Contemporary Customs for a Passover Seder

Yismach Yisrael Haggadah p. 107a

YERACHMIEL ISRAEL ISAAC DANZIGEROF ALEXANDER (Poland, 1853–1910)

In every generation a person is obligated to see his “essence:” The word atzmo, usually translated as “himself,” can also be translated as “his essence,” as in the verse, “It was the very essence (etzem) of the heavens for purity (Ex. 24:10)” This is an allusion to the inner divine spark found in each of us. A person must strengthen this holy spark no matter how low a state he reaches. In Egypt, we were so deeply mired in impurity that the Prosecutor said 'both the Israelites and the Egyptians worship idols – so how was one any better than the other?' And yet the Holy One in his great mercy looked and saw the inner spark of the people, as it says, “I am the one who explores the heart and the conscience. (Jer. 17:10)” So, too, each Jew must say that in every generation a person must strengthen the inner spark, which is still in him. This spark is capable of blossoming and becoming revitalized in the end. The Holy One not only redeemed our ancestors long ago but he redeems us as well along with them. As the holy Ari has said, “All the souls of the Jewish people were in the iron furnace of Egypt and we were redeemed from there."

A Seat for Those Who Can't Come Home

This year, we encourage an extra setting at your table— an empty chair for our family still in captivity in Gaza.

You may choose to leave the chair empty or put a sign or a list of the captives in the seat or on the plate. The poignancy will remain - it is empty as we engage in joy.

Children might ask, “Why is there an empty place at our table?” We can answer, “This creates the opportunity to remember those in captivity who can’t be at the seder.”

Modern Additions to the Seder Plate

A POTATO FOR ETHIOPIAN JEWRY

In 1991, Israel launched Operation Solomon, a covert plan to bring Ethiopian Jews to the Holy Land. When they arrived in Israel, many were so ill that they were unable to digest substantial food. Israeli doctors fed these new immigrants simple boiled potatoes and rice until their systems could handle more substantial food.

To commemorate them at your seder, eat small red potatoes alongside the karpas (green spring vegetable). Announce to those present that this addition honors a wondrous exodus in our own time, from Ethiopia to Israel.

FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE OR COCOA BEANS FOR LABOR ISSUES

The fair trade movement promotes economic partnerships based on equality, justice and sustainable environmental practices. We have a role in the process by making consumer choices that promote economic fairness for those who produce our products around the globe. Fair Trade certified chocolate and coca beans are grown under standards that prohibit the use of forced labor.

They can be included on the seder plate to remind us that although we escaped from slavery in Egypt, forced labor is still very much an issue today.

Olives

The olive branch is famous for being the symbol of peace. As such, olives were introduced to the seder plate as a symbol of hope for a future peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

A PINECONE FOR PRISON REFORM

A congregational Passover insert explains why Temple Israel in Boston, MA, adds a pinecone to their seder plate:

"We 'pass over' pinecones every day. Inside each of these pinecones is among the most precious of all nuts - the pine nut. Most of us pass more pine nuts in a single day than one could count in a year. Yet they remain hidden, unseen. Moreover, they’re nearly impossible to extract with our own hands. The pinecone 'imprisons' its seeds, and only hard work on the part of nature compels it to open up."

They add a pinecone to the seder plate as a reminder of mass incarceration and the work it will take to repair this injustice, writing, "This Passover, we refuse to pass over our prisons because we know that inside is God’s most precious fruit of all: the human soul."

A BANANA FOR REFUGEES

During the summer of 2015, the world was awakened and shattered by the images of a little boy whose body lay lifeless amidst the gentle surf of a Turkish beach - another nameless victim mongst thousands in the Syrian refugee crisis, the greatest refugee crisis since WWII.

His name was Aylan Kurdi, 3, and he drowned with his brother, Galip, 5, and their mother, Rihan, on their exodus to freedom’s distant shore. Aylan and Galip’s father, Abdullah, survived the harrowing journey, and in teaching the world about his sons, he shared that they loved bananas, a luxury in their native, war-torn Syria. Every day after work, Abdullah brought home a banana for his sons to share, a sweet sign of his enduring love for them.

Writes Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of Temple Sholom in Vancouver, British Columbia,

"We place a banana on our seder table and tell this story to remind us of Aylan, Galip and children everywhere who are caught up in this modern day exodus. May they be guarded and protected along their journey to safety, shielded by the love of their parents, watched over by God full of mercy and compassion."

CASHEWS FOR THE TROOPS

Rabbi Wesley Gardenswartz of Temple Emanuel in Newton, MA, started the tradition of adding cashews to the seder plate to honor military troops. The idea came from a sign at a drug store that asked customers to consider buying bags of cashews to send to troops stationed in Iraq. An employee whose son was serving abroad explained that the salted cashews provided sustenance and hydration in Iraq's desert climate, compelling the rabbi to make the addition to his congregation's seder plate.

~ Break away from "when do we eat" by offering lots of interesting things for karpas. You can offer anything from the ground - even popcorn, if that will elicit a question from your kid. It is important that all those in the zoom do this. This is one night that you can shake things up and try to find meaning, as well as "hang out" with people you usually don't.

Traditions From Around The World

Gibraltar

Each family has their own distinct recipe for charoset. In Gibraltar, however, they add a little extra spice — brick dust!

Another custom is for the person leading the Seder to walk around the table with the Seder plate 3 times when reciting the phrase “we left Egypt in a hurry.”

“We will tap it on the head of each person,’’ explained Isaac Hassan. “The funny bit is how people react to the plate being banged on their head. Kids love it and visitors are amazed.”

Persia/Afghanistan

Participants at a Sephardic Persian (or Iranian) Passover Seder will simultaneously chant the Passover song "Dayenu" and hold bunches of either celery, chives, leeks or scallions in their hands and lightly beat each other on the back and shoulders to symbolize the sting generated by the whip of the Egyptian taskmasters.

A variation of this custom with Sephardic Persian Jewish families will have participants at the Passover Seder table take turns being an Egyptian taskmaster, lightly beating another person with the celery, chives, scallions, or leeks.

Morocco

Moroccan Sephardic Jews will hold the Passover Seder plate aloft and pass it over the heads of all those at the Passover Seder table while announcing to each participant that they have left Egypt and are now free.

Tunisia

Tunisian Sephardic Jews touch the heads of each person with the tray which serves as a reminder to each person that they once carried burdens upon their heads as slaves in Egypt.

Syria

Syrian Jews have a custom of starting the storytelling aspect of the Haggadah by taking the matzah used during the Seder, placing it into a special bag resembling a knapsack, and throwing it over their shoulders. They then proceed to recite a verse in Hebrew about leaving the desert in haste.

“The guests at our table will ask in Arabic, “What are you carrying (matzah), where are you are you coming from (Egypt) and where are you going to (Jerusalem)?

Hungary

Jews from Hungary like to bring the bling to their Passover meal by decorating their Seder table with gold and silver jewelry. The explanation offered for this custom is that the Israelites were given the precious metals by the Egyptians to hasten their exodus from the land.

Yemen

The Jews from Aden in Yemen, known as the Adeni community, historically have eaten eggs as the main course during Seder night.

“A range of different types of egg would be available including some sort of egg cake consisting of egg and chopped potatoes, fried egg, omelettes, and of course hardboiled egg,” said Guy Young who hails from North London’s Adeni community. “Nowadays most of the Adenim have a more substantial main meal during Seder night while a few Adeni families still continue the traditions of their ancestors and eat egg!

“We pour 10 drops of wine to represent the 10 plagues from one glass into another, said Tikki Sagiv, “and then we dispose of that glass in our garden to cast away the plague onto our enemies.”

America

“We place an orange on our Seder plate every single year, as a sign of inclusion for all Jewish lesbian women and gay men. By showing this symbol of solidarity with people who have been marginalized within the community, we make a statement towards inclusiveness in modern society.”

At her Seders, Heschel directs participants to eat an orange wedge and spit out the seeds in repudiation of homophobia.

Morocco

Mimouna is a celebration of the end of Passover when Jews can resume eating leavened foods. This post-Passover tradition originated in Morocco and has spread to other countries including Israel.

Named in honor of the medieval philosopher Maimonides. "It was the first formal picnics in the woods," Liebman says. "Women and children dressed up in clothes with silver and gold threads. Men often masqueraded as some famous person.

The Mimouna festivities typically begin after sundown on the last day of Passover. Participants traditionally open their homes to guests and serve sweet treats. Since most grains are forbidden during the week of Passover, many traditional Mimouna desserts are made with marzipan, nuts and fruit.

Kurdistan

"Jews in Kurdistan called Passover az frihli, 'the festival of falling apart."

Ethiopian Jews donned white robes and often walked around their neighborhoods in a mock journey to Jerusalem. Jewish men in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia wore white "liberation clothes," and the women wore white linen dresses with flowers in their hair.

“The Israelites were told to take silver and gold with them from Egypt. So, we go around and each person shares their ‘Gold and Silver’, we all share something in our lives that started out looking dreadful but has turned out to be the greatest gift. And because silver in Hebrew is Kesef – from the same root as the word Kissufim, yearnings, we also share our greatest yearnings for ourselves and our loved ones for the year to come.”

Customs Regarding Making Matza

In the shtetls or Jewish communities of old Russia and Poland, "making it became a community event," Liebman discovered. "The children would knead the dough and pour water. The young single people took tiny sticks and perforated the dough, often in the shape of birds and flowers."

Libyan Jews took Passover so seriously that the women ground flour for the matzoh seven days ahead - wrapping scarves around their mouths and noses so as not to contaminate the flour with their breath. Their husbands, meanwhile, took chalk from the mountains, made whitewash with it, then painted their houses inside and out - and everyone slept outside until the feast.

New Suggestions for Your Seder

1. Add a new item to your Seder plate

2. Share your Gold and Silver moment from the past year

3. Use Scallions/Celery to reenact enslavement

4. Physically reenact the Exodus

5. Add Miriam's Cup/Pitcher

6. Collect your drops of wine from the plagues and throw away / bury it.

7. Serve appetizers (items without matza) after the blessing for Karpas (green vegetable)