Freedom and Justice Seder

Transcription

1 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs & Beth Shalom B nai Zaken Congregation Freedom and Justice Seder An Annual Celebration of Our Collective Work From generation to generation, each of us is obligated to see ourselves as though we personally had just been freed from slavery. March 29, 2012

2 We thank all the JCUA and Beth Shalom staff and volunteers, past and present, who created the Haggadah we are using this evening. Sections of this Haggadah were adapted from, and inspired by, the following sources: Camp Kinderland 2003 Haggadah A Night of Questions: A Passover Haggadah (Reconstructionist Press) The Shalom Center Haggadah, Pesach 2004/5764 Love and Justice in Times of War Haggadah The Jewish Organizing Initiative Haggadah University of Massachusetts Amherst Freedom Seder, 2006 Velveteen Rabbi s Haggadah for Pesach, Rabbi Rachel Barenblat The Jewish Board of Family and Children s Services, New York, Unity Seder Haggadah Hinei Ma Tov! All Sing ה נ ה מ ה- ט וב ומ ה- נ ע ים אח ות ג ם י ח ד/ ש ב ת אח ים Hinei ma tov uma na im Shevet achim/achyot gam yach How sweet it is to be with our brothers and sisters Together in community.

3 The Seder Plate Everything on the Seder plate symbolizes an aspect of the Exodus. Zeroa A roasted bone that represents the Passover sacrifice offered while the Temple stood in Jerusalem (before 70 CE) Beitza A roasted egg, which represents both the Passover offering and the cycle of life and death. Maror A bitter herb, which reminds us of the bitterness of enslavement. Charoset A mixture of fruit, nuts, wine and spices, which represents the mortar our ancestors used to build the structures in Mitzrayim (Egypt) Karpas A green vegetable, which symbolizes hope and renewal. Chazeret A second bitter vegetable (often romaine lettuce) that many include on the Seder plate 3

4 The Seder Passover celebrates the redemption of the Jews from enslavement in Egypt. This traditional story of defiance against brutality and slavery has inspired countless men and women to achieve freedom in our own times. As the haggadah says, B'khol dor v dor chayav adam lirot et atzmo k ilu hu yatza mi Mitzrayim, from generation to generation, each of us is obligated to see ourselves as though we personally had just been freed from slavery. We must remember the past to understand today and to protect our tomorrows. Therefore, in each generation and each year, we retell the story of the exodus to our children and to our grandchildren, in order that they, too, will understand the pain of slavery and the value of freedom. Our story is the story of all people who have ever been in bondage, and this story compels us to work toward freedom for those who remain physically, spiritually, or economically enslaved. i Let us therefore celebrate our freedom and strengthen ourselves to join the fight against injustice wherever it exists. In the words of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. ii Please keep Dr. King s words in mind as we go throughout our Seder. Our theme for the night is justice for all, and we will reflect on the different ways in which we can work for a more just city. 4

5 The Order of the Seder The word Seder means order. The Seder includes elements that serve as signposts, marking our traditional progression through the prescribed events of the evening. By design, this framework allows room for innovation and reinterpretation. Tonight, we will honor the traditional order of the Seder while also finding new ways to apply the themes of the Seder to our contemporary lives. 1. Kadesh Sanctifying the holiday 2. Urchatz Ritual washing of the hands 3. Karpas Eating a vegetable dipped in salt water 4. Yachatz Breaking the middle matzah 5. Maggid Telling the story of the Exodus 6. Rochtzah Washing the hands before the meal 7. Motzi Blessing before eating the matzah 8. Matzah Eating the matzah 9. Maror Eating the bitter herbs, which remind us of the bitterness of slavery 10. Korech Eating a sandwich of bitter herbs and charoset 11. Shulchan Orech The meal AND sing-along! 12. Tzafun Finding the Afikomen 13. Barech Birkat hamazon grace after meals 14. Hallel Offering songs of praise 15. Nirtzah Concluding the Seder 5

6 Shehechianu This blessing is said whenever we do something for the first time or for the first time in a while. Tonight is the first time this particular group has gathered together in community to celebrate Pesach. Now is also a great time to welcome everyone who is at their first Seder! ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם, ש ה ח י נ ו ו ק י מ נ ו ו ה ג יע נ ו ל ז מ ן ה ז ה Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh Ha Olam she hecheyanu v kiyamanu v higiyanu lazman hazeh. Blessed is the Eternal, for giving us life, for sustaining us and bringing us to this time. Opening Prayer All read the bold text together Long ago at this season, our people set out on a journey. On such a night as this, Israel went from degradation to joy. We give thanks for the liberation of days gone by. And we pray for all who are still bound. Eternal God, may all who hunger come to rejoice in a new Passover. Let all the human family sit at Your table, drink the wine of deliverance, eat the bread 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, in our days/ Amen. iii 6

7 Kadesh Four Cups, Four Promises We drink four cups of wine during the Seder, each of which may be focused on a different intention. Traditionally, the four cups of wine are said to symbolize the four promises that God makes to the Israelites before redeeming them from slavery: Hotzeiti-- I will bring you forth from slavery. Hitzalti I will save you. Ga alti- I will redeem you. Lakachti I will take you to me as a people. iv With each cup we move forward from slavery and oppression to freedom. These four promises remind us that the process of redemption is long and complex. It is not enough to be rescued from physical slavery. Redemption also entails relief from psychological bondage and the opportunity to live a full and rewarding spiritual life. As the Seder keeps the memory of our enslavement fresh in our hearts, we remind ourselves never to ignore the suffering of others, and never to stand idly by as others are oppressed. Tonight our four cups of wine will be dedicated to the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice, in the arenas of food justice, housing justice, economic justice, and immigrant justice. The First Cup FOOD JUSTICE Recite the blessing over the wine. Food Inequality and Food Desserts in Chicago The Numbers ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ב ור א פ ר י ה ג פ ן Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam boreh p ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the Source, who fills all creation and brings forth the fruit of the vine. 7

8 The issue of food justice pertains to whether one can access food but more specifically, whether healthful foods are available to individuals and communities. Food deserts are not necessarily referring to an absence of food vendors in a community, but rather the inaccessibility of fresh and unprocessed foods within the designated area. Distance from healthful food sources is a serious health barrier for individuals. In 2003 health studies, communities with farther distances from full service grocery stores had higher average years of potential life lost due to diet related diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. v In 2011, 383,954 people lived in areas designated as food deserts. Of those affected, 296,041 are African American, 124,228 are 18 years old or younger, and only 38,279 are families that make over $50,000 a year. vi The effects of food deserts disproportionately affect individuals who do not have the transportation or financial resources necessary for travel to purchase fresh and perishable foods and as a result, disproportionately impact lowincome families and communities. vii As families struggle with these barriers to access, the Farm Bill is up for reauthorization. Every five years, this bill that governs the appropriation of funds for nutrition programs, horticulture, and crop assistance among other programs. viii This directly affects if people will be able to access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that is so vital for individuals already struggling with food access barriers. As a part of our Freedom and Justice Seder, it is important to stand in solidarity with those in the community who are affected by food inequality, but also to take active measures to promote policy and action for a more just system. 8

9 A Response: KAM S Response to Food Injustice: Since February 2009, the award winning, nationally recognized KAMII program has worked to provide fresh, healthy food for those in need in the community by transforming urban lawns into food-producing gardens and by teaching others how to do the same. It has transformed over 5,000 square feet of urban lawn into five food-producing gardens on the grounds of three South Side houses of worship. Through the efforts of over 150 volunteers, more than 4,000 pounds of food have been harvested and donated to four hot meal programs and a shelter for women and children. The innovative White Rock Gleaning initiative allows members of three local community gardens to indicate that the food growing in their plots may be harvested by KAMII's Food Justice and Sustainability program volunteers. Outreach, education, and interfaith collaborations have been vital to the program's growth and success. Since the program's start, Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists have worked together in the gardens. It has hosted three annual Martin Luther King, Jr. weekends of food justice and sustainability education and advocacy programming that are free and open to the public. The program has been recognized with awards from the Union for Reform Judaism, the South Side Health and Vitality Studies of the University of Chicago Medical Center, and the city of Chicago's Department of Environment, and it has been featured in numerous articles and radio shows. The Gan Project: The Gan Project represents a movement toward environmental sustainability and agriculture. This is another example of the impact that the collective action of the Jewish community can have on addressing issues of justice. Urchatz All wash hands. No blessing is said. In washing our hands, we symbolically cleanse ourselves of the year that was and prepare for the year to come. Let us now think of one part of last year we would like to leave behind, and one hope for the year to come. Let us also take a moment to think about the brave women and men who stood up to those in power or are doing so today. 9

10 Later, when we wash our hands in preparation for the meal, we will recite a blessing after washing. This time, however, we wash without reciting a blessing. The absence of a blessing here acknowledges that the custom of washing one s hands before eating vegetables, while once a part of Jewish ritual, is no longer practiced. This hand-washing is a vestige of that custom. Ritually washing one s hands before eating a meal that includes bread, on the other hand, is still part of Jewish practice and therefore requires a blessing. Karpas At this point in the Seder, it is traditional to eat a green vegetable dipped in saltwater. The green vegetable represents rebirth, renewal and growth; the saltwater represents the tears of enslavement ix. When everyone has a green vegetable dipped in salt water, we say together: ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם, ב ור א פ ר י ה א ד מ ה Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh Ha Olam borei p ri ha adamah. Blessed is the One who sustains all life, and brings forth fruits from the earth. Yachatz Take a piece of matzah from the middle of the stack. Break it into two pieces. Place the smaller piece of matzah between two whole matzot. In the Seder three matzot are placed on a plate. During this step the middle matzah is broken and a piece taken and hidden for later. Why is the matzah broken now when it is not needed for later in the ceremony? Because a key to freedom is to anticipate the future and make it real. The challenge of adulthood is to train ourselves to look at the long-term consequences. Slavery is a life where only the immediate is important, there is no looking forward, there is no choice. On Passover, we realize that freedom takes commitment, planning and responsibility. What are your goals? What are you committed to? x 10

11 Matzah is called lechem oni the bread of our affliction. In breaking the matzah in half, we remind ourselves that as long as anyone in the world is afflicted, none of us can be whole. The division of the matzah also reminds us of the forced division of communities and families due to disappearances, detentions and deportations of immigrants. Uncover the matzah and raise it for all to see. Now we will hide one half of this piece of matzah. At our freedom justice Seder this evening, the hidden piece of matzah, the Afikomen, represents the horror hidden from our view those who do not have access to nutritious food, those who are unable to attain or maintain housing, the treatment of those detained and prevented from speaking with their families, friends or lawyers. The disappeared are doubly blocked from our sight, physically separated in jails and detention centers, but also wrapped in a blanket of fear of further disappearances and legal attacks, fears intended to silence their communities. Until these divided parts are made one again, our Seder cannot truly be ended. Until these families and communities are reunited, we have not yet achieved our freedom xi. Send one piece of matzah to be hidden. To Consider- Uncovering the Hidden: Jewish Diversity As we gather tonight, we acknowledge those things that are hidden within our own community. The Jewish community is often portrayed as white and of European descent. Together in this room we celebrate the often overlooked diversity of this community. Tonight we honor those diverse traditions, take part in new practices, and bond through our shared rituals, which are the foundation of our Judaism. As we retell the story of the Exodus we remember that each of us should act as though we ourselves were freed from slavery. Tonight we examine and celebrate our diversity and recognize our shared heritage, which links all Jews throughout history. The Second Cup HOUSING JUSTICE Recite the blessing over the wine. 11

12 ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ב ור א פ ר י ה ג פ ן Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam boreh p ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the Source, who fills all creation and brings forth the fruit of the vine. The Numbers The housing situation in the Chicago area and across Illinois remains dire. Housing and apartment vacancies are above average rates within Chicago and Cook County suburbs with approximately 8% of units remaining unoccupied. xii Despite these vacancies, Cook County continues to have shortages in affordable housing units available to residents. The Illinois Poverty Report, 2011, the average number of hours that a minimum wage worker in Cook County would have to work to afford an average market rate, two bedroom apartment is over 95 hours per week. The foreclosure crisis and the rising rates of homelessness have huge consequences for people and families that are struggling to get by. JCUA s work with Lathrop Homes, one of the very last remaining public housing developments in Chicago, has sought to preserve subsidized housing for low income people. Every day, the safety net for low income people is further diminished. There are 40,000 families on the public housing waiting list in the Chicago area. In 2011, Illinois Homelessness Prevention Grants, which are used for individual emergency rental assistance, were cut which may lead to even more Illinois residents facing homelessness. A Response Multifaith Housing Reclamation Campaign Strategy, 2012: The Multifaith Housing Reclamation Campaign emerged out of conversations between the Muslim and Jewish communities around a joint commitment to critical housing work taking place in low-income communities of color. The Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) and the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) combined efforts with the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) to forge a transformative neighborhood stabilization model that specifically addresses the issue of vacant, foreclosed homes in the Chicago Lawn Community Safe Zone. In 2012, we envision this transformation taking place via two distinct strategies: 1) Working closely with local stakeholders, member institutions, and leaders in the area to develop and advance creative investment strategies attempting to acquire, develop, and re-settle some vacant homes in the Community Safe Zone. 12

13 2) Targeting vacant, forecloseds home in the Community Safe Zone that we will use to push for implementation of relevant ordinances and legislation around the issue, hold accountable some of the most egregious culprits, and galvanize diverse sectors of the local and city-wide multifaith community to take action on a grassroots level. Maggid Maggid, the heart of the Haggadah and the Seder, is the mitzvah or commandment to tell the Passover story as if we had experienced it ourselves. The unique ability given to humanity is the power of speech. Speech is the tool of building and construction. On Passover, speech is used to build humanity by communicating, connecting and encouraging each other. In our modern experience, slavery is a life where communication and personal connections are restricted. On Passover, we get together to share stories [personal and communal, historical and modern] of the struggle to freedom and of our own lives. We also acknowledge the plight of others who are not yet free. Who would you encourage? Who do you know (or what group do you know) who are still not free? xiii Together we say: ה א ל ח מ א ע נ י א ד י א כ ל ו אב ה ת נ א ב אר ע א ד מ צ ר י ם. כ ל ד כ פ ין י ית י ו י יכ ל, כ ל ד צ ר י ך י ית י ו י פ ס ח. ה ש ת א ה כ א, ל ש נ ה ה ב אה ב אר ע א ד י ש ר א ל. ה ש ת א ע ב ד י, ל ש נ ה ה ב אה ב נ י ח ור ין. This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in need come and celebrate Passover with us, Now we are slaves; next year may we be free people. The Four Questions In the Seder, it is traditional that the youngest child who is able to ask recites the four questions. While we include the youngest to engage them, they also engage us. The whys of the innocent compel us to answer truthfully, not only about past injustices but about the inhumanity and inequity in our own world as well. During Maggid every year, we retell and teach to our children the story of our freedom and the fulfillment of promises made to the Jewish people. In remembering our own liberation, we commit to work toward the liberation of those who remain oppressed. 13

14 All the children may come forward at this time to sing the four questions. Mah nishtanah ha-lahylah ha-zeh mi-kol ha-layloht, mi-kol ha-layloht? Why is this night different from all other nights, from all other nights? She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin chameytz u-matzah, chameytz u-matzah. Halahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, kooloh matzah. On all other nights, we may eat chametz and matzah, chametz and matzah. On this night, on this night, only matzah. When we were slaves in Egypt, our mothers in their flight from bondage in Egypt did not have time to let the dough rise. In memory of this, we eat only matzah, not bread, during Passover. We remember those who make our bread. This matzah represents our rush to freedom. We remember those who have been forced from their homes. xiv She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin sh'ar y'rakot, sh'ar y'rakot. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, maror. On all other nights, we eat many vegetables, many vegetables. On this night, on this night, maror. We eat maror, the bitter herbs, to remind us how bitter our ancestors' lives were made by their enslavement in Egypt. We remember workers who face workplace abuses and indignities. We eat the bitter herbs to make us mindful of the bitter struggle that so many immigrants face today, and in solidarity commit to ending these injustices. xv She-b'khol ha-layloht ayn anu mat'bilin afilu pa'am echat, afilu pa'am echat. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, sh'tay p'amim. On all other nights, we do not dip even once. On this night, on this night, twice. The first time, we dip our greens in salt water to taste the bitterness of enslavement. We also dip to remind ourselves of all life and growth, of earth and sea, which gives us sustenance and comes to life again in springtime. The second time, we dip the maror into the charoset. The charoset reminds us of the mortar that our ancestors mixed as slaves in Egypt, just as today, immigrants work in unsafe conditions for unjust wages. Our charoset is made from fruit and nuts, to show us that our ancestors were able to withstand the bitterness of slavery because it was sweetened by the hope of freedom. It is this shared hope that unites us here today. xvi 14

15 She-b'khol ha-layloht anu okhlin bayn yosh'bin u'vayn m'soobin, bayn yosh'bin u'vayn m'soobin. Ha-lahylah ha-zeh, ha-lahylah ha-zeh, koolanu m'soobin. On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, either sitting or reclining. On this night, on this night, we all recline. Avadot hayinu. We were slaves. Long ago, the wealthy Romans rested on couches during their feasts. Slaves were not allowed to rest, even while they ate. We recline today as a celebration of our freedom and to remind ourselves that we, like our ancestors, can overcome bondage in our own time. We recline to remind ourselves that rest and rejuvenation are vital to continuing our struggles for freedom in a world where many are still enslaved. But the next day we get back up and continue the struggle for worker and immigrant justice. xvii To Consider- An Excerpt from Rabbi Arthur Waskow s The Freedom Seder But these are not the only questions we could ask. Any question is a way in. And every question is an act of freedom. So let us ask new questions, our own questions. The Four Sons The Seder story tells of four types of young people or four ways that young people respond to the story of our struggle for freedom and unity. One response reflects wisdom, expressing a real concern and interest. This interest inspires us to tell our stories, fully and openly. Another response is to be rejecting and disrespectful, to say, "What does this have to do with me?" This disrespect provokes us to confront the person with the destructiveness of his/her response, how it just continues the cycle of hatred and prejudice. A third response is a "simple" one, puzzled but interested, "What is this all about?" This response is best answered by a simple straight-forward statement of our goal: mutual respect and harmony among people of different colors, religions, and ethnic backgrounds, and by a "simple" story of our efforts to achieve this goal. A fourth type of response is one of total lack of awareness, of not even knowing that all of this effort is going on. ln the face of this complete lack of awareness, we need to take the first step, patiently opening up the issue of inter-group conflict and the struggle for justice. Now is the time for us to share our stories, to reach out to each other through our own words and the words of our peoples' poets and writers, [prophets and leaders]. xviii 15

16 The Passover Story Passover celebrates the redemption of the Jewish people. According to the biblical story, the Jews served as slaves in Egypt, where they built storehouses and palaces for Pharaoh. Pharaoh made their lives miserable by setting strict taskmasters over them and by decreeing that all newborn Jewish boys be killed. Through Moses, a son of an Israelite slave raised by Pharaoh s daughter, God redeemed the Jewish people from slavery and led them through the wilderness for forty years on the way to the Promised Land. To many, the biblical story of Passover today represents all liberation struggles, past and present. Every year at the Seder table, as we tell the ancient story, we also remember the liberation struggles still under way and commit ourselves to these struggles. 2:23-25 ש מ ות / Exodus To Consider- The children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, And their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered the covenant With Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God saw the children of Israel, And God took cognizance of them. How do we apply the idea of a covenant to our modern society? What does it mean that first God heard and then remembered; saw the children of Israel and only then became aware of them? There is a link between hearing and remembering, seeing and knowing. Tonight, let us listen to each other s stories of immigration and remember our historical journeys to be free. Let us look around at this diverse, multifaith community gathered for the Seder and know our current covenant, our responsibilities, to ourselves and to each other, to ensure our entire community is free. 16

17 To Consider: From Heschel s The Prophets Abraham Joshua Heschel ( ) was one of the greatest Jewish theologians and activists of the 20th century. A professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and author of numerous books and articles, he was deeply involved in the civil rights struggles of the 1960s. A famous photo (shown left) captures Heschel walking arm-in-arm with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the civil rights march in Selma, Alabama. God's concern for justice grows out of His compassion for man. The prophets do not speak of a divine relationship to an absolute principle or idea, called justice. They are intoxicated with the awareness of God's relationship to His people and to all men. Justice is not important for its own sake; the validity of justice and the motivation for its exercise lie in the blessings it brings to man. For justice, as stated above, is not an abstraction, but a value. Justice exists in relation to a person, and is something done by a person. An act of injustice is condemned, not because the law is broken, but because a person has been hurt. What is the image of a person? A person is a being whose anguish may reach the heart of God. You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. If you do afflict them, and they cry out to Me, I will surely hear their cry... If he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. (Exodus 22:22-23, 27). When Cain murdered his brother Abel, the words denouncing his crime did not proclaim: You have broken the law. Instead, we read, And... the Lord said: What have you done? The voice of your brother s blood is crying to me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10) Their work for civil rights and social justice strengthened the connection between the Jewish and African American Communities. Remembering the story of the Jewish people and past struggles to overcome oppression, Abraham Heschel and other Jewish leaders recognized their obligation to be aware of others and their ongoing struggles for freedom. It is in this same way, that we remembering the compassion shown to us by God in the Passover Story, we commit to work for a more just world, free from all forms of captivity. 17

18 All Sing: Go Down Moses To Consider- Chorus: Go down, Moses; way down in Egypt land Tell old Pharaoh to let my people go. 1. When Israel was in Egypt land, let my people go Oppressed so hard they could not stand, let my people go Chorus 2. Thus said the Lord, bold Moses said; let my people go If not I'll smite your first-born dead, let my people go Chorus 3. The Lord told Moses what to do, let my people go To lead the children of Israel through, let my people go Chorus 4. When they had reached the other shore, let my people go They sang a song of triumph o er, let my people go Chorus While the Temple stood in Jerusalem (before 70 CE), Jews celebrated Passover by slaughtering, roasting and eating a lamb. This ritual served as a reminder of the night before the exodus from Egypt when, according to the Torah, the Israelites slaughtered and ate lambs and spread the blood of these lambs on their doorposts as a sign to God not to slaughter the firstborn sons in these homes. The lamb eaten during Temple times was to be consumed completely. As most families were not large enough to finish an entire animal by themselves, families would join together and share a lamb. This ritual thus emphasized the need for community no individual or family could celebrate Passover alone, but rather needed other families to make their celebrations complete. Similarly, we celebrate Passover by coming together in community, sharing stories and traditions and committing ourselves, as a community, to working toward liberation for all who are oppressed. 18

19 The Ten Plagues As we recite each plague, we dip a finger in our wineglass and spill out one drop of wine, thereby acknowledging that our own joy is diminished by the memory of Egyptian suffering. When Moses first approached Pharaoh to request that the Israelites be set free, Pharaoh refused, saying that he did not recognize the God of the Jewish people. God responded by sending a series of ten plagues. After each of these, Moses again asked Pharaoh to free the people, and each time Pharaoh refused or agreed, only for God to harden his heart. Finally, after the tenth and worst plague the killing of the first-born sons of Egypt Pharaoh let the Israelites go. Even as we are grateful for our freedom, we are pained by the knowledge that our freedom came from the suffering of the Egyptian people. The tradition reminds us that whenever people are oppressed, the oppressors suffer as well. Dam Blood דּ ם Ts'fardaya Frogs צ פ ר דּ ע Kinim Vermin כּ נ ים Arov Flies ע רו ב Dever Pestilence דּ ב ר Sh'chin Boils שׁ ח ין Barad Hail בּ רד Arbeh Locusts אַר בּ ה Choshech Darkness חשׁ Makat b'chorot firstborn. Slaying of the מ כּ ת בּ כו רו ת Contemporary Plagues Please take this time to think of a modern plague with the people at your table. There are note cards on the table to write it down and each table s will be read aloud. We remember the suffering of the Egyptians during each of the ten plagues. At this time we acknowledge the modern issues that continue to plague our society and cause suffering. As we remember these plagues, we remember those who continue to suffer. 19

20 Rachtzah To Consider- Excerpt from "Maggid" by Marge Percy The courage to leave the place whose language you learned as early as your own, whose customs however dangerous or demeaning, bind you like a halter you have learned to pull inside, to move your load; the land fertile with the blood spilled on it; the roads mapped and annotated for survival. The courage to walk out of the pain that is known into the pain that cannot be imagined, mapless, walking into the wilderness, going barefoot with a canteen into the desert; stuffed in the stinking hold of a rotting ship sailing off the map into dragons' mouths. In Jewish practice, it is customary to perform a ritual washing of one s hands before consuming a meal that includes bread or matzah. We wash away the dirt of prejudices and negative stereotypes of "other people" which cause so much hurt and pain in our world. xix After we wash our hands, we recite the blessing: ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם, א ש ר ק ד ש נ ו ב מ צ ות יו ו צ ו נ ו ע ל נ ט יל ת י ד י ם Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha Olam asher kid shanu b mitzvotav v tzivanu al n tilat yadayim. Blessed are you, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to wash our hands. Motzi/Matzah On the one hand, the matzah reminds us of our slavery in Egypt. For this reason, matzah is called lechem oni the bread of our affliction. At the same time, the matzah reminds us of our liberation, for it was only at the moment of escape from slavery that our ancestors baked matzah to bring with them on their journey. 20

21 In symbolizing both oppression and liberation, the matzah reminds us to celebrate our liberation, and to continue fighting the oppression that remains. We each break off a piece of matzah and together recite: ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ה מ וצ יא ל ח ם מ ן ה אר ץ Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha Olam hamotzi lechem min ha aretz. Blessed are you, Sovereign of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth. We say together: ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם, א ש ר ק ד ש נ ו ב מ צ ות יו ו צ ו נ ו ע ל א כ יל ת מ צ ה Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha Olam asher kid shanu b mitzvotav v tzivanu al achilat matzah. Blessed are you, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to eat matzah. Maror We take a piece of the bitter herb from the Seder plate and prepare to eat it. This is a reminder of the bitterness of slavery. As we eat the maror, let us remember the bitterness that many immigrants still encounter. ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם, א ש ר ק ד ש נ ו ב מ צ ות יו ו צ ו נ ו ע ל א כ י לת מ ר ור. Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha Olam asher kid shanu b mitzvotav v tzivanu al achilat maror. Blessed are you, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with your commandments and commanded us to eat maror. To Consider- Rabbenu Asher, Pesachim 2:19 (from the Talmud) Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, Why is Egypt compared to Maror? Like Egypt at first it is soft, but in the end it is hard. Similarly, the Egyptians first acted softly, but in the end were hard. In the beginning, they dealt gently with the Israelites, but in the end, they imposed hard labor on them. 21

22 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2008/5768 Korech The charoset reminds us of the mortar and of the pain of slavery. However, as we eat it we taste it s sweetness. This sweetness gives us hope that the future will bring redemption and justice to all people. We make sandwiches out of maror and charoset, to remind us of the mortar our ancestors used to construct huge monuments for Pharaoh in Egypt. As you we eat this sandwich, we consider the signs of hope for a more just future that can be seen in your community. The Third Cup IMMIGRANT JUSTICE ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ב ור א פ ר י ה ג פ ן Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam boreh p ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the Source, who fills all creation and brings forth the fruit of the vine. The Numbers: The United States current immigration system is broken. Every day, 33,000 people are detained in prisons and detention centers across the country. Most of those who fill up these beds are detained for civil infractions. They are the undocumented men, women, teenagers and children who are denied rights to a lawyer, to medical care, and to pastoral care, while they are detained and waiting to be deported from this country. The majority of those detained and deported are not criminals as they are often portrayed, but individuals from families, working and living in a country that they call home. The detainment of immigrants has grown into a billion dollar business with companies such as the Corrections Corporations of America (CCA) getting paid for every bed that is filled in their private prisons and detention centers. At a rate of $55 to $120 per bed, the privatization of this practice has further eroded the accountability of these facilities. Currently, CCA, working closely with the Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) is attempting to build yet another immigrant detention center in Crete, Illinois a south suburb of Chicago. JCUA has been working with local groups and with ICIRR to help residents fight against a detention center in Crete. In addition, programs such as secure communities and harsh anti-immigrant policies like Arizona s SB1070, and its copycat laws, have created an environment of fear for immigrant communities across our nation. 22

23 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2008/5768 More facts about the state of detention in America: Over the last 8 years 122 people have died while being detained. At least 22 people have died within CCA facilities due to lack of proper medical care. There have been numerous cases of sexual assault immigrants being detained. According to Immigration Customs and Enforcement out of the 396,000 people deported in 2011, 45% had no criminal record. To Consider- Political theorists and post-modern scholars of the immigration experience invite us to place ourselves actively in the role of the exile, to empathize with the marginalized, to think like the refugee. This is not a new idea. In fact, through this interactive, ritual retelling of our ancient enslavement and exile that Jews are commanded to experience each year, we reaffirm our commitment to remember not only our own past, but to place ourselves in the shoes of The Stranger and to fight for justice for all people who have been excluded, expatriated or expelled The Fourth Cup ECONOMIC JUSTICE ב ר ו ך א ת ה יי א לה ינ ו מ ל ך ה ע ול ם ב ור א פ ר י ה ג פ ן Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha-olam boreh p ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the Source, who fills all creation and brings forth the fruit of the vine. The Numbers: With the ongoing national economic struggles, many have become more aware of existing economic inequalities. Within the state of Illinois, many residents and families are struggling to meet their most basic needs. Some struggle because they lack access to employment and others because their wages do not cover the costs of living within this state. The Heartland Alliance reports that in 2011, over 100,000 families below the federal poverty level in the state of Illinois had at least one member of the family working full 23

24 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2008/5768 time throughout the entire year. Despite having full time employment, many families are unable to make ends meet. Additionally, high unemployment rates, 10% state wide, further compounds issues of poverty, housing, and accessibility to health food. JCUA and many of the rabbis associated with JCUA have taken a stand against the exploitation and discrimination of hotel workers through Unite Here s campaign for Worker Justice. In calling attention to working conditions at Hyatt Hotels, the campaign, aimed against unfair unjust labor practices in nearly 20 Hyatt Hotels across the country. Goals include affordable health care, modest increases in wages and pensions, the rights of workers to form a union, and improved working conditions. Elijah s Cup At this point in the Seder, we open the doors to welcome Elijah the Prophet. This special cup of wine is for Eliyahu Hanavi, Elijah the Prophet, a friend of the poor and the oppressed. According to tradition, Elijah appears as a poor man to see if he will be accepted and well-treated. This cup reminds us to make a commitment to open our homes and our time to those who are in need. Miriam s Cup We find a second cup filled with water, in honor of Miriam, Moses sister. According to midrash (rabbinic legend), as long as Miriam was alive, a well of water followed the Israelites through the wilderness. In the biblical story of the exodus, after the people have safely crossed the Sea of Reeds, Miriam leads the women in songs of praise. According to the midrash, Sh mot Rabbah 1:12, it was by the merit of the women that the Jews were redeemed from slavery in Egypt. Pharaoh decreed that the Israelite men should sleep in the fields and not at home. With this law, Pharaoh hoped both to increase the slaves productivity (by eliminating commuting time) and to stop the Jews from procreating. However, the midrash says that the women used to go out to the fields at night, seduce their husbands, and become pregnant. The women would then give birth secretly and hide the babies from the Egyptians. In the Bible, women 24

25 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2012 such as the midwives Shifra and Puah, and Moses mother and sister, Yocheved and Miriam, play crucial roles in defying Pharaoh s orders to kill all newborn Jewish boys. With Miriam s Cup, we celebrate women s past and present leadership in social justice movements and rededicate ourselves to working toward the liberation of all women. Eliyahu hanavi / Miriam haneviyah All sing Elijah the prophet, come soon to us, heralding the messianic era. Miriam the prophet, strength and song in her hand Dance with us to increase worldly song Dance with us to fix the world She will soon bring us to the waters of redemption 25

26 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2012 To Consider- The Origin of the Orange on the Seder Plate In the early 1980s, the Hillel Foundation invited me to speak on a panel at Oberlin College. While on campus, I came across a Haggada that had been written by some Oberlin students to express feminist concerns. One ritual they devised was placing a crust of bread on the Seder plate, as a sign of solidarity with Jewish lesbians ("there's as much room for a lesbian in Judaism as there is for a crust of bread on the Seder plate"). At the next Passover, I placed an orange on our family's Seder plate. During the first part of the Seder, I asked everyone to take a segment of the orange, make the blessing over fruit, and eat it as a gesture of solidarity with Jewish lesbians and gay men, and others who are marginalized within the Jewish community (I mentioned widows in particular). Bread on the Seder plate brings an end to Pesach - it renders everything chometz. And its symbolism suggests that being lesbian is being transgressive, violating Judaism. I felt that an orange was suggestive of something else: the fruitfulness for all Jews when lesbians and gay men are contributing and active members of Jewish life. In addition, each orange segment had a few seeds that had to be spit out - a gesture of spitting out, repudiating the homophobia that poisons too many Jews. Susannah Heschel, April, 2001 Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies Dartmouth College All sing: Baruch ha-shem shel Yahoway ( Repeat three times) Baruch ha-shem, baruch ha-shem shel Yahowah Blessed be the name of our God ( Repeat three times) Blessed be the name, blessed be the name of our God. Who noten lechem oo-mayim gam ( Repeat three times) Who noten lechem, who noten lechem oo-mayim gam. He gives us bread and water too ( Repeat three times) He gives us bread, He gives us bread and our water too. Baruch ha-shem shel Yahoway ( Repeat three times) Baruch ha-shem, baruch ha-shem shel Yahowah 26

27 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2012 Shulchan Orech The meal is served! As you eat, some food for thought: As we prepare to enjoy the Passover meal, we take a moment to celebrate a recent victory. During the meal, we welcome you to discuss any of these readings or on the themes of struggle and freedom. Whenever the rabbi of Sasov saw anyone s suffering either of spirit or of body, he shared it so earnestly that the other s suffering became his own. Once someone expressed his astonishment at this capacity to share in another s troubles. What do you mean share? said the rabbi. It is my own sorrow; how can I help but suffer it? - As told by Martin Buber, Tales of the Hasidim (New York: Schocken, 1947) Liberation is costly. Even after the Lord had delivered the Israelites from Egypt, they had to travel through the desert. They had to bear the responsibilities and difficulties of freedom. There was starvation and thirst and they kept complaining. They complained that their diet was monotonous. Many of them preferred the days of bondage and the fleshpots of Egypt. We must remember that liberation is costly. It needs unity. We must hold hands and refuse to be divided. We must be ready. Some of us will not see the day of our liberation physically. But those people will have contributed to the struggle. Let us be united, let us be filled with hope. Let us be those who respect one another. -Bishop Desmond Tutu It is not enough to teach our young people to be successful... so they can realize their ambitions, so they can earn good livings, so they can accumulate the material things that this society bestows. Those are worthwhile goals. But it is not enough to progress as individuals while our friends and neighbors are left behind. "Perhaps we can bring the day when children will learn from their earliest days that being fully man and fully woman means to give one's life to the liberation of the brother/sister who suffer. It is up to each one of us. It won't happen unless we decide to use our lives to show the way."- Cesar Chavez Tzafun After the meal, we redeem the afikoman (the hidden matzah) and divide it among everyone at the Seder. 27

28 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2012 Barech We offer thanks for the communal meal Hallel At this point in the Seder, we give thanks, offering songs and words of joy at our liberation. Even as we remember how much work there is to do, we celebrate the accomplishments of the past year. פ ת ח ו ל י ש ע ר י צ ד ק, אב א ב ם Open for me the gates of righteousness, and I will enter therein. (Psalms 118:19, included in the traditional Hallel liturgy) Nirtzah In the words of the Ramban (Rabbi Moshe Ben Nachman, ), Since God will not perform this sign or miracle in every generation to refute the evil sinner or rebel, we are commanded to make a continuous remembrance and sign to that which our eyes have seen, and to impart it to our children and children's children... to the last generation." xx From the order of the service, to the symbolic Seder plate, to the ritual retelling of the flight from Egypt, to the taste of the foods, the sounds of the prayers and songs on our lips and in our ears the Seder sets the stage for active remembering that is embedded in the consciousness of every Jew not only on this day but every day. Tonight, our guests have brought the stories of their immigration and their struggle to the Seder table. Let all that we have seen and heard and tasted and shared stay with us until we meet again next year. And, as we place ourselves in the role of the Stranger and the outsider, let us pledge not only to remember but to remedy Our Seder is now completed, but our work is not. This year, we celebrate Passover in a city and a world in which many are still oppressed. L SHANA HA BA A B YERUSHALAYIM next year in Jerusalem! Next year, may we celebrate Passover in a world that is more just and righteous! 28

29 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2012 We hope that this Passover Seder has helped to illuminate our collective path towards justice. What will your next step be to take up further down that road? What is your commitment towards making our city one where every person and every community can live with peace, justice and dignity? Many thanks to all of the 2012 JCUA Freedom and Justice Seder speakers and leaders! Robert Nevel, Architect, Social Justice Committee Chair, Founder and Director of the Food Justice and Sustainability Program at KAM Isaiah Israel Jill Zenoff, Founder, Executive Director, The Gan Project Sowing the Seeds of a Healthy Sustainable Chicago Jewish Community Gemali Ibrahim, Community Organizer, Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) and Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) Ina Marks, JCUA Immigration Action Team Member and Past Cook County Public Defender Rabbi Maralee Gordon, McHenry County Jewish Congregation Rabbi Alison Abrams, Temple Chai, Long Grove Rabbi Capers Funnye, Beth Shalom B nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation Tamar McCullough, Beth Shalom Leader and Outstanding Seder Partner & Special Thanks to Megan Neubauer, SSA MSW Student, University of Chicago 29

30 Jewish Council on Urban Affairs Justice and Freedom Seder 2012 The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs combats poverty, racism, and anti-semitism in partnership with Chicago s diverse communities. For more than 40 years, JCUA has provided technical assistance and capacity-building support to low-income and minority communities; built coalitions to promote members common interests; and mobilized a Jewish constituency to work toward a more just city. Born out of the civil-rights struggles of the 1960s, JCUA remains at the forefront of issues that affect Chicago s most at-risk communities affordable housing, quality education, community reinvestment, job creation, transportation, civil liberties, criminal justice and immigrant rights. We invite you to become more involved with JCUA. To learn more, call us at or visit us on the web at Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation (Beth Shalom) is the oldest Temple in the Chicago area the Israelite Community. It was established as the Ethiopian Hebrew Association in 1915, by Rabbi Horace Hasan. In 1918, Rabbi David Lasarus and Rabbi Caino Stirson, came to the Chicago area from New York and later joined forces with Rabbi Hasan. In 1923 Senior Rabbi Abihu Ben Reuben, joined the congregation, which was located at 1850 West Lake Street. For many years, Rabbi Reuben, along with other rabbis from the Ethiopian Hebrew Association, studied with Chief Rabbi Wentworth A. Matthew, at the Commandment Keepers Congregation in New York City. In 1952, Chief Rabbi Wentworth A Matthew came to Chicago to oversee the opening of a new Temple to serve the Ethiopian Hebrew Community. In 1984, the Congregation of Ethiopian Hebrews and Beth Shalom Hebrew Congregation merged to form Beth Shalom Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation. Rabbis Abihu Ben Reuben and Capers C. Funnye, Jr., served the congregation as senior and assistant rabbis. In 1993, Beth Shalom merged with the Congregation of B'nai Zaken, to form Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, with Rabbi Capers C. Funnye, Jr. as Rabbi. Beth Shalom is an affiliate congregation of the International Israelite Board of Rabbis Inc. and fully embraces the ideals of Resolution 80lA which was passed by the Board in It affirms the brotherhood of all people who worship the G-D of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob without regard to tradition or terminology (for example: Black Jews' Hebrews, Israelites, Jews, etc.) However, when among us, visitors are obliged to respect the customs and traditions followed by members. For more information visit Beth Shalom s website: 30