Ideas for your Seder Night

1. A Night of RemembranceYou could set an extra place at the table and light a yahrzeit candle when you light your Yom Tov candles for the person you have been learning in memory of. Take a look on the Yad Vashem website (www.yadvashem.org) to find out more about that person who lost their chance to remember at their own Seder table. And as you recount the redemption from Egypt, bear in mind that the fact that you are alive and are at a Seder, means that you have a responsibility to future generations and a duty to respond to loss of life by living your life to its fullest.

2. A Night of Asking Questions A theme throughout the 70 Days for 70 Years project is the importance of asking questions. Seder night too has questions at its core. This Seder night you could discuss the following three questions:

a) What moment in my life made me feel most proud to be Jewish?b) What is the biggest challenge facing the next generation of Jews?c) Why is Seder night so important to me?

We would love to record people’s answers, so please after Yom Tov email them to info@70for70.com

3. A Night of ChildrenIn his essay (Day 45) entitled ‘Identifying the Haggadah’s Wayward Son’, Rabbi Doron

Perez explains his view that, in our generation, the wayward children are those either from the extreme religious right or the extreme secular left who want

Judaism without Jewish peoplehood, faith without fate, universalism without bonds of unity with their people.

a) Do we have a duty to love all Jews?

b) What can we each do to reach out and engage more Jewish people in our community?

Seder night gathers all types of Jews together – let’s have that discussion.

6. A Night of Thanksgiving

In his essay (Day 63) titled ‘Out of the Depths’, Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau describes a Pesach Seder celebration in Buchenwald concentration camp. He tells us the participants sang the song Karev Yom from memory over and over again, which includes the words:

‘The day is approaching that will be neither day nor night/ the darkness of the night will be lit like the light of day’.He continues that even though “they had no Haggadah, no wine and no matzah, still there was no leavened food to be seen among them – only potatoes. In the impossible conditions of the camp, these Jews tried as best as they could to preserve their Judaism - truly heroic people.”

This is an extraordinary and incredibly inspiring image and prompts some important questions:

a) How passionate are we about celebrating Pesach?

b) What important things in our lives do we not adequately appreciate?

7. A Night of Commitment

Chief Rabbi Mirvis notes in his essay (Day 69) our duty is to ‘Think Jewishly’, ‘Speak Jewishly’ and ‘Act Jewishly’. At Seder night, each of us can continue to ‘Build the Future’ by committing to take on one or more of the following suggestions:

þ Attend the Yom Hashoah UK eventSunday 19 April 2015

þ Commit to some weekly Jewish learning

þ Set up a regular Tzedaka (charity) donation

þ Take part in ShabbatUK ’15Shabbat 23/24 October 2015

þ Bless your kids on Friday night

þ Volunteer for a local community Chesed (welfare) project

þ Take part in Mitzvah Day ’15 Sunday 22 November 2015

þ Keep in regular contact with an isolated friend or relative

4. A Night of Miracles“And it is this [covenant] that has stood for our Forefathers and us. For not just one enemy has stood against us to wipe us out. But in every generation there have been those who have stood against us to wipe us out, and the Holy One Blessed Be He saves us from their hands.”

This short passage from the Haggadah has given hope to Jews over the centuries, particularly in times of oppression and during the Holocaust. So many empires and nations have tried to wipe us out. We believe there are least 12 empires and nations throughout history who have sought to wipe out the Jewish people – how many can you name? And then reflect on the miraculous nature of our little nation. (Answers on the back page!)

5. A Night of Jewish LearningSeder night is divided into sections. The main part of the Maggid Section (Telling the Story) is introduced by the phrase ‘tzei ulmad’ which means ‘go and learn’. For 70 days we have been learning; now as we sit at a seder table to learn, share with the table your favourite essay and why. If you are yet to take part, share your favourite Jewish book or story.

CommitmentChief Rabbi Mirvis notes in his essay (Day 69) our duty is to ‘Think Jewishly’, ‘Speak Jewishly’ and ‘Act Jewishly’. At Seder night, each of us can continue to ‘Build the Future’ by committing to take on one or more of the

Seder night is divided into sections. The main part of the Maggid Section (Telling the Story) is ’ which means ‘go and learn’. For 70 days we have been

learning; now as we sit at a seder table to learn, share with the table your favourite essay and why.

To find out more information about 70 Days for 70 Years and to order a copy of the book visit www.70for70.com

Seder night is a time of questions and answers. The following ideas will stimulate interesting and important discussions for all present. Feel free to let the conversation flow either during the reading of the Haggadah (we’ve given suggested places) or during your meal.

Suggested place: Setting the table

Suggested place: Ma Nishtana

Suggested place: Before Vehi Sheamda

Suggested place: After Vehi Sheamda

Suggested place: Before 2nd cup of wine Suggested place: The meal

Suggested place: The four sons

2. A Night of Asking Questions A theme throughout the questions. Seder night too has questions at its core. This Seder night you could discuss the following three questions:

a) What moment in my life made me feel most proud to be Jewish?b) What is the biggest challenge facing the next generation of Jews?c) Why is Seder night so important to me?

We would love to record people’s answers, so please after Yom Tov email them to info@70for70.com

3. A Night of ChildrenIn his essay (Day 45) entitled ‘Identifying the Haggadah’s Wayward Son’, Rabbi Doron

Perez explains his view that, in our generation, the wayward children are those either from the extreme religious right or the extreme secular left who want

Judaism without Jewish peoplehood, faith without fate, universalism without bonds of unity with their people.

a) Do we have a duty to love all Jews?

b) What can we each do to reach out and engage more Jewish people in our community?

Seder night gathers all types of Jews together – let’s have that discussion.

Suggested place: Ma NishtanaSuggested place: Ma NishtanaSuggested place:

Suggested place: The four sons Suggested place: The four sons Suggested place:

Seder NightSeder Night generation there have been those who have stood against us to wipe us

So many empires and nations have tried to wipe us out. We believe there are least 12 empires and nations throughout history who have sought to wipe out the Jewish people – how many can you name? And then reflect on the miraculous least 12 empires and nations throughout history who have sought to wipe out the Jewish people – how many can you name? And then reflect on the miraculous