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Passover 2016 @ VBS

04/14/2016 02:00:00 AM

Apr14

Passover 2016 @ VBS

Dear VBS Community,

This holiday season provides the opportunity to take time out of our busy lives and sit down at a table of friends and family to recite the story of the Exodus from Egypt.  The seder ritual is the one of the oldest we have. It is found in the Torah and the Prophets.  There were seders on the silk road and crossing at Gibraltar. There were seders in the shadow of the great Castles of Europe and the great palaces of the sultan.  There were seders in the new American Colonies. There were seders on both sides of the civil war.  There were seders in the forests and the ghettos.  There were even seders in Auschwitz.   

Every generation has sat down at the turning of spring to share our story with friends and family. Every generation has lifted the matza and said recited the words, "all who are hungry come and eat." Every generation has dreamed of "next year in Jerusalem."  That's because the Exodus story is in each and every one of us.  It is the core of who we are and embodies what we hold sacred. 

Enclosed is an educational packet to make the story yours.  You will find tips on making the seder a more meaningful experience, a fun quiz that you can do at the table to make the seder more joyous, and links to links to Haggadah resources and partnering organizations that try to make the world a better place. 

We hope you enjoy these materials.  Share them with your friends.   Wishing you a happy, healthy, and spirited Pesach.

Chag Sameach,

The Clergy of Valley Beth Shalom

 

Passover Resources

 

Rabbi Ed Feinstein's
Official Tips to a Better Seder  

 

 

Rabbi Noah Farkas'
Passover 2016 Quiz

 

Passover Holiday Kit
 

Passover Links

"You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall not ill-treat any widow or orphan 

Exodus 22:20

As we sit around our seder tables this year to remember the Exodus from Egypt, we must also never forget that freedom does not end with us. There are still those who are hungry and those that suffer.  There are those who are wandering and those who are not yet free.  This year we've included links to resources of Jewish organizations that challenge us to remember that we were oppressed and we should not oppress.
 

  • Mazon, A Jewish Response to Hunger has readings on hunger and the Passover story and actions you can take to address the causes of food insecurity in the U.S.
  • ​Jewish World Watch's Seder guide for this year asks us, "What's on your plate?" This booklet uses the symbols of the Passover seder to highlight JWW's on-the-ground projects and the life-changing work you support through your activism. 
  • American Jewish World Service has a "Global Justice Haggadah." We can expand our social reach by  using our story of freedom to learn the stories and struggles of other oppressed communities around the globe. 
  • HIAS has a mission to rescue and resettle refugees from around the world. This year HIAS created an interactive website with opportunities for learning and advocating for refugees. 
  • Rabbis Against Gun Violence is a group that raises awareness for common sense solutions around gun violence. 
  • AIPAC seeks to strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel. 

Passover Haggadot
Thu, May 1 2025 3 Iyyar 5785