Barrack Haggadah Companion

Introductions Mrs Sharon Levin - Head of School Flynn Goldstein ‘27 Artistic representations Zoe Kaplan ‘24 and Haley Zabusky ‘24 Tal Tzabbar ‘24 and Sophia Mittman ‘24 Poetry

Isabella Abramowitz ‘24 and Mordechai Singer ‘24 Edo Aharoni ‘24, Daniel Izhakov ‘24 and Jordie Ufberg ‘24 Liana Matez ‘24

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Exploring the Seder and Symbolism Explaining and Understanding the the Seder Components - Rabbi Yondorf’s 12th Grade Jewish Life Saltwater and Slavery - Evan Berman ‘26 and Daniel Goldstein ‘26 Symbols of Diversity and Adversity - Aria Levy ‘26 and Mae Isaacs ‘26 Customs around the Lamb - Manny Shklar ‘24 What Does the Egg Have to Do with the Seder - Julia Luterman ‘24 Drops of Wine - Jacob DeMarco ‘24, Brynn Landow ‘24 and Gabrielle Thomas ‘24 Haroset - What’s that about? - Rabbi Dan Rosenberg Ph.D An Orange on the Seder Plate Isabella Garber ‘24, Fallon Rocker ‘24 , Tali Frisch ‘24, and Stacey Lipson ‘24 Charlie Brody ‘26 Reflections on the Plagues - Rabbi Michael Yondorf’s 10th Grade Tanakh class Wait, which Elijah Are We Welcoming to the Table - Sammy Katzen ‘24 and Tali Isaacs ‘24

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Commentary, Essays and Reflections Let All Who Are Hungry Come and Eat - Noah Cohen ‘26 and Ezekiel/Zekie Lieberman ‘26 Freedom of Choice - Benny Scheinmann ‘24 and Daveed Zamkov ‘24 Exploring the Four Children - Jemma Dengel ‘24 and Chloe Hockfield ‘24 Seeing Ourselves as the Four Children and Beyond - Rabbi Judd Kruger Levingston, Ph.D. Pi Ha-ḥirot: A Transformative Location - Aron Freidenreich, Ph.D. ‘97 Ha Lachma Anya, A strange time for an invitation - Rabbi Will Keller Green Dishes and Haroset - Ms Meryl Sussman

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We are grateful to our colleagues and our thoughtful students for their submissions. The conversations that took place in the formation of this Haggadah inspired each of us as we reflected upon our freedom, privilege and our place in the continuum of Jewish history.

We are particularly grateful for the support, collaborative spirit and editing from Mrs Sharon Levin, Rabbi Will Keller, Rabbi Judd Kruger Levingston Ph.D., Rabbi Dan Rosenberg Ph.D., Ms Meryl Sussman, Dr Joshua Gutoff, Rabbi Michael Yondorf, Ms Marcia Harwitz and Ms Jen Groen.

Most of all, thank you to G-d for hearing our cries and offering us redemption.

‫ַו ִּיזְעָ קוּ ו ּ ַ​ַתעַ ל ׁ ַשוְעָ תָ ם אֶ ל־הָ ֱאל ֹהִ ים מִ ן־הָ ֲעב ֹדָ ה׃ ַו ּי ׁ ְִשמַ ע ֱאל ֹהִ ים אֶ ת־ ַנאֲקָ תָ ם‬ Exodus 2:23-24

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Introduction to the Barrack Haggadah 2021 Dear Barrack Community, In our home, every year as we prepare for Pesach, we scour every new Haggadah that we hear about to find appropriate and relevant additions to our seders. We have a vast collection, from the Maxwell House Haggadah, basically all in English, used as a staple for many families for generations, to Haggadot that depict Chagall’s paintings, to those that focus on the Soviet Jewry movement, to some written for Women’s seders, and one that was a gift from Israeli friends that is totally in Hebrew.

So, Mah Nishtanah…? Why will this Haggadah be different from all others?

Since the first printed version of the Haggadah appeared in Guadalajara, Spain 539 years ago, there have been thousands of Haggadot printed in every language and for all ages. For most of us, the central and fundamental focus of the Seder is that in every generation we must look upon ourselves as if each of us personally had been freed from bondage in Egypt.

We are bound to tell and retell the story m’dor l’dor, from generation to generation. We do this through the Haggadah.

For at least my first 15 years at what was then Akiba Hebrew Academy, we celebrated Pesach with a school-wide seder.

Each year, a committee of students wrote a Haggadah with a specific theme: the 55th anniversary of the survival of Sephardic Jewry, the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto, the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, the 50th birthday of the State of Israel, world hunger and the environment to name a few. A prayer or two from one of those Haggadot are still incorporated into our seders every year, along with special prayers now written by my own grandchildren.

We already know Ma Nishtanah…? Why this night, in this year of our modern plague, is different and must be different.

Of all years, this year, as we continue to battle the scourge of the COVID virus, when we see the growth of anti-Semitism at home and abroad and as we continue to battle greater racial injustice, we know what it means to lose drops of joy from the cup of life. The commentaries in this Haggadah allows us, as a school community, to carry forth the message of freedom, justice, hope and anticipation that is the message of Pesach — more important this year than ever.

May the prayers and commentaries in this Haggadah find a place in your seders for many years to come, as I know they will in mine.

Sharon P. Levin Head of School

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The Haggadah: The tool of Our Holy Journey Flynn S. Goldstein ‘27 Every year, Jews around the world use this one non-descript word — Haggadah. Every year Jews around the world use a Haggadah to guide them through the ritual order of the Pesach/Passover Seder. But yet, things are different this time around. We must invent new ways to perform our sacred rituals, to be Jewish, to join together, but most importantly, to be free. The great Rabbi Nachman of Breslov is quoted as saying, “The Exodus from Egypt occurs in every human being, in every era, in every year, and in every day.” As Jews we say, ‫ ְּבכָל ּדֹור ו ָדֹור חַ ּיָיב ָאדָ ם ל ְִראֹות אֶ ת עַ צְמֹו ּכְאִ יּלּו הּוא יָצָא מִ ּמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬.

This means, ‘In every generation, man must look at themselves as though he left Egypt.’ Some even extend it to say ‫ְּבכָל‬ ‫ּדֹור ו ְדֹור אֲ נִי חַ ּיָיב ל ְִראֹות אֶ ת אַ ּצָמִ י ּכְאִ יּלּו אֲ נִי יָצָאתִ י מִ ּמִ צ ְַרי ִם‬. This means, ‘In every generation, I must look at myself as though I, myself, left Egypt. This line comes from Talmud Pesachim 116b. This line reminds us of the great miracle of exiting ִ ‫( ְּבנֵי‬B'nei Ḥorin). We use the tool, if you will, slavery and entering freedom. Exiting ‫( עֲ בָדִ ים‬avadim) and entering into ‫חֹורין‬ of a Haggadah to help us understand the transformation of a people subjected to intensive physical labor to a people who can remotely do whatever they wish with far more autonomy.

We use the Haggadah to help us understand freedom. Should B’nei Yisrael not be free, we would not use a Haggadah.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l is quoted as saying, “The Jewish festival of freedom is the oldest continuously-observed religious ritual in the world. Across the centuries Passover [or Pesach] has never lost its power to inspire the imagination of successive generations of Jews with its annually re-enacted drama of slavery and liberation.”1 Rabbi Sacks was correct.

But this message can apply to the Haggadah! The Haggadah helps to continue “the oldest continuously-observed religious ritual in the world.”

Per b'chol dor v’dor, we must put ourselves in the shoes of the Israelite community exiting Egypt. As humans in the period of adolescence, a metamorphosis of humanity, we must think about ourselves as though we are the Israelites who are beginning that same journey. The Israelites, in a manner of speaking, are toddlers in the land of Egypt. As the Israelites exit Egypt and cross the Sea of Reeds, or Red Sea, the people descended from Ya’akov, become young adults. As young adults in the world of today, we must apply the notion that we are still growing. We are still growing in so many ways. In wisdom, in knowledge, in hope, and most importantly in freedom. The people gained freedom, but they were not mentally free from slavery and its horrors. As the people spent 40 years in the desert, they became mentally free. It is our task, as humans B'tzelem Elokim, created in the image of G-D, who are still growing in freedom, to learn the value and ideals that Judaism teaches regarding freedom. This is found in none other than the Haggadah! We must pass on freedom to our children, but not the polluted idea. We must pass on freedom, as pure and as unaltered as it can be, just as B’nei Yisrael experienced it when crossing the Red Sea.

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https://rabbisacks.org/credo-passover-has-lessons-for-those-fighting-freedom/

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Artistic Representations Passover and Individuality Zoe Kaplan ‘24 and Haley Zabusky ‘24

This image portrays what happens when the Israelites are freed from Egypt and each individual is capable of being their own person; they now have the freedom to think and act for themselves. On the left, the Israelites are enslaved, it is all black and white representing how the people were known as a group, not individuals. When our ancestors were under Egyptian rule, they had to follow everything the Egyptians did—they had no voice. This is depicted in the songs and prayers we sing during the Seder, our ancestors were not seen as individual human people, they were just seen as the Egyptian Slaves and treated without humanity. Once B’nei Yisrael is free, the songs switch and we hear the true emotions and the praises towards G-d, which is what the right side of the picture illustrates.

Rather than being black and white, each person is an individual, with different colors and expressions. Now that the individuals are free, they don’t have to follow specific instructions every day of their lives. The Jewish world today is the result of the Israelites’ ability to choose, each Jew practicing their religion differently while still following G-d and keeping the Jewish traditions alive. This idea translates to the Seder, each family has their own unique customs that makes each family special.

Of course, there is a balance between following and creating new traditions, but often there are general customs many families follow to connect to the Passover story and rituals, such as having a Seder plate and eating matzah among other things. It is important to keep the customs that are essential to the story of Passover because we need to remember why we are celebrating this holiday. However, it is also fun to create new traditions making the Seder a memorable experience for families everywhere. Any person should practice the freedom of thinking for themselves on any regular day, or on a special celebration like Pesach.

Images of Freedom Sophia Mittman ‘24 and Tal Tzabbar ‘24

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Poetry Poems on Freedom Isabella Abramovitz ‘24 and Mordechai Singer ‘24 Our poems are about freedom, and how freedom relates to both the Exodus and the modern day. Slavery still exists today, and as Jews, we have a duty to help those in need. Our people have experienced many forms of oppression, and we while say, “Never Again,” history repeats itself.

Freedom A Jewish dream Something that unfortunately We had to redeem We went through so much In order to obtain This privilege Which we should not have to gain We were hopeless and enslaved Many years ago However we choose to remember This incredible foe And Passover allows us to properly convey Our gratitude in which We continue to pay We now have a duty To help those in need For there are those who still suffer And need to be freed Today we should strive to make a change And tomorrow we will find A peaceful world that is strange

Freedom What is it?

The ability to say what you want?

How do we as Jews define it?

Running for our lives from the slave masters, Leaving our harsh oppressors on the other side of a sea.

Freedom How do we give this freedom to others in need?

How do we stop oppression from happening in other places?

How do we give the freedom God gave us to others?

We speak out, We take a stand on issues at hand.

Freedom What is it?

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Themes of Passover Acrostics Edo Aharoni ‘24 Daniel Izhakov ‘24 and Jordie Ufberg ‘24

E - everyone’s right to learn D - during the passover seder U - unite as a people C - continue teaching for generations A - all the stories of passover T - ‘till they understand the reasons I - I will feel passionate about my education O - over the years to come N - new generations will learn ‫ל‬ To understand and love the Pesach story - ‫ל – להבין ולאהוב את הסיפור של חג אביב‬ Remember why God took us out of Egypt- ‫מ – מזכירים למה ה' הוציא אותנו ממצרים‬ Spend time with family celebrating Pesach -‫ו – ולבלות זמן עם המשפחה לחגוג את חג מצות‬ Tell and do not forget the story of Pesach -‫ד– דבר ואל תשכח את הסיפור של פסח‬ Educate your children on the story of Pesach - ‫– לחנך את הילדים על סיפור פסח‬

Artist’s Statements Jordie: These poems are extremely important to understand in my point of view. Sometimes when you read things in Hebrew you might not fully understand what you are learning, but I think Passover should be a holiday that you fully understand. It is extremely important to me and my whole group. This relates to what we have been learning in the mishnah because we studied two cases of families; one that knew the Hebrew but did not understand what they were saying, and one that did not say it in Hebrew but understood the story of Passover. I think that the family that understood the story was much better because the power of education is so important in our religion.

Edo: This acrostic is important for many reasons. It lays out fundamentals of what to do for Passover. It relates to exodus because we said that you need to remember, understand, and educate everyone about the exodus story. And so that everyone appreciates the story of Passover. It also highlights the importance of educating everyone, not just the old but also the young people; if we don't educate people on history we are bound to repeat it.

Daniel: If these poems were to be read at the Seder table, it would help and value the story of Passover. It will help the children appreciate the power of God. This relates to exodus because one of the main reasons for Passover is everyone to understand and appreciate Passover.

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Pesach - freedom through our ancestor’s eyes Liana Matez ‘24 Finally, we hear The news of our release We leave chased by fear While most people sleep

From this very moment on Our freedom was established Our lives in Egypt are gone And the Hebrew life was polished

Grabbing what we can From around the room Our baking began But ended too soon

Today in our lives We celebrate this moment The memory survives But no pain that came from it

Our bread didn’t rise Leaving in a hurry It’s flat in its size We have no time to worry

On this holiday remember How freedom was given back And we thank God forever For saving a nation from fear in its past

Each family and neighbor Begins the sacrifice We place the blood on the door So to save our life

Pesach shows our thanks to God And we come together to show our love Singing, chanting the words of freedom Altogether we know the reason

Each person leaves their house careful not to be heard Quiet as a mouse Israelites walked and turned

Exploring the Seder through symbolism Kiddush Lane Barsh ‘21 We make Kiddush blessings four times throughout the Seder. The word Kiddush (‫ )קדש‬means sanctification, to make holy. In this setting we are not just blessing the grapes but blessing every part of the process in creating grape juice/wine and marking the importance of the Seder.

This year, Passover and the first Seder begin on Saturday night, so havdalah, the service that separates Shabbat from the rest of the week, is part of the Kiddush blessing (excluding the spices). Throughout the Seder, we recline after making kiddush to signify we are free and traditionally a person who recites the blessing should drink the amount that ‘will fill their cheeks’- otherwise, drink about 2 oz per refill.

Rachatz, First hand washing Ben Beal ‘21 We do not say a blessing during this, as would normally happen, but we will say it during the second washing of hands before we eat the matzah. The Mishna Berura writes that those who do not wash their hands ritualistically before handling moist foods throughout the year must wash their hands this time, so that the children will ask about the change and they can be taught about the holiness of the Seder. The Netziv also explains that on Pesach specifically, we try to act as if the Temple was still standing, and this would be the custom every night. Why not say a blessing at this point in the Seder? Because the beginning of the Seder and recitation of our people’s story has yet to come during the Maggid, this washing of the hands is done without blessing is purely symbolic, and we will recite the blessing once the story is told and we fully sanctify the act. The origins of this costume come from Tractate Pesachim in the Talmud which states that before the handling of moist fruits or vegetables, one must wash their hands.

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Karpas, Green leafy vegetables Olivia Collis ‘21 Karpas are the green leafy vegetables used on the Seder plate for Passover. Usually, a piece of green parsley is used, though any leafy green can suffice—some people even use potatoes or anything on which we say Borei Peri HaAdamah.

The word karpas itself also alludes to the condition of the Israelites in Egypt, and the hard labor that they suffered when their slavery began.

Rearranged, the letters spell parech (‫)פרך‬, the word for “hard labor,” teaching us that joy and sorrow come hand in hand.

In his commentary, Rashi describes the coat of many colors as k’li mailat k’mo karpas, a “clothing of fine wool.” Rashi derived this meaning from the appearance of the word karpas in the Book of Esther 1:6, where it refers to a fine linen garment (according to the Targum Aramaic translation, karpas here actually means wool.). The verse in Esther is the only time the word karpas appears in the Tanakh. This connection helps us understand why dipping the karpas is the first ritual (after the ceremonial hand-washing) of the Seder. It is the giving of the coat of many colors to Joseph that led the Israelites to Egypt. It was what literary scholars refer to as the inciting incident for the Passover story.

Yachatz, Breaking the middle matzah Ben Dahan ‘21 We break the middle matzah and hide the large part which we call the afikomen. Some traditions say that hiding the afikomen is also like hiding a large part of ourselves, only to be found after the seder story is complete. The broken middle matzah is like the split Red Sea or could also be understood as representing the incompleteness of having left the story untold to this point. While many hide the afikomen as a game, Some have a tradition to put the afikomen on their shoulder, to represent the Jews leaving Egypt.

Motze Matzah Sophia Decherny ‘21 Before partaking, we hold up three matzot (including our broken middle matzah) and eat our matzah while reclining to the left side. Some have the tradition of eating Shmura Matzah which is closely watched to ensure no additional moisture is involved. According to the Yismach Yisrael we hide the large piece of matzah to represent how we should not focus on the physical part of our lives, but instead the spiritual part.

Maror, Bitter Herbs Ben Fisher ‘21 The bitter herbs that we eat are symbolic of the pain and suffering the Israelites suffered in Egypt; eating the maror gives us a sense of pain to more easily relate to the slaves. Due to several translations of the possible options for maror, many halachic authorities recommend using Romaine lettuce, not for its initial taste, but because of its bitter aftertaste.

Korech, Sandwich Gabi Grob ‘21 During the Second Temple at this stage in the Seder, they would eat a sandwich of the lamb offering plus the maror and matzah. Today, since we do not make sacrifices the tradition has changed to maror and matzah. This sandwich gives a message. By combining the matzah (the bread of our affliction and the liberation of our people) with the maror (the bitter herbs that represent our suffering as slaves in Egypt) the symbolism of the “first” sandwich is that we do not separate our suffering from our liberation; we are part of something bigger and our suffering is in service of our communal goal.

Shulchan Orech, the Set Table Noah Kessel ‘21 Shulchan Orech is the festival meal on the night of Passover. It is the tenth order of the Seder. There is a distinct way many traditionally begin the festive meal, which is by dipping and eating the egg from the Seder plate. Many families and communities have their own customs during the Passover meal, including: leaning during the meal, talking about things that are unrelated to the mitzvot, and to not overeat during the meal so there is room for discussion after the meal.

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Hallel - Psalms of Praise Hannah Parish ‘21 Hallel is recited on occasions when we celebrate the salvation of the Jews, like Passover. Hallel mentions five topics of redemption: Exodus from Egypt, Crossing of the Red Sea, Giving of the Torah, Resurrection of the dead and Birth Pangs of the final redemption. The final redemption connects to the opening the door for Elijah as this is a symbol for our hope of the eventual coming of the mashiach, it is a symbol of our final, or future redemption. The first two chapters of Hallel mention the Exodus from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea and the receiving of the Torah. The second section of Hallel includes mentions of the coming of the mashiach. Traditionally, one would drink the final cup at this portion of the Seder followed by pouring an additional cup and opening the door for the prophet Elijah to enter. Some believe the tradition of opening doors for Elijah was to protect against blood libels: specifically that when you opened your door you would be able to catch someone attempting to frame you for murdering a Christian child in the Middle Ages.

Saltwater and Slavery Evan Berman ‘26 and Daniel Goldstein ‘26 We use saltwater at the Seder to remind us of the slavery our anscestors suffered. Even though we celebrate Passover with friends and family that make us happy, we should use the symbols of the Seder to get our minds in the right place to remember and perhaps experience what our ancestors’ pain was.

Symbols of Diversity and Adversity Aria Levy ‘26 and Mae Isaacs ‘26 Salt Water: Represents the tears of the Jews while having to work as slaves.

Egg: Mourning and death but also represents life.

Karpas: Often thought of as a green vegetable, but we learned this week that one could use parsley, celery or any fruit or vegetable that is blessed with Borech Peri HaAdamah (who brings forth fruits from the ground) to dip into the salt water.

Without the salt water, egg and karpas, which all represent very different ideas, our Seder would be incomplete. From this we learn that the Seder represents so many pieces of our story and our story is only complete once we have all the different pieces of our community included.

Customs around the Shankbone and the Pascal Lamb Manny Shlkar ‘ 24 The shankbone we have on our Seder plates is representative of such an important part of the Israelites’ journey towards freedom. Moses instructs the Israelites to paint lamb’s blood on the doors of their homes to protect their first born.

Originally, the lamb represented lambs’ blood on doorposts during the final plague to keep the Jewish firstborn children safe from the Angel of Death. Today, many Ashkenazi Jews follow a custom not to eat lamb at the Seder because they see it as eating a sacrifice, which can only be done if Temple service existed today. Sephardi Jews however, often do have the tradition to eat lamb at the Seder because they see it as eating like ancestors did the night before leaving Egypt.

What does the Egg have to do with the Seder Julia Luterman ‘24 While the egg does not hold a formal ritual role, many put the eggs on their Seder plates. The rounded shape represents the cycle of life, freedom, joy, and also suffering. For we know as Jews that joy and suffering are often linked and we acknowledge their deep connection during the Seder.

Drops of wine Jacob DeMarco ‘24, Brynn Landau ‘24 and Gabrielle Thomas ‘24 During the Passover Seder, traditionally many folks drink four cups of wine or grape juice to remember our past. During the Seder we spill out drops of wine, and in doing so we lessen how much is in our glass and symbolically our happiness as we remember our ancestors’ sad times. While spilling out the wine, we say acronyms for the plagues and each drop 10

we spill represents our tears. Even though the Egyptians acted inappropriately, we still feel sorry and mourn the loss of any human life.

Haroset - What’s that about?

Rabbi Dan Rosenberg Ph.D. The Babylonian Talmud, in tractate Pesachim on 116a, gives two opinions for the commanded nature of haroset, which we have on the Seder table with our other ritual foods. Rabbi Yochanan says it must remind us of the mortar used in the forced labor by the Jews in Egypt (and some communities add chives to remind of the straw used to aggregate mortar or bricks). Rabbi Levi holds it must remind us of “the apple.” But what’s the apple?

In tracate Sotah, on page 11b, the Talmud also tells us that it was by the merit of the righteous Israelite women of the generation that left slavery that all of Israel was redeemed. Although they were faced with a decree to kill all male children, as well as forced family separation, the women did not give up all hope. In one telling, the men refused to have children because they feared what might happen in the future. The women, however, took initiative (and God met them halfway with “small miracles'') to continue the nation by having children, under any circumstances. The women went to the men in the fields, and conceived under apple trees, to ensure that there would continue to be Jews to carry forward the covenantal promises. According to the Talmud, that’s why the haroset is tart with apples: the apples attest to us, from their tart taste in balance with bitter herbs, of those women’s initiative and our subsequent redemption.

To add the ANE (Ancient Near East) perspective our students learn in 8th grade Tanakh, some scholars now point out that apples were not a biblical fruit for that part of the world (they came from the area of Turkey), but more appropriate for the word ‫( תפוח‬from the shoresh ‫ח‬.‫פ‬.‫נ‬., to blow) is the apricot (see Chana and Ariel Bloch’s translation of Song of Songs, which some communities read during Pesach). A fruit which is soft like the apricot (or like the dates some Jewish communities use as the base of haroset) slowly “inflates” as it grows. The continuation of the story of the women is that they gave birth between the furrows in the fields, so that the Egyptians watching their homes wouldn’t take the children immediately. They prayed to God to care for their children, saying “God - we did our part for redemption; now - you do Yours!” God could not help but to send angels, two for each child, to sustain and guard the children until they got rapidly big enough to run home to their parents. The women who had borne children in their bodies, slowly growing, then “planted” their children in God’s garden, as it were. Which act was the first real seed of redemption? Ultimately, these children, when God split the Reed Sea as the Israelites walked to safety, pointed from their parents’ arms at God revealed and said, “‫לי‬-‫ זה א‬- THAT is my God (who took care of me in the fields)!”

In this year of pandemic, we’ve had to struggle with a lot of loss, whatever our direct exposure to death, illness, or displacement (and for some it has been a lot). Many of us who are celebrating this Pesach have taken hope in one way or another, and put it away for “someday” when we experience redemption from this plague. Apple seeds and apricot pits both metabolize to cyanide if we eat them directly — poison to us. But if we take the soft fruit that grows from what has been planted away, it transforms into sweetness that is a fit sign of our ancestors’ bravery and faith. What have you laid aside this year, hoping for future redemption, and what fruit will that hope bear? What will that hope look like when you get to say, “This — at last — is what I have dreamed of”?

Oranges on the Seder Plate Isabella Garber ‘24, Fallon Rocker ‘24, Tali Frisch ‘24, and Stacey Lipson ‘24 There is an interesting custom we came to explore and wanted to share. Susannah Heschel first initiated the idea of adding oranges to the Seder plate in honor of the importance of inclusion and specifically including women and the LGBTQ+ community into our communal story. The ritual was written in the book Woman’s Passover Companion Haggadah.

The origin story tells the tale of a lesbian congregant who asked her rabbi where lesbians fit into the Jewish community.

The rabbi angrily responded saying “they have as much room as bread has on Passover.” The tradition of the orange was then started by lesbians to make themselves and other ostracized members of the community more included.

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Charlie Brody ‘26 The orange is put on the plate to resemble individuality. After you bless you spit out the seeds that represent homophobia, then we can each enjoy this wonderful fruit! The orange belongs on a Seder plate because it shows that anyone can be part of the Jewish community.

Reflections on the Plagues Blood / ‫דם‬ Rosie Ackerman ‘23 Aaron initiates the plague of blood, upon Moshe’s instruction. After Pharaoh’s magicians recreate the plague, his heart is hardened. As a result of the plague, all the fish in the Nile died, and the water stank so the Egyptians were unable to drink from the Nile.

Some interpret this plague to mean that the “blood” was actually a tide of red algae in the Nile, along with red mud.

However, this doesn’t explain how the water stayed drinkable for the Israelites. One potential explanation for why this plague occurred at all is that the waters were turned to blood first because the Egyptians worshipped the Nile, and God said to “Smite his god first and then him” Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 13:1. The plague of blood lasted for seven days.

Frogs/‫צפרדע‬ Niva Cohen ‘23 Aaron initiates the plague of frogs by holding his arm and staff over the water, and frogs come forth from the Nile. When G-d removed the frogs, Pharaoh hardened his own heart and continued to refuse to let the Israelites leave Egypt even as the Egyptian people, including those in Pharoah’s own palace, suffered greatly. There are interesting scientific explanations for what might have happened, as the term “raining frogs” is used in history. In 1873, “a shower of frogs darkened the air and covered the ground for a long distance” after a storm. In Greece in 2010, thousands of frogs came out of a lake looking for food. If the algae had multiplied in the water, frogs would have had to leave to get food and sunlight. According to the Midrash Tanchuma, G-d asked Aaron to bring forth the frogs because G-d did not want Moshe to smite the very river that had protected him as an infant. Another Midrash wonders if the frogs were a symbol of how the Egyptians viewed the Israelites—as creepy crawly creatures—and G-d brought this plague to flip the Egyptians’ perspective of what creatures really were (Shemot Rabbah 10:4).

Lice / ‫כנים‬ Raphael Englander ‘23 The plague of lice appears in Exodus 8:12-15. There is no warning given to Pharaoh. Only the third, sixth, and ninth plagues happen without a warning, which creates an interesting pattern of every third plague occurring without a warning. The fact that G-d can strike Pharaoh without needing to tell him first is meant to demonstrate G-d’s power. G-d initiates the plague. He instructs Aaron in how to turn dust into lice so that it will wreak havoc in Egypt.

Pharaoh hardened his own heart, without the involvement of G-d. The lice infests both the people and animals of Egypt.

The actual duration of the plague is never explicitly stated. However, in order for the plague to have its desired result of a total lice infestation among the Egyptians, the plague must have lasted for at least several days.

If all of the frogs in Egypt die when G-d stops the second plague, it would make sense that a lice infestation would follow.

Frogs are a natural predator for insects. Without any frogs, a spike in the amount of lice would be likely to follow, thereby explaining the lice infestation that occurs in Egypt. Aaron, not Moses, is the one who strikes the dust, turning it into lice.

Moses should not strike the dust because dust had protected him when he killed the Egyptian; Moses hides the Egyptian in the sand (dust).

Wild Beasts/‫ערוב‬ Talia Erlbaum ‘23 G-d tells Moses to send the plague of wild beasts upon the Egyptians after warning the Egyptians that another plague 12

was coming. This an interesting plague because Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and furthermore, the Midrash says the wild beasts were brought as a punishment against the Egyptians who would force the Israelites to hunt for wild animals only to torture them after.

Cattle Disease/‫דבר‬ Katie Filler ‘23 G-d has Moses inform Pharoah that this plague is coming but G-d actually initiates the disease. Interestingly, only the Egpytian cattle were affected—but perhaps the Israelite cattle lived separately and had its own diet which protected them? The midrash says that because in the fourth plague Egypt was overrun with wild animals, and the Egyptians were forced to graze and tend to the livestock, far away from their families. Thus in the fifth plague, pestilence killed off the Egyption livestock, more specifically, the livestock of those who did not fear G-d.

Boils/‫שחין‬ Becca Miller ‘23 Whereas many of the plagues were preceded by warnings, the ‘warning’ for boils was delivered after the plague was initiated. Combined with G-d hardening Pharaoh’s heart, boils are a confusing plague worth unpacking. Scientific explanations could solve this by assuming that the boils were an infectious disease that was passed between Egyptian men and their animals. The Midrash points out that the Egyptian magicians were unable to replicate this plague, and were affected by the rash along with the rest of Egypt. They were so embarrassed they refused to show their faces at the palace and avoided Moshe at all costs, remaining shut in their houses. Here we can begin to see the fear that had been struck in the hearts of the Israelites shifting as the Egyptians began to develop trauma from these experiences.

Hail/‫ברד‬ Eliana Pasternak ‘23 Again we see a plague that just affects the Egyptians as the hail rained down on Egyptian land and livestock alone.

Interestingly, the hail was a short term affliction, lasting just long enough to destroy the flax and barley crops but not long enough to destroy the wheat. We learned in Midrash Rabba that G-d chose hail in order to smash all that the Jews had planted as slaves for the Egyptians.

Locusts/‫ארבה‬ Noah Rosenthal ‘23 Context is key! Theories exist that a local volcanic eruption created favorable conditions for the locusts. On a spiritual level, locusts represent the progression of evil doing, and how not addressing it at the beginning stages because of looking the other way, false rationalizing, justifying, or condoning, causes it to manifest quickly, spiral out of control, and open doors of destruction and devastation in our lives and for generations to come.

Darkness/‫חושך‬ Sophie Sussman ‘23 There were actually seven days of the plague; during the first three days anyone could stand or sit wherever they wanted to, but during the final three days people sitting could not stand and standing could not sit. The Egyptians believed that Ra, the God of the Sun, was the most powerful deity and the plague of darkness showed the Egyptians that they were alone and that even their strongest God was not as powerful as the Jewish G-d, a crushing blow to the psyche of the slave holders.

Slaying of the first born/‫מכת בכורות‬ Talia Willner ‘23 Before this plague happened Moses warned Pharaoh about what was to come. This plague was a little different: normally God told Moses and Moses told Pharaoh, but this time God told Moses in the presence of Pharaoh, and Moses repeated it. According to Ramban, Moses and Aaron had already completed their roles of performing miracles (with their staff), so God completed this last one. God sent the angel of death to kill all of the firstborn sons of the Egyptians.

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Some believe there are scientific explanations for this plague, that the algal bloom that turned the rivers blood red released mycotoxins, which are poisonous substances that can lead to disease and death. If grain got contaminated with these mycotoxins, the result could have been deadly, and could explain the death of the firstborn children because the firstborn would have most likely been the first to pick the grain making them the first to be affected and fall from the toxin.

Some say that Pharaoh was also a first born, but God spared his life because He wanted Pharaoh to see the Jewish people leave / win. God also wanted to show Pharaoh that he is the One who can both spare a life and take a life, He is the all powerful one.

Wait, which Elijah Are We Welcoming to the Table?

Sammy Katzen ‘24 and Tali Isaacs ‘24 Which Elijah is the most important on the Seder night? The Elijah from Vampire Diaries or Elijah the Prophet? The cup of Elijah is the fifth cup of wine poured at the Seder on Passover. We save this wine for our heavenly guest, Elijah, who joins us at our Seder. To welcome Elijah we read biblical verses and consider what our freedom means to us all, how we came to have our freedom and what freedoms we can create for others.

Essays and Commentary Let All who Are Hungry Come and Eat Noah Cohen '26 I think this verse is referring to when Avraham let strangers in his home and invited them to eat. It means that if you are hungry come join us in a nice meal! We are very open to anyone who wants to eat with us. Avraham had a tent that was open on all sides basically inviting people to come in his tent and join him. We also open the door for Eliyahu on Passover, inviting him to eat with us. That is what I believe it means.

Ezekiel/Zekie Lieberman '26 When recited at a Seder, the words “Let all who are hungry come and eat” do not have to be taken literally. It means that on Passover, we are obligated to give to the community in some way. This could mean inviting less fortunate people to the Seder, but it could also mean donating food or money to a food bank or an organization. The important thing is not the specific act of kindness; it is to have the right intention.

Freedom of Choice Benny Scheinmann ‘24 and Daveed Zamkov ‘24 When the Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians, they did not have freedom of choice, a basic human right. The choice of who to work for, what to say and most importantly who to honor and serve, are essential to the human experience. For us Jews, as we know, being able to honor and serve God is the foundation of the Jewish religion. This freedom to choose leads to the path of happiness and the feeling of satisfaction. Today, in America, we are lucky enough to have this freedom and on Passover we exercise our religious freedoms and take part in a Seder. The Seder experience is a demonstration of how we came to freedom and the act of having the Seder shows that we still enjoy and hold dear freedom to this day.

The Mishnah says that we should have a Seder and that during the Seder, question asking is important. Participating in a Seder and asking interesting questions are ways we can show that we are free to celebrate this holiday and are free to serve God as we feel fit. Unfortunately, not everyone is fortuitous/fortunate enough to have these freedoms, there are still today people who are oppressed and whose freedom is being denied.

So this year, at your Seder, we encourage everyone to recognize the gift of freedom and be grateful for the opportunity to retell the story of our people attaining that freedom so that we can remain free and support others gaining their freedom as well.

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Exploring the Four Children Jemma Dengel ‘24 and Chloe Hockfield ‘24 During the Seder we learn the story of the Four Children; One wise, one wicked, one simple and one who does not know how to ask the question. Overall, the four children represent the importance of welcoming the children to participate in the conversation. From this part of the Seder, we reinforce that all children should be taught and included regardless of their traits or the way one learns and interacts with the world. Through the different kinds of questions these children ask we can each acquire new wisdom, equipping us with personal growth and connection to these traditions. There is wisdom in the idea of opening up and allowing others to freely question the tradition to share its history, values, and relevance to our world today. It is a reminder that there are pieces of the four children in all of us. The main goal that must be taken away is that we must teach all people. We are also reminded of the Jewish obligation to teach the next generation to acknowledge our history, much of which includes suffering, and to recognize the importance of being a united community in order to survive.

The wise child: The wise child asks about the detail and meaning behind the laws of Passover observance.

The wicked child: The wicked child reminds us of the personal meaning we find in our traditions by asking “Whatever does this mean to you?” We are reminded of the value of not separating ourselves from our community or from our culture and engaging in them in ways that are meaningful to us, making it our own tradition. Passover is a story of inclusion, meaning we should include ourselves and others where we can.

The simple child: The simple child asks “what does this mean?” This has a simple answer that was written in the Torah.

“It was with a mighty hand that G-d brought us out from Egypt, the house of bondage.” (Ex 13:14). It is important that we understand the basic values associated with our traditions and understand how it overlaps with our people’s history.

From this, we understand more about our personal obligation in Judaism and its own impact.

The child who doesn’t know how to ask: The child represents the concept of being open in discussion and explaining “it is because of what G-d did for me when I went free from Egypt” (Exodus 13:8). By acknowledging the importance of questioning our tradition, we are able to find intrinsic value to ourselves. Also, by being mindful that people might not know how to ask, it shows the importance of open conversation and acknowledging we can all grow together; we need each other.

Seeing Ourselves as the Four Children and Beyond Rabbi Judd Kruger Levingston, Ph.D. When I come to this passage about the four children, I often think about the many children — young people — with whom I spend my days at school, about my own three children who are young adults now and about my own childhood back in the '60s and '70s. When I was in junior high school, I remember voting for the class superlatives (Most Athletic, Most Popular, Most Likely to Succeed, Most Artistic, Most Intimidating, Most Studious, etc.) and while I wouldn't have minded it if I had been voted most popular or most athletic, I was voted Most Studious in 8th grade and Class Boy Scout in 9th grade. I can't say I was thrilled to be seen as such a goody-goody, but it pointed out that how others see us isn't always how we see ourselves. As you read this section of the Haggadah, use it as a prompt to think not only about what kind of child you have within you, but about how others see you and about how you can learn from that and from all of the many other kinds of people in the world. Who knows, perhaps the "wise" child in the Haggadah wishes that they were able to live life more simply, and perhaps the "wicked" child really is anxious at heart and just doesn't know how to ask a question with less of an impatient and oppositional edge.

Here are some other questions to prompt discussion at your Seder tables: Does the "wise child"/‫ חכם‬represent wisdom for you or would you ask this child to do something meaningful with their knowledge?

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Does the "wicked child"/‫ רשע‬really seem so wicked? And are there ways in which we can learn from the way in which they question authority?

Does the "simple child"/‫ תם‬thrive best by living in innocence, or can we help the child to come of age with eyes open to the imperfections and incompleteness in the world?

And can the "one who doesn't know how to ask a question"/‫ שאינו יודע לשאול‬be taught how to ask, how to seek, and how to appreciate the humility of not knowing all of the questions or even all of the answers?

“Pi Ha-ḥirot: A Transformative Location” Dr. Aron Freidenreich, ‘97 The Passover story in Exodus is the iconic narrative of our people’s journey from oppression to freedom. And yet, the Hebrew word for freedom, “ḥerut” (from which we derive a name for this time as “z’man ḥerutenu,” the season of our freedom), is entirely absent from the book.

However, soon after leaving Egypt and just before the splitting of the Sea, the Israelites are said to encamp near a place called “Pi Ha-ḥirot” (Exodus 14:2, 9; Numbers 33:7). Though this geographical location is obscure and never otherwise mentioned in the Tanakh, Rashi, quoting earlier Midrash, identifies it with “Pithom,” one of the garrison cities that the Israelites had been forced to build (Exodus 1:11).

Playing off of both names, Rabbinic tradition teaches that a site that once forced our mouths to be sealed (“peh satum”) now became the birthplace of our liberation as “b’nei ḥorin,” a people freed not only from physical affliction but from spiritual subjugation as well. The very place in which we felt oppressed and silenced was transformed into a safe space where we could finally articulate and truly live out our religious truths and ideals.

On this night, we continue our people’s tradition of exercising our rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion, opening our sealed mouths to share our ideas and values, and unblocking our closed ears so that we can listen earnestly to each other’s voices and to the voices of our heritage.

(For more on this interpretation, see Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael, Mekhilta d’Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Midrash Aggadah, Midrash Lekach Tov, Rashi, Gur Aryeh, and Siftei Chakhamim on Exodus 14:2.)

Ha Lachma Anya, A Strange Time for an Invitation Rabbi Will Keller I recently discovered an incredible book to help prepare me for the Seder, The Telling by Mark Gerson, which explores the Haggadah and different components that make up the Seder. Mr Gerson poses the excellent question, about the Ha Lachma Anya - ‫ הָ א לַחְ מָ א עַ נְי ָא‬section of the Seder. Literally translated as “The Bread of Affliction/Destitution,” this text serves as an introduction to Maggid, the recitation of the Exodus story.

Mr Gerson asks why an introduction is needed at this point in the Seder: “What kind of an invitation is this? Who, in planning any kind of social event, issues invitations after the event has begun and in the privacy of the event space?...It is so strange to invite someone to an event after it has begun that one wonders: Is this actually an invitation? It certainly sounds like an invitation — even a highly enthusiastic one. So why would such a lively invitation be issued after the event has begun” As an educator, when I read this passage I picture the intention setting strategies that many of my colleagues employ to begin class with everyone focused and ready to learn. Yes we might each be physically present, but are we mentally present? And if so, which version of ourselves is present?

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For instance, as a teacher and as a learner sometimes I am more open to hearing the perspectives of others, whereas in other moments I am more interested in sharing my own ideas. In still other moments I might find myself receptive, closed off, passionate, disengaged or neutral depending on the circumstances.

We are each dynamic with multifaceted personalities and we relate to different environments and situations in unique ways. Mr Gerson explains this concept through the plural Hebrew word ‫ פנים‬- or face. There is no singular word for ‘face’ in Hebrew, rather the language is acknowledging a deep human truth, “Human beings, who are created in the image of the infinite God, all have multiple identities.”

Ha Lachma Anya is an acknowledgement of those diverse pieces of ourselves. While Ha Lachma Anya is not the start of the Seder, it is the beginning of the Magid section in which we retell the story of the leaving of Egypt. This retelling is central to the experience of the Seder and to our experience as Jews and while we are each dynamic and unique, we are commanded in this moment to assume a common experience.

Before we recite Ha Lachma Anya, the leader uncovers and emphasizes the broken middle matzah and the text itself speaks of those who are broken and hungry being invited to share in our Seder experience and it is this version of ourselves that we are being told to invite to the Seder.

In elevating the broken middle matzah, the Haggadah is reminding us that we have a broken piece of ourselves — some piece of us that feels incomplete. Mr Gerson says, “It is the self represented by this matzah — our incomplete, disappointed, confused, insecure, scared, scarred, vulnerable and broken self — that is being invited to participate in the Seder.

I appreciate the vulnerability that accompanies bringing our broken selves to the Seder. In accepting my own imperfections, I am more readily able to see myself as a wanderer in need of redemption and am thus able to recognize and stand with others in need of their own redemption.

As we prepare for Passover, it is my wish for myself and for all of us that we are able to bring our best most inquisitive and vulnerable selves to the Seder and in doing so we will strengthen the bonds between us and bring about a redemptive age for us all.

Green Glass Dishes and Haroset Ms Meryl Sussman To me Pesach means green glass dishes and haroset recipes. Pesach is the story of the Jewish people and each family has its own story within the greater story.

As my children will tell you, I take Pesach preparations, the cleaning, the planning seriously, but in the end it's all about the green glass dishes and haroset. The green glass dishes have been our Pesach meat dishes since my mom was a child in Port Huron, Michigan, the child of two immigrants from Riznoy, now Belarus. My mom spent her early years through elementary school in Port Huron, because her father, Max (for whom I am named) was a beekeeper and his hives were in the area. Keeping kosher in Port Huron in the 1940s (for the 2 families who did so) meant getting kosher meat from Detroit delivered by the Jewish man who delivered the Detroit Free Press to Port Huron. For Pesach, separate dishes were needed, and so the visiting “rich” relatives from Toronto bought the green glass dishes at Woolworths. The green glass dishes connect me to my mother’s family and their Ashkenazi roots, leaving the pogroms and economic hardships of Eastern Europe before and after WW I for the hoped for “goldene medina '' of America. My maternal grandmother, Channah Aion Epstein, came from an observant family whose father was a melamed. My paternal grandfather was more secular and considered himself a Socialist Zionist, hoping to raise turkeys on kibbutz in Israel someday.

While my paternal grandfather died before he could make aliyah, his granddaughter (me) made it to Israel several times.

During my junior year in college, this Ashkenazi Phildelphia Jew spent the year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, allowing me to spend Pesach with a family originally from Morocco who lived in Dimona in the Negev. Preparing for 17

Pesach with the Tourjeman family of Dimona meant seeing soft matzah being prepared and helping to prepare haroset that looked much more like mortar than the chunky apples, walnuts, cinnamon and wine that I had grown up with.

Adon/Mr Tourjeman’s haroset had dates, apples, pears, wine, cinnamon, almonds, walnuts, an orange red wine and white pepper — all ground up into a paste — truly a mix of the items mentioned in Shir HaShirim, the megillah read during Shabbat Pesach (https://www.ou.org/holidays/comprehending-charoset/).

After that Pesach in Dimona, Israel the Tourjeman haroset became my haroset and then slowly I began adding other types of haroset to our family Seder - Teimani/Yemenite that is dark with figs, dates, ginger, wine and a little hot pepper and the Chechyan - dried apricots, dried peaches, dried or canned cherries, walnuts, mint and wine. Some years I add new recipes like the Californian haroset with avocado and orange that sounded better than it tasted. For picky kids I will make plain apple, cinnamon and grape juice haroset, and a few years ago I added back the traditional Ashkenazi recipe.

Making all of these haroset recipes connects me and those at the Seder with the Jewish people in the past and in the present, another way to add to the story of the Seder. We can tell the story of the Teimani/Yeminite or the Moroccan or any other Jewish community — their histories as well as how, when and why they came to the State of Israel. However, based on the traditional midrashim about haroset in Shmot Rabbah, haroset is also about divine care and redemption.

(See below.)

So on Pesach at our table in addition to telling the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim we also tell the story of the green dishes as a way to tell the story of Eastern European immigration to America and the following generations of the development of the American Jewish community and we tell the story of the Jewish people from many corners of the world through the many haroset options, which then leads me back to Pesach in Israel and the intertwining of Jewish and Zionist identity through the lens of Ahad Ha’am’s cutural zionism in which there is a spiritual and cultural give and take between the Jews of Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora.

Exodus Rabbah 1:12 …..when the Egyptians seek to kill the male babies of the Hebrews, the Hebrew women save their infants by going out to give birth in the orchards under the apple trees. The babies were then left in the orchards to be cared for by angels. The Midrash says: “God sent an angel from above to cleanse and beautify them, like a midwife who makes the child look beautiful … God then provided for them two nipples, one of oil and one of honey.”

God essentially creates a massive day care center in the orchards of Egypt, with angelic caretakers to watch over the infants. The earth itself becomes nipples to nourish the babies. When the Egyptians find out about this, they try to run plows over the orchards to kill the children, but the children are swallowed up by the earth and saved. Then they grow bigger and proceed in “herds” to their homes, as if they are spring lambs.

The infants in this Midrash, threatened by the cruelty of human beings, find their sustenance directly from the divine.

They grow in the orchards as if they are fruit on the Tree of Life. This beautiful Midrash could be connected to the sweet haroset. We eat haroset not only as a reminder of slavery, but as a reminder of redemption and the blossoming spring (https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/on-passover-remembering-our-oppression-with-sweetness/).

Exodus Rabbah 21:10 ….as the people are passing through the Sea of Reeds, the parents of young children have a problem: their children are hungry. It’s easy to imagine how, passing through a split sea at midnight, children would get upset and need a snack. The Midrash says: “The daughters of Israel passed through the sea holding their children with their hands, and when the children cried, they would stretch out their hands and pluck an apple or pomegranate from the sea.”

In this legend, the Sea of Reeds becomes a kind of Eden, producing fruit for those who need it. Again, the miracle of redemption is associated with fruit trees.

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