Upload
others
View
3
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
RacialJus*ce&InclusivityHaggadah
USFJewishStudiesandSocialJus*cePrograminpartnershipwithBe’cholLashon
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
Be’cholLashon
Be'cholLashonmeans“ineverylanguage”inHebrew,reflec*ngthatJewsareamul*cultural
peoplewholiveallovertheworld.Be’cholLashonisanon-profitorganiza*onthatgrowsand
strengthenstheJewishpeoplethroughracial,ethnic,andculturalinclusiveness.Wecelebrate
thediversitythathascharacterizedtheJewishpeoplethroughouthistory,andthrough
contemporaryforcesincludingintermarriage,conversionandadop*on.GlobalJews.org
USFJewishStudiesandSocialJus*ceProgram
TheSwigPrograminJewishStudiesandSocialJus*ceminorengagesstudentsinboth
theore*calandprac*calapplica*onsofsocialjus*ceandac*vismrootedintheJewish
tradi*ons.OurinterdisciplinarycurriculumexaminesJewishculture,history,poli*cs,philosophy,
andlanguagetobePerunderstandandstrengthenmarginalizedcommuni*esaroundtheglobe.
usfca.edu
SpecialthankstoAndrewEliasRamer,aMaggid(Jewishsacredstoryteller),livinginSan
Francisco.BorninQueensin1951,hebelievesthattheprophe*ctradi*onandstorytellingare
oneandthesame.Thejobofastorytelleristocreateanarra*vethatholdsagrouptogether,
formsthefabricofthoughtthatacommunityorvillageofpeopleinhabit.
2
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
OPENING
Leader:WelcometoourSeder.“Knowfromwhenceyoucame.Ifyouknowwhenceyoucame,thereareabsolutelynolimita*onstowhereyoucango.”—JamesBaldwinFormorethan3000years,Jewshavegatheredtogethertoretellthestoryoftheirdeliverancefrombondageunderacruelruler.Wedothisinhopethatrememberingourhistorywillhelpuscreatewaystopreventsuchatroci*esfromhappeninginourown*me.InHebrew,Sedermeans“Order,”aseverytradi*onalSederunfoldsinaseriesofstepsthatwewillexplorethiseveningbyreadingfromatextcalledaHaggadah,whichmeans“TheTelling”inHebrew.There’sonecopyofthetextoneachtableanditwillalsobeprojecteduponthescreen.WhenitsaysReader,oneofyouwillread.Pleaseletyourtablematesknowifyoudon’twanttoread.WhenitsaysLeader,itcomesbacktooneofus,andwhenitsaysAllwe’llallreadtogether.There’sfoodoneachtable.Butpleasewaitun*lwe’vesaidtheblessingsoverthefoodbeforeyoubegintoeat.
ThefirststepwetakeiscalledKadesh–Sanc*fica*on–ligh*ngthefes*valcandles.Aberward,wethankGodforallowingustosharethisoccasiontogether.
אלהינומלהעולם,אשרקדשנובמצותיווצונולהדליקנרשליוםטוב. ברואתהיי
BaruchAtahAdo-nai,Elo-heinuMelechHa-olam,AsherKid’shanuB’mitzvotavV’tzivanuL’hadlikNerShelYomTov.
BlessedareYou,EternalGod,RuleroftheUniverse,whohassanc*fieduswithYourcommandmentsandcommandedustokindlethefes*vallights.Amen.
אלהינומלהעולםשהחינווקימנווהגיענולזמןהזה. ברואתהיי
BaruchAtahAdo-nai,Elo-heinuMelechHa-olam,shehecheyanuvekiymanuvehigi'anulazmanhazeh.
BlessedareYou,EternalGod,RuleroftheUniverse,whohasgranteduslife,sustainedus,andenabledustoreachthisoccasion.Amen.
3
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
QUESTIONS
Leader:OnPassoverwetellourfreedomstorysothatwecanpassitontonewgenera*ons.Jewishtradi*onteachesthatitisimportanttoaskques*ons.Weareobentaughtthattheques*onsaremoreimportantthantheanswers,foritisonlythroughinquirythatwecantrulyunderstandourselvesandtheworldaroundus.
OnPassoveritistradi*onaltorecitefourques*ons.Onekeyques*onis:Whyisthisnightdifferentfromallothernights?All:Becausetonightwerememberthatthethingsthatdivideus—race,ethnicity,gender,class,religion,amongothers—alsohavethepowertouniteus.
Leader:Whetheritbeques*onsaboutthisritualorstory,orques*onsabouttheexperiencesofothersatourcommunaltable,tonightisanopportunitytolearn.
All:Tonightwepledgetoengagewithopenness,understanding,andrespectforall,becausewelearnandgrowfrommanypointsofviewandavarietyofexperiencesandunderstandingsstrengthentheconversa*onaboutJewishideas.
Andwealsopledgetosharethevaluesexpressedintheanswerstoourques*onsandpledgetolivethemoutforalltherestofourdays.
THEFOURCHILDREN
Leader:AtPassoverwespeakoffourchildren.Thewisechildasks:Whydoweascribeprivilegetosomeracialgroups?Whydoweelevatethetradi*ons,foodsandlanguagesofsomeethnicgroupsandnotothers?
Reader:Schoolthewisechildinthehistoryofslaveryandhatred,asitexistedinancient*mes,abouttheroleofslaveryinbuildingthe‘NewWorld.’TeachthemaboutthepaPernsofmigra*on,theexiles,themigra*ons,thehardchoicesandthelackofchoicesandhowtheyshapedthewaysweseeeachother.Teachthemthatbeyondthehistoryandins*tu*onsthereareindividuals,eachwiththeirownexperiences.Helpthemtolearnhowtorecognizewhattheydonotknow,howtorespecttheneedsofothers,andhowtofindstrengthfromthediversityofhumanity.
4
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
Leader:Thewickedchildsays:Youaremuchtoosensi*ve.Youmaketoomuchofthis.Therearealwayswinnersandlosersineverysocietyandineveryera,wecannotexpecttoallhavethesameexperiences.
Reader:TakeadeepbreathandrememberthataclosedmindisobenaPachedtoaclosedheart.Engagethischildbyaskingopen-endedques*onswithcuriosityandcompassion.Listenfortheplacesoffear.Askques*onsthatmaywidenthenarrowspacesthattheymayexpand,ifnotnowtheninthefuture.
Leader:Thesimplechildsays:Iamcolorblind.Weareallhuman.Idonotseethedifferencesbetweenpeople,Ijustseeourhumanity.
Reader:Gentlyteachthesimplechildofthevalueofcoloranddifference.Teachthemthevalueoftheirownexperiencethattheymayseethevalueintheexperiencesofothers.Helpthemcelebratethemanywayswecanbehuman.
Leader:Thechildwhocannotasksays:Nothing.
Reader:Withthechildwhocannotask,sharegenerouslyoftheworld.Schoolthischildintheirownheritagebutalsointheheritageofothers.Exposethischildtomanykindsofpeople,cultures,andcustoms.Letthemtastemanydishes,hearmanytypesofmusic,andseeavarietyofartsandcrabssothattheymaybuildabroadandboun*fulunderstandingofallthatisbeau*fulintheworld.
All:AllofusarecreatedintheimageofGod.Letusrememberthisaswemovethroughtheworld.Andwithfriends,family,inourconversa*onswithothersinschool,letustalkaboutthemanywaysthathatredandassump*onsdiminishtheholinessofothers.Letusrememberaswemovethroughtheworldthatwecannotknoweverythingaboutothers—un*lwebegintoaskthemques*ons.
5
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
SEDERPLATESYMBOLISM
Leader:Onthemaintableisaplatewithsomeunusualitemsonit,someofwhichwillalsobefoundonyourtable.ThisistheSederplate.Asyouhearabouteachitem,wewillholdupthatitemsothateveryonecanseeit,ordirectyoutoeatitifit’sonyourowntable.
Reader:Thisistheshankbone.Inancient*mesourancestorsbroughtsacrificesatPassover.Todaywerecognizethemanysacrificespeoplehavemadeandcon*nuetomakeinorderthatwewillbefree.
Reader:Themaror,thebiPerherb,issymbolofthebiPernessofslavery.LongabertheherbhasbeenchewedandswallowedthebiPertastestaysinyourmouth—thisistrueofeveryexperiencethatdehumanizesus.There’smaroroneverytable.Nowletusalltastesomeofthemaror.
Reader:ThisistheKarpas,thegreenherb,whichwedipinsaltwater.Theherbsofspringrepresenthopeandpoten*alandthesaltwaterthetearsofafflic*on—forallthehopeintheworldthatispresentdespitethetears.Inthisweacknowledgeourstrengthandpersistenceinthefaceofinjus*ce.Andnowwewillalldipourgreensinthesaltwaterandeatthem.
Reader:Andthisisthematzah,thebreadofafflic*on,madeinhasteasourancestorslebancientEgypt,mayweeatofitasasymbolofurgency,tobringfreedomtoall.
Reader:Thisisthecharoset,asweetpastethatrepresentsthemortartheIsraelitesmadebyhandwhentheywereenslaved.Itissweetbecauseevenwhenweareenslavedwearenotwithoutourhumanity,wecanfindmomentsofcrea*vityandsweetness.Weeatthecharosettorecognizethemanyculturalcontribu*onsenslavedpeoplehavegibedtothefuturegenera*ons.Now,pleasedipapieceofmatzahincharosetandeatit.
Reader:Thisistheegg,asymbolofthecyclicalnatureoflife.Itisaremindertoeachofusthatconversa*onsaboutslavery,aboutdiversityandinclusionneedtobehadcon*nuously.
6
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
BLESSINGS
Leader:Wenowrecitethreetradi*onalblessings:overbread,matzah,andwine/grapejuice:
אלהינומלהעולםהמוציאלחםמןהארץ. ברואתהיי
BaruchAtahAdo-nai,Elo-heinuMelechHa-olam,hamotzilechemminhaaretz.
BlessedareYou,EternalGod,RuleroftheUniverse,whobringsforthbreadfromtheearth.
אלהינומלהעולם,אשרקדשנובמצותיווצונועלאכילתמצה. ברואתהיי
BaruchAtahAdo-nai,Elo-heinuMelechHa-olam,alachilatmatzah.
BlessedareYou,EternalGod,RuleroftheUniverse,whohassanc*fieduswithHiscommandmentsandcommandedusconcerningtheea*ngofmatzah.
אלהינומלהעולםבוראפריהגפן. ברואתהיי
BaruchAtahAdo-nai,Elo-heinuMelechHa-olam,boreiprihagafen.
BlessedareYou,EternalGod,RuleroftheUniverse,Creatorofthefruitofthevine.
AVADIMHAYINU
Leader:AvadimHayinumeans“Wewereslaves.”Thishowwebegintotellourstoryofthelibera*onfromoppression.
All:WewereslavestoPharaohinthelandofEgypt.AndtheEternalourGod,tookusoutfromtherewithastronghandandanoutstretchedforearm.AndiftheHolyOne,blessedbeHe,hadnottakenourancestorsfromEgypt,beholdweandourchildrenandourchildren'schildrenwould[all]beenslavedtoPharaohinEgypt.Andevenifwewereallsages,alldiscerning,allelders,allknowledgeableabouttheTorah,itwouldbeacommandmentuponustotellthestoryoftheexodusfromEgypt.Andanyonewhoadds[andspendsextraQme]intellingthestoryoftheexodusfromEgypt,beholdheispraiseworthy.
Leader:TheHaggadahsetsforththethemethatwe,notjustourancestors,wereslavestoPharaohbutGoddeliveredeachofus“withamightyhandandanoutstretchedarm.”
7
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
Reader:Jewsareapeopleofmemoryandac*on.OnPassover,weusestoriesandritualstorememberandretellthenarra*veofourcollec*velibera*on.WesharetheancientExodusstory,yearaberyear,sothatitresonatesthroughthegenera*onsasanarra*veofdeliverancefromslaverytofreedom.
Reader:InsomeJewishcommuni*es,exodusandlibera*onarenotjustmetaphorsbutlivedexperiencesintheirlife*mes.Forsomeofusreadingthisstorytonight,wearelivingthroughorhavesurvivedourownExodus.ButevenifwehavenotlivedthroughaliteralExodus,wehaveanobliga*on—andanopportunity—toconsiderthemeaningofthisstoryinourownlives.
Reader:InHebrew,EgyptiscalledMitzrayim,whichmeans“anarrowplace.”Everyyear,theHaggadahasksusnotonlytosharethestoryoftheExodus,butchallengesustoac*velyengagewiththeprocessofcomba*ngoppression.WeareencouragedtoconnectthebiblicalstoryofExodustocommunalandindividualstrugglesforlibera*onandareremindedthatthefightforfreedomisongoing.
Discussion1:Whydoyouthinkthetextstartswith“Wewereslaves”insteadof“Our
ancestorswereslaves?”HowdoesthisquotefromDr.Mar*nLutherKing,Jr.,"nooneisfree
un*lweareallfree,"connecttoavadimhayinu?Howarewefreetoday?Howarewes*ll
struggling?Sharesomethingthatyouaredoingorcancommittodoingtohelpmoveyourself
orothersfrom“anarrowplace”toaplaceofsharedfreedom.
8
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
STORYTELLING
Leader:TheExodusstory,thoughancient,alsoresonatesthroughthegenera*onsbecauseitisthestoryoflibera*onanddeliverance.FortheJewishcommuni*esofEthiopiaandUganda,itisnothardtoimaginethemselvesascomingoutofEgypt,astheyhaveexperiencedlibera*onandexodusnotjustasmetaphorsbutasexperiencesintheirlife*me.
DaviChengRecentlyatwork,oneofmyco-workers,whoisChineseoriginallyfromTaiwan,stoppedbymydesktoaskmeaques*on.HespoPedthecalendaronmydesk.“YouhaveaJewishcalendar,”hesaid.“Yes?”Ireplied.“AJewishcalendar?”heaskedagain.“IamJewish,”Isaid.Helookedatmeandsmiled,“Youare?Really?”“Yes,IamJewish”“Really?YouareJewish?”“Yes.”“Really?”heaskedagain.
9
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
Thishasbeenmynormalexperience.Jewsandnon-Jewsalikeaskmeexactlythree*mesifIamreallyJewish.IamaHongKong-bornChineseimmigrant.IcametotheUnitedStateswithmyfamilyin1971.IembracedthecovenantandbecameJewishin1997.Iamalsoalesbian.At*mesIamtooChinesetofitinwithmyAmericanfriends,orIamtooAmericantofitinwithmyChinesefriends.I’mtoogaytotheChinese,andtooChinesetotheJews!OnewaytolookatthisisthatIdon’tfitinanywhere,theotherwaytoseeitisthatIbelongtomul*plecommuni*esandcanserveasaconnectortothedifferences.
YeganyahuAvishaiMekonenIn1984,theBetaIsrael—asecluded2,500-year-oldcommunityofobservantJewsinthenorthernEthiopianmountains—beganasecretanddangerousjourneyofescape.HisfamilyembarkedonthedangerouswalkacrossEthiopiatoSudan.Thiswasalife-definingeventforAvishaiinmanyways.Then10yearsold,hewaskidnappedbyslavetraffickersinaSudaneserefugeecamp.HewasfoundbyanIsraelispecialagentandreturnedtohisfamilyin*meforthemtoboardtheplanetoIsraelaspartoftheIsraeliairlibcalledOpera*onMoses.Hemadeadocumentaryfilmabouthisexperience,breakinghis20-yearsilenceaboutthe
trauma*ckidnappinghe,alongwithotherchildren,enduredinSudan.“400MilestoFreedom”chroniclesAvishai’sexplora*onofwhatittakestoclaimone'sowniden*ty.FromIsraeltotheUnitedStatesheconnectswithotherJewsofcolorwithsimilarstruggles,anddiscovershowhiscommunity'strekacrossAfrica,andwhathappenedtohimalongtheway,ispartoflargerhistoriesofpeopleaffectedbyimmigra*on,war,andDiaspora.
SarahAroesteThe*mesinmylifewhenIhavemostobenstruggledtoretainthatfeelingofbeinggrounded,Ihaveturnedtomusic.ItisnotcoincidencethatthefirstsongIeverwroteisaboutayounggirltryingtofindherwayhome.Thesong“ChikaMorena”isabouttheiconicSephardicgirlwhohasbeenkickedoutofherhomelandandhasbeensearchingtheworldovertoreturnhome.Alongtheway,shelongstobeguidedbyherancestorstoreturntothecomfortofherroots.AroestewritesandsingsinLadino,theJudeo-SpanishdialectthatoriginatedbySpanishJewsabertheirexpulsionfromSpainin1492.ThosewholebSpain,including
10
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
Aroeste’sfamily,carriedthemedievallanguagewiththemtothevariousplaceswheretheylatersePled,primarilyalongtheMediterraneancoastandNorthAfrica.In*me,LadinocametoabsorbbitsandpiecesoflanguagesallalongtheMediterraneancoast,includingsomeGreek,Turkish,Portuguese,French,Italian,Hebrew,andmore.Inspiredbyherfamily'sSephardicrootsinGreeceandMacedonia,shehasspentthelastdecadebringinghercontemporarystyleoforiginalandtradi*onalLadinomusictoaudiencesaroundtheworld.“Ihaveextrainspira*ontograpplewithmyfeelingsofconnectedness.”
RabbiGershomSizomuRabbiGershomSizomuistheleaderoftheAbayudayaJewsofUganda,whichmeans“peopleofJudah.”This2,000strongcommunityinEasternAfricahasonlybeeninexistencesince1919.AccordingtoRabbiSizomu,“AtPassover,everypersonissupposedtofeelasthoughhehimselflebEgypt.Butwedonotneedtoimagine,wewererescuedfrom‘slavery’andsavedbydivineinterven*oninordertocelebrate.WhendictatorIdiAminDadatookpowerinUgandain1971,theprac*ceofJudaismwasoutlawed.MyfatherwascaughtstudyingTorahandonlysurvivedabertheofficerdemandedabribe.Threeleaders
ofthecommunity.werearrestedandtorturedforcollec*ngironsheetsthathadbeenblownofftheroofoftheSynagogue.InApril1979,onPassover,UgandanrebelskickedIdiAminoutanddeclaredfreedomofworship.ThiswasconsideredamiraclefromaboveandPassoverremainsaspecialmomentforallus.Itisamazingthatthereignofterrorendedandthatfreedomofworshipwasreinstatedatthisseasonoffreedom.That,Amin,likePharoah,washumiliatedontheEveofPesachcouldnothavesimplybeenamerecoincidence.ItwasourPassovermiracle.”
11
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
CUPOFREDEMPTION
Atatradi*onalsederwefillacupofwinefortheprophetElijahwhoisasymbolofredemp*on.Atthissederweareraisingacupofwaterasasymboloftheredemp*onthatwomenhavebroughtthroughthegenera*ons.All:Wateristhesymboloflife.
Reader:ThebiblicalprophetMiriamsavedherbrotherfromthewatersoftheNile,sheledthesongofvictoryaberthewatersoftheredseapartedandGodgaveabundantwatertothepeople.Reader:WerememberMiriamtheprophet,whodancedattheSeaofReedstocelebratetheExodus,awelloffreshwaterwassaidtofollowherinthedesertsothattheIsraelitesalwayshadwatertodrink.WerememberProphetMiriamReader:Insteadofbeingenslaved,HarrietTubman,knownasaconductoroftheUndergroundRailroad,setoutwithhertwobrothers,andfollowedtheNorthStarintheskytoguidehernorthtofreedomalwayswalkingnearthewater’sedge.Reader:Weremember,HarrietTubman,conductorontheUndergroundRailroad,wholed300capturedAfricansfromslaverytofreedom,asshesangWadeintheWater,awarningtothosewhofollowedthatthewaterwouldprotectthemfromtroubleandofferredemp*on.All:Weacknowledgethatwateritselfisnecessarytosustainlife.Wateristhesymbolofredemp*on
12
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
TENPLAGUES
Leader:AsaresultofenslavingtheIsraelites,tenplaguesreigneddownontheancientEgyp*ans:blood,frogs,lice,beasts,disease,boils,hail,locusts,darkness,andthekillingofthefirstborn.
Tradi*onally,weremoveadropofwinefromourglassesforeachplaguetoshowthatourcupofjoyisdiminishedbecauseourredemp*oncamethroughthesufferingoftheEgyp*ans.
Sadly,plaguesarenotathingofthepast.Takeamomenttoconsidertheplaguesthatyouseeintheworldtoday.
Discussion2:Haveeachpersonatyourtablesharetheirmodernplague.Astheydo,removea
dropofwine/grapejuicefromyourcupwitheitheryourfinger(orutensil)asasymbolofthe
priceweallpayforthissuffering.
13
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
SONGSOFFREEDOM
“Dayenu”(ItWouldHaveBeenEnough)
Iluhotzihotzi'anuhotzi'anumi'mitzrayimHotzi'anumi'mitzrayimdayeinuDai-dai-yenu,dai-dai-yenu,dai-dai-yenu,dayenu,dayenu!
Ilunatannatanlanunatanlanuetha'shabbatNatanlanuetha'shabbatdayeinuDai-dai-yenu,dai-dai-yenu,dai-dai-yenu,dayenu,dayenu!
Ilunatannatanlanunatanlanuetha'torahNatanlanuetha'torahdayeinuDai-dai-yenu,dai-dai-yenu,dai-dai-yenu,dayenu,dayenu!
HadGodbroughtusoutofEgypt,itwouldhavebeenenough.
HadGodgivenustheSabbath,itwouldhavebeenenough.
HadGodgivenustheTorah,itwouldhavebeenenough.
14
RacialJus*ce&InclusivitySeder
“FeelingGood”byNinaSimone
BirdsflyinghighYouknowhowIfeelSunintheskyYouknowhowIfeelReedsdribin'onbyYouknowhowIfeelIt'sanewdawnIt'sanewdayIt'sanewlifeFormeAndI'mfeelinggood
FshintheseaYouknowhowIfeelRiverrunningfreeYouknowhowIfeelBlossomonthetreeYouknowhowIfeelIt'sanewdawnIt'sanewdayIt'sanewlifeFormeAndI'mfeelinggood
Dragonflyoutinthesun,youknowwhatImean,don'tyouknowBuPerfliesallhavin'fun,youknowwhatImeanSleepinpeacewhenthedayisdone,that'swhatImeanAndthisoldworldisanewworldAndaboldworldFormeAndI’mfeelinggood
StarswhenyoushineYouknowhowIfeelScentofthepineYouknowhowIfeelOhfreedomismineAndIknowhowIfeelIt'sanewdawnIt'sanewdayIt'sanewlifeFormeAndI'mfeelinggood
15