Passover

people sitting at a Passover table

Passover is the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday in North America. What makes Passover appealing to so many of us? Is it the fact that Passover is a home-based holiday, which offers an opportunity for family and friends to gather around the seder table, recalling past memories and creating new ones? Or is it that the core themes of slavery and liberation still resonate so deeply within us that we want to retell the story of Passover again and again each year? From our elaborate holiday preparations through the seder rituals and beyond, the timeless Jewish traditions of Passover have been transformed and enhanced by feminist contributions to Jewish ritual. Seder tables around the world feature new interpretations and practices that give life to the ancient, resonant themes of this powerful holiday. A rich palate of creative readings enlivens the ancient text of the haggadah. The orange on the seder plate, once solely a symbol of gay and lesbian liberation, is now often used to highlight the role of women in Jewish life as well. Miriam’s cup joins Elijah’s on our seder tables, reminding us of the importance of women’s leadership and initiative, of the power of song and dance, and of the living waters that—in Miriam’s honor—sustained us in our desert wanderings.

Latest Rituals

“This year we have someone new joining our Seder table”
An older man joyfully lifts a smiling baby indoors near a window.
“The last three years have not been easy, even for the children who are acting like they have been”
Four children in colorful rain boots stand on a muddy path, wearing cozy winter jackets.
Statements of gratitude paired with each of the 15 steps of the Passover seder
Three people sitting at a dining table, reading from a booklet, with candles and green decorations.
“However we have abused ourselves or others, something within us remains pure”
a woman places her hand on her heart
“We try to still this sweet / and fragile moment together”
Close-up of stacked crispy flatbreads with a bumpy texture, partially in focus.
“Seder participants select a decorated pillowcase”
a seder plate
“We break open / To all that we will encounter”
Person reading a book at a table with a glass of amber liquid in the foreground.

Bringing mindfulness to the act of welcoming guests through a chant and series of ritual intentions

a person is setting a table

Questions for contemplation on removing inner hametz

Silhouette of a person standing in nature, looking up at a cloudy sky with mountains in the background.

“If we realized the diversity of Black people and their experiences, but didn’t practice radical empathy with them — lo dayenu.”

Person walking past a large Black Lives Matter banner on a sunny day.

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