of the bitterherb. Tradition says that this root is the reminder of thesuffering of slavery. We force ourselves to taste pain so thatwe more readily value pleasure. Scholars inform us that ourancestors ate bitter herbs at the time of the spring festival.The sharpness of the taste reawakened their senses and madethem feel as one with the revival of nature. Maror is thestimulus of life remind- ing us that struggle is better thanboredom, that striving in the equal of serenity.”— Rabbi Sherwin Wine, The Humanist Haggadah4

The fruits (literal or not) of the earth are the basis of all ourfood. Nothing comes from nowhere. For this blessing overthe vegetables, think about nature and your connection to it.When does nature make you feel blessed? What do you wishfor in the coming year in regards to your relationship tonature?In a Friday Kiddush, only one person says the blessing. Butin the seder, it is customary for everyone present to blessthe first cup of wine together. Go around the table, eachperson saying one word or phrase that they want to toastthis cup for. As you do, recline to the left. That could signifyfreedom, being left leaning (pun intended) or anything elseyou want that is meaningful to you.KadeshKarpas5

Less than 100 years ago, scholars still believed that the basicsof our Exodus tale were true in most details. But then theystarted digging. And soon it became clear that the story wehad told ourselves for millennia was not true in its details. There had been no mass Exodus from Egypt. The Israeliteswere natives of the Land of Israel. They were Canaanitesthemselves!Our ancestors were Canaanites living in their own land. Butthey were not free and Egypt was not innocent. For whilethey might not have been slaves IN Egypt, but we discoveredthat they were slaves TO Egypt.What history revealed was a story every bit as wondrous asthe myth of Moses and the Exodus. It is a narrative ofEgyptian conquest of the Land of Israel and how the PharaohAhmose and his descendants established a crippling systemof corvée labor among the peasants of the land. It is the story of kings of Canaan who bowed to the Pharaohs.They forced their own people to abandon family fields and towork their royal lands. From their midst arose bands of rebels who led a peasantrevolt and soon Israel was freed from the yoke of theEgyptians. Archeology shows that tribes and towns began toform, bringing together the disparate rebels. In a long,complicated and gradual process they became known as theIsraelites.Maggid6

They did not conquer the land from abroad, but they foughtfiercely to unite their brothers and sisters so that theymight thrive in their homeland.Here’s another question on a night of questions. Why didpeople who were native to the Land of Israel tell a story inwhich they were outsiders? Exoduses from Egypt to Israel and back were commonoccurrences. The Nile provided a more constant source ofwater than Israel’s rains. This ongoing dependence was akind of servitude, too. In short, Egypt dominated everythingin the entire region for generations.Perhaps the real story was too complicated and perhaps,like us, the Israelites needed a clear and simple narrative inorder to appreciate the significance of freedom and tocelebrate their special attachment to a land that was alwaysclaimed and conquered by others. The details are buried in history, but history gives wings tolegends and legends yield heroes like Moses.Over hundreds and hundreds of years, the story of thissuccessful rebellion and the freedom it broughttransformed into the tale of one great man, dedicated tojustice and liberation for his people. Like the rebels ofhistory, he challenged a Pharaoh and brought freedom tohis people. And he came to represent the hundreds orperhaps thousands who fought to be free…. It is his story - now our story - that we tell tonight.7

Contributed By Congress of Secular Jewish OrganizationOn this night, we also remember a fifth child. This is the childof the Holocaust who did not survive to ask, "Why was thenight of Passover, 1943, different from all other Passovernights?" And so, we ask for that child.Pesakh 1943 is a historic date in modern Jewish history. Atthat time began the revolt against the Nazis who had comeinto the Ghetto of Warsaw to complete the deportation of theremaining Jews. Few conflicts in history can compare with theimpossibly unequal battle of the Warsaw Ghetto. On one sidewas the tremendous power of the German Army and theGestapo. On the other was the remnant of Warsaw's starvingJews - 40,000 civilians led by the Jewish FightingOrganization, several hundred poorly armed young men andwomen. Confined in a small area within the Ghetto, they wereunable to maneuver beyond a few city blocks. Nevertheless, the Jews fought back for 42 days. A shot onNalevki Street at dawn of April 20, 1943, the first day ofPesakh, was the signal for the revolt. The fighting units,concealed in nearby bunkers, attics and cellars, began firing atNazi patrols. The Germans retreated. On that day MordecaiAnielevitch, the Commander of the Jewish FightingOrganization, wrote: "The dream of my life has come true. Ihave had the good fortune to witness Jewish defense in theGhetto in all its greatness and glory."Fifth Child8

The Jewish fighters knew in their hearts that it was animpossible struggle, that the odds were too great. But theyhoped against hope and kept on fighting. As the days passed,the situation grew more and more desperate. One by one thedefense positions were wiped out. On May 15th theleadership of the Jewish resistance perished in the bunker at18 Mila Street. No one surrendered.But for weeks thereafter, small groups battled the Nazisfrom behind rubble and wreckage. And although theGermans were certain that not one Jew would escape fromthe Ghetto, several hundred did. They succeeded in makingtheir way through the underground sewers and eventuallyjoined Partisan bands in the woods and forests. Similar actsof resistance took place in Minsk, Vilna, Bialystock, and incities and towns in Poland. Many of the escaped Partisanslater testified at the war trials of the Nazi leaders.The uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto will be a shining light inour history as a fight that was waged for the honor anddignity of our people. We were slaves in Egypt...and slaves inthe death camps of fascism. We have much to remember.9

White Supremacy1.Transphobia2.Hunger 3.Colonialism4.Police Violence5.Nationalism6.Income Inequality7.Gendered Violence8.Addiction9.Apathy10.Blood 1.Frogs 2.Vermin 3.Beasts 4.Cattle Disease 5.Boils 6.Hail 7.Locusts 8.Darkness9.Slaying of First Born10.It saddens us that any struggle for freedom involvessuffering. Generally, we drink wine to rejoice. Therefore, foreach plague we take out a drop of wine from our cup. Thisway we do not rejoice over the suffering of others.Our world today is still greatly troubled. We chose 10plagues that are close to our hearts, but there are manymore that are by no means less important. Feel free tochange or add your own!(Take a drop of wine out of your cup for each plague).Ten Plagues10

Traditionally, this blessing is about thanking god for hismany miracles. You can write that if it feels meaningful toyou. You can also write a blessing about anything youconsider a miracle, any coincidence or accident that you aregrateful for right now. You can thank the miracle itself, oranyone (or anything) you feel should be thanked for it.Maybe thats you!Second Cup11

In preparation for the meal (yes it's coming we promise!!) wewill now wash our hands. Even before germ theory wasinvented, jewish culture and many others had the custom ofwashing hands before meals. Is it because of naturalselection? Luck? An all knowing entity(s)? Either way, its anice reminder that sometimes you can do the right thingwithout even knowing why.,ד ָחּוי ְמּו די ִחָי ,ּונ ֵמָלֹוע ה ָּת ַא ְךּור ָּב.ּונ ָתֹואְו ּוני ֵתֹובֲא ת ֶא ד ֵּמ ִל ר ֶ ׁשֲא.םִי ָדָי תַלי ִטְנ ל ַעBlessed are you, unique world of ours,for teaching our ancestors and us. to make a sacred custom of washing our handsbefore meals.Rachtzah12

Traditionally, the blessing thanked God for bringing breadout of the earth. Think about a piece of earth you arethankful for, or care about. Your home? The tree underwhich you had your first kiss? A pretty spot of flowers youpass by during your day? Bless that piece of land.Motzi Matzah“Matzah is the bread of our freedom. Legend has it that when ourancestor fled Egypt they moved so quickly that the bread theybaked did not have time to rise. Scholars tell us that in ancient Israelflat bread was baked from the unfermented grain of the springharvest to celebrate the newness of the reborn earth. Matzah is thebread of dignity, preferring liberty to luxury, avoiding pretense. It isthe bread of life, rejecting the cold slavery of winter, affirming thewarm vitality of spring.”— Rabbi Sherwin Wine, The Humanist Haggadah13

The point of eating maror on passover is to experience alittle bit of bitterness, of suffering. People claim we need toexperience suffering to understand happiness. Ever since Iwas a kid, and when my mom was a kid before me, my greatgrandma Miriam rebelled against that idea. She's a holocaustsurvivor, and though she takes a lot of meaning from Jewishtradition, every seder she refuses the maror gently, saying:“I've eaten enough maror in my life”. What is a little (orlarge!) rebellion that you saw someone partake in or thatyou partook in yourself and is meaningful to you? Bless it, orthe concept of rebellions if you wish. Then eat the maror. Or don't.Maror 14

This is a blessing over a sandwich. Sure it's a traditionaljewish sandwich, but at its core, still a sandwich. What doyou feel surrounds you right now like the matza or breadwrap its sandwiches content? Be honest, it's great if you feelhappy or content, but boredom or sadness are just as validemotions. Bless what you're feeling if its a positive feeling,the times you dont feel that way if its a negtaive feeling, orthe nuance if its a nuanced feeling.Koreich15

The afikoman finding is basically a peula, we run plenty ofscavenger hunts at Mosh or the Ken. The ending in whichthe children get to bargain with the afikoman is a placewhere they can exercise their autonomy and be listened toby adults, something spaces run by adults often makedifficult, even if unintentionally. We sometimes forgot thatfor as long as kids existed, they were kids, interested ingames and trying to figure out who they are. Let this oldtradition of creating a space specifically to engage childrenremind us of that.Tzafun- Afikomen This is the post meal blessing. Endings can be difficult. Butthey are a part of life, and so it can be good to try and findsome beauty in them. Bless 2 things, one that ended (or willend soon) and you are happy about being gone, and oneabout something that ended or will end that you will miss. Third cup 16

Traditionally this “blessing” is one of anger and hate.Wishing god's wrath upon the non-Jews of the world. It'sdisgusting, and contradictory to Passover themes. Instead,to get out of our own heads and think of other people andhow we can be their allies, accomplices, friends andpartners, we read a poem written by someone else. “Think ofOthers” by Mahmoud Darwish.As you prepare your breakfast, think of othersDo not forget to feed the pigeonsAs you wage your wars, think of othersDo not forget those who fight for peaceAs you pay your water bill, think of others, those who are nursed by cloudsAs you return home, to your home, think of othersDo not forget the people of the campsAs you sleep and count the stars, think of others, those who have nowhere to sleepAs you liberate yourself with metaphors, think of others, those who have lost the right to speakAs you think of others far away, think of yourself and say "if only I were a candle in the night"Open the door for Eliyahu, or for anything or anyone elseyou want to enter your home.Fourth cup 17

Traditionally the seder is capped off with the wish to holdthe next one in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a cool place to be,one with a lot of history, and culture, Jewish or not. But noone place is right for everyone. The Bund, a fellow JewishSocialist youth movement with its roots in Europe, had amotto of “doykeit” which roughly translates to “hereness”or “where I am that's my homeland”. the idea to fight foryourself and others wherever you are. Think about whereyou are and what you are grateful for about the space(physical or otherwise) you are in. What do you want your answer to be next year?Nirtzah 18

Chazak Ve Ematz and Chag Sameach from our hadracha family! HASHOMER HATZAIRCamp Shomria Canada