dinner will begin at sundown on april 5. be there at 7:30, and please bring a bottle of wine :3
address:
thank you so much for joining me in the seder, and thank you to those of you that helped put this together. pesach is a time for remembering oppression and celebrating freedom. much like the jewish people, it is both solemn and irreverent in turns. here's what to expect during dinner:
i am inviting you to participate in this custom. i don't want anyone to be so afraid of accidental disrespect that they can't enjoy the evening. the seder begins with the saying, "Let all who are hungry come eat; let all in need come celebrate Pesach." you are welcome here. you belong here.
please ask questions! much of the evening's traditions are designed to prompt the question, "why is tonight different from all other nights?" you are meant to wonder, and to learn. there are no stupid questions, and i mean that.
for those of you who like to know the schedule in advance,here is chabad.org's step-by-step seder outline. we won't be following their rules exactly (for example, kosher restrictions), but it will give you the foundation i'm building upon. you can also read myjewishlearning.com's "pesach 101" article. both websites have a wealth of information on all things jewish, if you want to dive in to the centuries of tradition and discussion around this day.
chametz: it is said that the jews left egypt in such a hurry that we didn't have time to let our bread rise before baking it. as part of our remembrance, jewish people clear their houses of chametz: leavening agents, any grains that are fermented, and any that have the potential to ferment. while i won't ask our hosts to clear their cupboards, i will do my best to ensure the meal itself is chametz-free. i ask that anyone bringing food or bevvies do the same.
BYOB: during the seder, we are each required to drink 4 full cups of wine (not all at once), so i ask that everyone bring a bottle, preferably manischewitz. fry's is the most reliable supplier, but they usually have it at bashas, safeway, and bevmo too. grape juice is also ok, if you're so inclined. if you'd like to drink anything else throughout the night, you're welcome to bring it along! just remember that grain alcohols are to be avoided.
eat beforehand: the seder is infamous for being long-winded, and we don't eat until a specific point in the order. it also starts after sundown, which won't be till about 7:40 PM. if you need to, please have a snack in the afternoon! i love you all and i want you to enjoy our time together.
the haggadah: the term "seder" means "order", and certain parts of the evening follow a specific order of events according to jewish law. the rest is a loose collection of traditions known as the haggadah. the only major requirement is that we tell the story of our liberation by god's hand, and the rest is often personalized, passed down through families. people include additions and alterations to the text, as well as quotes, poems, songs, their own thoughts, and anything else they want to share with the table. there are a wide variety of haggadot on the market, but i've combined elements from two, and thrown in some of my own changes. i will read some of it aloud, but i'd love to pass the book around and take turns reading passages. no one has to read if they're not comfortable, and anyone who is eager may volunteer. if you'd like to bring something to read for the table, or you think of something to add to the conversation, please let me know! it doesn't have to be about judaism, either. the liberation of all peoples is a common topic around pesach these days, and one that i know resonates with this group.
speaking of liberation: the seder is about the jewish people's liberation from captivity by a foreign power, and their desire to return to their homeland. given that the majority of jews are diasporic, and are oppressed in their current homes, this is understandable. however, i cannot in good conscience include the many sections of the haggadah that speak of a longing for the state of israel, and a desire to crush its enemies. on this night, where we are compelled to think of ourselves as if we left egypt firsthand, i cannot help but empathize with the palestinians who are currently being forced out of their homes and into a violent apartheid state in the name of "israel". please keep these people in your heart as we progress through the evening.
evidence: as many of us grew up in christian homes, we may have grown up with the idea that the events of exodus are "historical fact." they are not. you know this, i know this. thankfully, jewish people are not so dogmatic that we require all our important stories to be "true". this story didn't happen in real life, but that doesn't mean it doesn't matter.here is an article on the subject, if you'd like to read more.
