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My Father, the Wandering Aramean…
In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, God instructs the Israelites, upon entering the Promised Land, to offer up the first fruits of their harvest. They are then to recite a short narrative of their...
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Passover Observance Then and Now
and when your children ask you what do you mean by this rite tell them in the beginning we offered late night sacrifices and supplications while our god meted out punishments against the gods of egypt...
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Dayenu as Irony? That’s Quite Enough!
Just in time for Passover, here’s British author Howard Jacobson’s fascinating take on Dayenu as the ultimate sarcastic Jewish joke: Superfluous though we insist each of God’s favors and blessings to...
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For Passover: This is the Year that Squatters Evict Landlords
A poem for Pesach: “Imagine the Angels of Bread” by Martin Espada. Read it at seder this year! This is the year that squatters evict landlords, gazing like admirals from the rail of the roofdeck or...
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Songs at the Sea
After Exodus 15:1-18 As the waters parted before them they sang their songs of praise: Some sang to the one who shattered Pharaoh’s army with a mighty right hand, some sang to the god of their...
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Observing Passover in an Age of Pandemic
I am currently working on a scaled down seder for Tzedek Chicago to use for Passover (via web conferencing) this year. Here’s a taste of my work in progress: an introduction to be read before the...
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Before Karpas: A Flash of Green
Another excerpt from the seder readings I’m putting together for Passover this year. This one is an intro to Karpas (green vegetable dipped in salt water): Keep looking out your window even as the...
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For Passover: Opening the Door to a New World
Another excerpt from the seder readings I’m putting together for Passover this year. This one is meant to be recited at the point when the door would traditionally be opened for Elijah: The door is...
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Seder Readings for Passover 5780
I’ve just finished “Fight for the Health of Your Community” – a new collection of Passover seder readings I wrote for members of my congregation. I’m happy to share them with the wider world as well –...
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Nirtzah: A Closing Reading for the Seder
Reader: As in years before, we’ll soon proclaim, “Next year in Jerusalem!” But do we actually mean this? Do we really, truly believe that we will live to reach the Promised Land? Do we honestly expect...
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