Not your grandmother's seder

Tonight I attended a Ritual Seder hosted by the Philadelphia Jews for a Just Peace. Outside the Israeli Embassy at 8pm about 30 people huddled closely together to reflect upon the meaning of Passover, and particularly to mourn the massacre at Deir Yassin, a Palestinian village destroyed in the attacks of 1948. The event was organized as a vigil to remember the atrocities committed against the people of Palestine. The overall tone of the evening was not about political debate, but rather one of reflective presence; embracing the strengths of Judaism, and its culture of life long learning and questioning. Although I left around 10, the activities continued into the evening with a teach-in and discussion and early morning events also followed.

After lighting the candles, we said a blessing for water, instead of wine.

Next we spoke about the barriers that may have blocked us from being here tonight, or generally may hold us back from being fully engaged in our lives. We washed away these fears, frustrations and feelings. I washed away my hesitation to speak of these issues with my family, for fear of seeming uninformed or simply not wanting to push a sensitive issue.

We spoke of the addition of the orange to the Seder plate, to represent those traditionally excluded from fully participating in Jewish practice-women, lesbians, homosexuals. As I had noted earlier, the group that was present was predominately women and queer young folks. I enjoyed the watching the oldest woman of the group across from me, barely express her discomfort in the cold while we all squirmed and shivered. Mendal asked us to note who was absent and ask why. Historically men receive credit for shaping history, while the most vulnerable and marginalized voices remain on the front lines of these difficult struggles.

The typical green dipped in salt water represents the tears of the Jewish slaves in Egypt,
"our tradition tells us to taste our tears, but it doesn't tell us to taste anyone else's tears."

The Seder is built around a serious of four questions asked by children regarding the rituals and practices. In lieu of asking the standard questions, we recited 10 unspoken questions regarding the myths around the State of Israel and its founding. Myths about the barren and empty land that awaited the Jewish people; myths about the confluence of Zionism and Judiasm; myths about the denial of the Arab population within Israel...

One of the last rituals involved the hardboiled egg. In this seder, the egg represented rebirth, springtime, and the opportunity to commit oneself to something for the coming year.
I spoke of being mindful of my instincts and trusting myself- not questioning my thoughts based on the doubts of others.

Next year may the world share this simple truth:
"All land is holy, and all people are chosen."