1998
Children of Israel in Detention
A Passover Haggadah

By John Kador

Inspired by Man of La Mancha

Welcome

Candle-Lighting

ALL: Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, asher kid-sha-anoo be-mittzvo-tav, ve-tzee-va-noo le-had-leek nayr shel Shabbat v’ Yom tov.
Blessed are You, our God, Giver of Light, who sanctified us with mitzvot and commanded us to kindle the Shabbat and festival lights.

Kiddush: The First Cup of Wine

ALL: The sixth day: God created the heavens and the earth and all that was contained therein. On the seventh day, God finished the work and rested. God then blessed the seventh day and  declared it holy, for on it He rested from all creative work.
Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, bo-ray pree hagafen.
Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

ALL:Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, sheh-he-chech-ya-noo ve-kee-ye-ma-noo ve-hee-gee-a-noo la-z’man ha-zeh.
Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has kept us alive and who has sustained us so that we may reach this day.

[Our story opens in a Hebrew School detention center. The place is Egypt in the land of the Pharaohs. The Hebrews are enslaved.]

Scene 1. Afternoon detention hall at a school for Hebrew slaves. A bunch of kids, mostly cutups, are bored, waiting around, being punished for various infractions.

CHILD 1: Detention again. This bites.

CHILD 2: What they catch you doing this time?

CHILD 1: [a little embarrassed] Peeing in the mud.

ADULT: Again? Man, that’s lame, can’t you come up with anything creative?

CHILD 1: Oh, yeah? What’d they get you for?

ADULT: Sniffing horseradish.

CHILD 1: [sarcastically] You’re pathetic. Just say the magic word and your sister gets a shot of penicillin.

ADULT: [the argument is escalating] Your mummy wears combat boots!!

CHILD 1: Yeah? Your mother has no profile!

ADULT: [angry] Hey, you want a piece of me?

CHILD 8 : [with authority, clearly the leader of the group] Can you guys knock it off? I’ve got some spicy hieroglyphics here.

CHILD 4: Hey, Schlomo, I heard they really nailed you this time for dissin’ the mummy. What’d you do, anyway?

CHILD 2: Oh, man, it was a righteous accident. You know how the mummy’s always unraveling and all. Well, we were in the bathroom and the mummy was in the stall next to me?

CHILD 4: Yeah?

CHILD 2: So, I reach down for what I thought is toilet paper, and I pulled and pulled and, like, it was an honest mistake . . .

CHILD 5: How about you?. What’s their beef with you?

CHILD 6 : I complained about the food.

CHILD 5: Everyone complains about the food.

CHILD 6 : Yeah, well, I put a sign in the bathroom that said, "Please flush twice; it’s a long way to the kitchen."

CHILD 4: Hey, have you heard the rumors from the Land of Nod?

CHILD 10: You mean about Chinese Food, whatever that is?

CHILD 4: Well, you’re never going to see any it, not after what you did.

CHILD 10: What’d she do?

CHILD 6 : Talk back to an Egyptian overseer.

CHILD 5: What’d you say, anyway?

CHILD 2: Well, you know the rumors about a prophet setting us Jews free and everything?

CHILD 5: Yeah?

CHILD 2: So I said, "Hey, brickhead, when we finally get "prophet" sharing, you can make your own darn bricks."

CHILD 4: The moron didn’t even get it, but he still busted us.

CHILD 1: [resigned tone] Egyptians. Five cans short of a six pack.

ADULT: Egyptians are so clueless, they couldn’t find their butts with both hands tied behind their backs.

CHILD 2: They actually think this is punishment.

CHILD : Enjoy it. As soon as we’re out of here, we go right to the mudpits.

CHILD 5: We don’t pass go.

CHILD : We don’t collect two hundred dollars.

CHILD 6 : We get to be beaten and make bricks out of mud and straw until we croak.

CHILD 11: And no prophet sharing.

Scene 2. The door opens and two new kids are thrown in. One is carrying a big package. The bickering stops and everyone sizes up the two new kids.

CHILD 4: Who the heck are you?

CHILD 11: My name is Moses. This is my brother Aaron. We are Hebrew slaves, just like you.

CHILD 8 : [defiantly] I ain’t no slave.

CHILD 11: [not impressed] Is that so?

CHILD 8 : Yeah! You gonna make anything of it?!

CHILD 11: Well, let’s do it by the numbers, mazto ball, what’s your mom do?

CHILD 8 : Well, she’s a, you know, a slave.

CHILD 11: And your dad?

CHILD 8 : [pause] A slave.

CHILD 11: Well, riddle me this. If your mom is a slave and your dad is a slave, what does that make you?

CHILD 8 : A downtrodden member of an under-resourced target group?

CHILD 11: As if. Here’s a headline for you, matzo ball, you are a serf, a drudge, and most of all, a slave.

CHILD 2: Well, they may think I’m a slave, but as long as my mind is free, then in what sense am I really enslaved?

CHILD 12IEL [as Aaron]: Well, can you go out and take a walk?

CHILD 2: [thinks about that a moment and then admits, reluctantly] Good point.

CHILD 1: Okay, we’re all slaves. Where does that leave us?

CHILD 11: Well, it leads to an interesting question.

CHILD 6 : Like, why Murray Iskowitz never picks up a check?

CHILD 11: No, the question I’m thinking about is, "How did we get to be slaves and what are we going to do about it?

CHILD 4: [Sarcastically] Oh great. Hey look, everybody. Here’s that prophet everyone’s talking about.

CHILD 11: Hey, prophet, if you’re so smart, what are you doing here?

CHILD : Yeah, what did they get you for?

CHILD 11: [reluctantly, with some shame] Well, I killed an Egyptian overseer.

CHILD 10: No way.

CHILD 12: Way!

CHILD 6 : Wait a minute. How do we know he’s one of us?

CHILD 1: He might be an Egyptian spy.

CHILD 8 : [clapping his hands] Well, let’s get on with the trial!

CHILD 11: Excuse me. What was that? What trial?

CHILD 8 : Yours, of course.

CHILD 11: But what have I done?

CHILD 8 : We’ll find something.

CHILD 12: You don’t seem to understand. We’ll only be here for a few hours . . .

CHILD 3[patient but firm]: It’s the rules. No one enters or leaves this detention hall without being tried by his fellow detainees.

CHILD 11: Wait. What if I’m found guilty.

CHILD 8 : Oh, you will be.

CHILD 11: What is the punishment?

CHILD 3[gazing at the package]: We generally fine you everything you have.

CHILD 11 [alarmed, clutching at his package]: Everything!

CHILD 8 : It’s not practical to take more.

CHILD 4 [teasing]: What’s in the package, bubbelah?

CHILD 11: Candy?

CHILD : Beanie babies?

CHILD 11: No, just something of value to all Jews.

CHILD 7 [taking the package by force]: Whatever. We’ll take it anyway.

CHILD 2: I hereby declare this court in session.

CHILD 8 : Order in the court. Moses! I charge you with being an idealist, a brown nose, and a prophet.

CHILD 10: How do you plead?

CHILD 11: An idealist? Well, I have never had the courage to believe in nothing. As for being a brown nose, . . . Hey, Joshua, great shoes. You have such good taste . . .

CHILD 3[interrupting]: Wipe it, brown nose. How do you plead?

CHILD 11: A brown nose? That comes harder, but, yes, I’ve had my nose so far up the Pharaoh’s butt that I could do the breathing for both of us. And as for being a prophet, well I leave that for this court to decide. I plead guilty on all counts.

CHILD 8 : Good. We get to keep whatever’s in the package.

CHILD 11: At least allow me to defend myself.

CHILD 8 : What for? You’ve already been found guilty.

CHILD 11: Well, the court may choose to be lenient.

CHILD 10[protesting]: Your Honor, Moses is trying to gain time.

CHILD 11: Oh, do you have any scarcity of that?

CHILD 3[looking around, sarcastically]: Any pressing appointments? [pause] If not, let the defense proceed.

CHILD 11: Thank you, Your Honor. Now, if you have no objection, I would like to continue telling the story in the manner of a play—

CHILD 8 : A play?

CHILD 11: You know, an entertainment.

CHILD 8 : I don’t know . . .

CHILD 11: At worst, it may be amusing. And since my cast of characters is large, I call upon all here to enter in, and as we tell our story, I ask each of you to take a part that suits you.

Scene 3. An Egyptian family at dinner time.

ADULT 1 : Daddy’s home.

ADULT 2 : Hi, everyone. Boy, is it good to be home. I’m beat.

ADULT 1 : Welcome home, honey. What’s new in the mudpits today?

ADULT 2 : Same old thing. This job’s killing me. I don’t know how much longer I can keep up the brickmaking. There must be a better way to make a living. What’s for dinner?

ADULT 1 : Tofu.

ADULT 2 : Again? I thought we were having pastrami.

ADULT 1 : I tried, but the line at Isidore’s deli was too long.

ADULT 2 : Again?! It’s all those darn Jews. Every year there’s more of them.

ADULT 3 : Pretty soon they are going to outnumber us.

ADULT 4: There’s one of them moved in down the street.

CHILD 11: They’re so different.

ADULT 5: They are taking over, that’s what they are.

ADULT 6: You know, if they were slaves, we’d be able to control them.

ADULT 7: Sure, let them make the bricks.

Scene 4. At the Court of Pharaoh

CHILD 6 [as Pharaoh]: Hey, is life good, or what?

ADULT 8: Ever since the Jews started doing the heavy lifting, things have been great.

ADULT 12: Great Pharaoh, it is written that among the Hebrews, a baby has been born who will grow up and make you free the slaves.

CHILD 6 : Bummer. Let’s bump off every Hebrew male child. That should take care of it.

Scene 5. At the banks of the Nile River.

GAIL [as Yocheved, mother of Moses]: I’m not going to let them kill my baby.

ADULT 9: Baby Moses, it’s better that we put you in this basket and float you down the Nile River.

ADULT 7: God will take care of you.

ADULT 8: Yeah, Go down, Moses!

CHILD: Oh, look what I found. A baby in a basket

ADULT 10: Cool. I’m a princess. I’ll raise him as my own.

ALL GIRLS: Girl Power! Girl Power!

Scene 6. In the mudpits, twenty years later.

ADULT 11: Hail, great Moses, prince of Egypt.

ADULT 6: The mudpits are ready for your inspection.

ADULT 12: Work faster, dogs, you are in the presence of the son of the great Pharaoh. Bow to your master. [whipping sound]

CHILD 11 [very angry]: Wait, don’t whip the slaves, like that.

ADULT 12: You mean, like this? [whipping sound]

CHILD 11 [ready to kill]: OK, that tears it.

Scene 7. At an Egyptian police station

ADULT 2 : All right, Aaron, your lawyer is on his way. Meanwhile, let’s go through it again.

ADULT 13: We have a dead overseer and twenty witnesses that say Moses did it.

ADULT 9: Where is Moses?

CHILD 12: How should I know? Am I my brother’s keeper?

ADULT : Our stool pigeons tell us that your brother fled to Midian. What’s he doing there? Cough up!

CHILD 12: You know, the usual. Raising sheep. Talking to burning bushes. Stuff like that.

Scene 8. On A Mountain in Midian

ADULT 13 [as God]: Moses, you are to go back to Egypt and tell the Pharaoh to let My people go.

CHILD 11: Lord, why do you ask the impossible of me? I have blood on my hands. All I want to do is tend my flock.

ADULT 13: Moses, your people, the people who have chosen Me, need your strength.

CHILD 11: Dear Lord, Pharaoh is not going to listen to me.

ADULT 13: Moses, don’t bust my chops on this. Remember, I know how this whole thing is going to work out.

CHILD 11: You do?

ADULT 13: Of course. You’ve heard that I’m all-knowing and all that?

CHILD 11: I didn’t know that at all.

ADULT 13: Well, I am, so, please, don’t make me pull rank on you. Just go and give Pharaoh my message.

CHILD 11: You wouldn’t consider using, say, Western Union?

ADULT 13: Ixnay, Moe.

CHILD 11: But I’m scared.

ADULT 13: You don’t think I get scared? You try creating the world the universe without overtime. Courage is not about being fearless. Courage is acting despite being fearful.

CHILD 11: How can I do this job with fear in my heart?

ADULT 13: You can be as afraid as you want. You have a job to do, so get to it.

Scene 9. In Pharaoh’s Court

CHILD 6 [as Pharaoh]: Moses, you must be messugah for coming back here. Every cop in town is looking for you.

ADULT : Already six stool pigeons have dropped a dime on you, and three of them drink Manischewitz.

CHILD 6 : Moses, you’re not very popular here. Tell you what, just split and we’ll forget you ever came back.

CHILD 11: It’s too late for that, your Tutness. The jig’s up. I’m leaving and I’m taking the Hebrews with me.

CHILD 6 [defiantly]: Yeah? You and which army?

CHILD 11: I don’t need an army. My arms are reinforced by a power mightier than all the armies of the world combined. You will allow the Hebrews their freedom.

CHILD 6 : The slaves remain slaves. Now go. I have a doctor’s appointment.

ADULT [as a doctor]: Your majesty, I’ve checked your heart. It’s hardened.

CHILD 6 : Hardened?

ADULT : Yes. I talked to you about usurping too much divine authority. Have you cut down on oppression as I suggested?

CHILD 6 [embarrassed]: Well, you know, it’s right in the middle of my busy season . . .

ADULT : And your arrogance levels are up again.

ADULT 11: [as court priest]: Impossible! The Great Pharaoh is praying to the Gods for help three times a day. I prepared the prayer myself. Please show him, Your Majesty.

CHILD 6 [prays out loud]: Dear Ra, please protect me from acts of arrogance. [meaningful pause] And when I say "acts of arrogance," let me tell you exactly what I mean.

ADULT 12 [after a pause, oblivious]: Sounds good to me.

CHILD 6 : It’s no use. You try to run a desert kingdom with humility. It can’t be done.

ADULT [as doctor]: Well, it’s your afterlife, but I gotta be straight with you, your Majesty. You don’t cut down, all that arrogance is going to write your doom.

ADULT 8: Sorry to interrupt, your Majesty, but the tofu is hitting the fan out here. You’d better take a look.

[As each plague is read, we dip a finger into our wine or juice glasses and transfer a drop to our plates to remember that the plagues victimized our Egyptian brothers and sisters]

ADULT: Your Majesty, we can’t drink. All the water in the kingdom has turned to blood.

ALL: Blood!

CHILD 10: Your Majesty, we can’t go out. It’s raining frogs.

ALL: Frogs!

CHILD 1: Your Majesty, we can’t breath. The air is filled with gnats.

ALL: Gnats!

CHILD 4: Your Majesty, the flies are everywhere.

ALL: Flies!

CHILD 5: Your Majesty, the children are mad because there’s no milk. All the cows are dead.

ALL: Mad cow disease!

CHILD : Your Majesty, we can’t even look at ourselves. We all have horrible boils.

ALL: Boils!

ADULT 3 : Your Majesty, the farmers are ruined. Hail destroyed our crops.

ALL: Hail!

ADULT 4: Your majesty, there’s nothing to eat. Locusts have consumed everything.

All: Locusts!

ADULT 6: Your majesty: We are lost. Our light is gone and the darkness is total.

ALL: Darkness!

ADULT 5: Your Majesty, we are grieving. Grieving for our first born sons.

ALL: First born sons.

CHILD 6 : Egypt, our nation cannot endure more of these plagues. I have
decided to let the children of Israel go. Let them go quickly before I change my mind.

Scene 10. In the Hebrew Quarters

ADULT 13: Judith, did you hear the news?

ADULT 8: That all the Jews were to mark our homes with lamb’s blood? Everyone’s heard that.

CHILD: Hey, why’d we do that, anyway?

ADULT 6: Beats me. Something to do with the angel of death passing over us.

ADULT [musing]: "Passing over us." "Passover?" Catchy name for a holiday.

CHILD 7 [sarcastically]: If we ever have one.

ADULT 10: But wait. There’s more. We’re free. We’re free to go.

ADULT 2 : We’re no longer slaves?

ADULT 10: That’s right.

ADULT 2 : What’s the catch?

ADULT 10: The catch is we have to go now.

ADULT 2 : Now?

ADULT 9: Now. Let’s do it, girl. He’s liable to change his mind any second. So we don’t even have time to let the bread rise.

ADULT 7: [holding up matzo] Oh, is that why we have all this crusty, flat stuff?

Scene 11. At the Sea of Reeds

ADULT 13: It doesn’t look too good right now, does it?

ADULT: Not too good, no.

ADULT 13: Let me get this straight. Just so I know why I left the security of being a slave to come to the shores of the Red Sea only to DIE!!!

ADULT: Look, it could be worse.

ADULT 13 [panicking]: How could it be worse? Our backs are to the sea, right?

ADULT: Right.

ADULT 13: And isn’t that Pharaoh and the entire Egyptian army coming to enslave us again?

ADULT: I’m afraid that Ramses will insist.

ADULT 13: So how can it be worse?

ADULT 11: Well, it could be PBS pledge week.

ADULT: And here’s another thing.

ADULT 13: Now what?

ADULT: Do you have any money?

ADULT 13: No. What’s money?

ADULT: Money is what people who are free and no longer slaves need so they can buy things that they had for free when they were slaves.

ADULT 13: [looking at him quizzically] Are you a Communist or something?

ADULT [explaining]: Hey, this is not rocket science!

ADULT 13: Whoa, it’s 3,000 BC. Surely you don’t mean to talk about rocket science.

ADULT: I do mean to talk about rocket science. And don’t call me "Shirley."

ADULT 11: I get it. When we were slaves we had a roof and three meals a day and it was all free.

ADULT 5: That’s right. When you’re a slave then everything’s free.

ADULT 6: When you’re free then nothing is free.

ADULT : And if we’re beaten every now and then what does it matter?

ADULT 12: Money, schmoney! It’s all Moses’ fault. Our backs are to the sea and we’re doing to die.

CHILD 5: Hey, look, Moses is lifting his staff.

ADULT 7: Oh My God, look. The Red Sea is parting. A divine light wants us to follow him across.

ADULT 1 : You go first.

ADULT 4: But won’t the Egyptians just follow us?

ADULT 3 : Haven’t you seen The Ten Commandments? When the Egyptians are in the middle of the crossing, The Red Sea closes on them just as it opened for us and all the Egyptians drown.

ADULT 2 [in a spiritual tone]: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty. Free at last!.

ADULT: No longer slaves!

CHILD 1: Free to make our decisions.

CHILD : Free to pay for them!

CHILD 4: Free to get an allowance.

CHILD 2: The children of Israel now have their freedom and will remember this story for as long as we live.

CHILD 11: And that’s the story of Passover.

Scene 12. Di E-nu

ADULT: We are indeed blessed. We remember this with a song that asks, "What is enough?" The song allows us to mention all the wonderful things we have and then to gloat "but we have even more!"

ADULT 10: For example, one verse goes, "Had God helped us forty years in the desert and not fed us manna, it would have been enough." So we sing,

HEBREW VERSE: I-lu hot-zi, hot-zi an-nu Hot-zi a-nu, mi-mitz-ray-im Hot-zi a-nu, mi-mitz-ray-im Di E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu
Di, Di E-nu
Di, Di E-nu
Di E-nu, Di E-nu

ENGLISH VERSE: If God brought us out of Egypt,
Brought us out of Pharaoh’s bondage,
That alone would have sufficed us Di-E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu

HEBREW VERSE: I-lu natan, nattan I-lu nattan I-lu, et ha-Torah, nattan I-lu, et ha-Torah, Di E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu

ENGLISH VERSE: If God gave us all the Torah,
ave us the Five Books of Moses
That alone would have sufficed us Di-E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu

HEBREW VERSE: I-lu natan, nattan I-lu nattan I-lu, et ha-Shabbat, nattan I-lu, et ha-Shabbat, Di E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu

ENGLISH VERSE: If God gave us all the Sabbath,
To rest up from six day’s labor,
That alone would have sufficed us Di-E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu

ENGLISH VERSE: If God brought us into Israel,
To a land of milk and honey,

That alone would have sufficed us Di-E-nu

CHORUS: Di, Di E-nu

Scene 13. Back in Detention Hall

CHILD 3[as Joshua, not impressed]: That’s it? That’s your story?

CHILD 11: No, that’s our story.

CHILD : You seriously expect us to believe this Passover story?

CHILD 11: I leave that for the jury to decide. But before you reach your verdict, can I ask one question?

CHILD 8 : Shoot.

CHILD 11: Let’s just suppose—just suppose—that the Passover story happened just as I said it did.

CHILD 8 : Just suppose?

CHILD 11: Right. And let’s just suppose—just suppose—that we really wanted to remember the story for thousands of years. What rituals would we have to come up with to remember it?

ADULT: Well, since Jews love to argue . . .

CHILD 4: [Interrupting, argumentatively] Hey, how do you know Jews love to argue? I know a Jew who doesn’t.

ADULT: I rest my case. As I was saying, since Jews love to argue and debate, I’d say Passover should have a bunch of questions.

CHILD 11: How many?

ADULT: I don’t know. Maybe four.

CHILD 4 [argumentatively]: I think five is better!

ADULT 1 : And Questions? Questions like what?

ADULT 13: Like, why is this night different from all other nights?

ADULT 4: Why is it that on all other nights we eat bread, but on this night we eat only matzo?

NEAL: Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of vegetables, but on this night we must eat bitter herbs?

ADULT : Why is it that on all other nights we might not dip one food into another even once, but on this night we dip different foods twice?

ADULT 7: Why is it that on all other nights we may sit or recline, but on this night we all eat in a reclining position?

CHILD 11 [pleased]: Good. Questions are good. Anything else to make us remember Passover better?

ADULT 6: Well, since Jews are a people who munch their way through every crisis, I’d say we do a lot of stuff with food.

CHILD: I know, we can have special utensils and foods that remind us of the Passover story.

ADULT: Utensils?

CHILD 1: Yeah, you know, like a TV dinner tray with little compartments for, like, four special food items.

CHILD 4: I think five food items is better.

ADULT 12: [holding up seder plate] Like this one? It has five foods on it--a roasted bone, an egg, and bitter herbs in the form of parsley and horseradish.

CHILD 5: There is also a mixture of chopped nuts, apples, and wine called haroset.

GAIL: What does this stuff mean? I’m getting hungry.

ADULT: The roasted bone reminds us of the lamb that we thankfully ate at the Temple in Jerusalem.

CHILD 2: The bitter herbs remind us how bitter it was to live the life of a slave.

CHILD 12: The haroset looks like the clay out of which we toiled to make the bricks for Pharaoh.

CHILD 5: The egg and the parsley remind us of the new life that comes each Spring.

CHILD 1: By eating the greens that come to life each Spring, we celebrate a season of rebirth and renewal, where all things are possible.

CHILD 10: The salt water reminds us of the tears our people shed when we were slaves in Egypt.

ADULT : I bet there would even be an extra cup of wine meant for a great teacher who visits every year to wish everyone a year of peace and freedom.

ADULT : I bet we keep the door open for him and hope he comes in and drinks the wine with us.

ADULT 11: I bet we call him Elijah.

(Everyone dips some greens and eggs in salt water and says)

ALL: Blessed art Thou, Lord our God,

Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruits of Spring.

ADULT 5: On the seder table, there is a plate with three pieces of matzo. One piece is called the afikoman, which we will hide.

ADULT 8: This is an important piece of matzo. We cannot finish the seder without it. So later, the children will hunt for it and the child who finds it will get a surprise.

ADULT : Let us taste the haste of our ancestors. [Takes a piece of matzo, breaks off some and passes the rest along. We eat]

[Pour a second cup of wine or juice]

ALL: Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, bo-ray pree hagafen.

Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

ADULT 13: So that the bitterness of slavery is never forgotten, we taste the horseradish and matzo. This is called maror. [The bottom matzo is broken and distributed.]

ALL: Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, asher kid-sha-noo be-mitzvo-tav, ve-tzee-va-noo al achee-lat maror.

Blessed are You, our God, Creator of the Universe, who sanctified us with the Torah and commanded us to eat the bitter herb.

ADULT 2 : To remember the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem, we break the bottom matzo, and put maror and haroset between the two pieces.

ADULT 9: This sandwich we eat in memory of our sage, Hillel, who ate matzo and maror together. In time of freedom, we must never forget the bitterness of slavery.

GAIL: In time of slavery we must keep alive the hope of freedom.

ADULT 3 : Legend has it that in days of old, kings and queens drank no less that three cups of wine or juice at meals.

ADULT 1 : But tonight we are so happy that we drink four cups.

[third cup of wine]

ALL: Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, bo-ray pree hagafen.

Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

The Passover Feast

As we share the meal, let each person at each table consider the following questions:

1.Why is the Passover story worth preserving?
2.What about the story do you especially treasure?
3.What about the story has changed for you over the years?

People can take turns thinking about these questions. After the meal, we all go back to finish the seder.

The Afikoman

(After the meal, the young people hunt for the afikoman. The winner receives a gift to redeem the afikoman. Pieces of this, the sweetest piece, can now be passed around.)

Scene 14. Back to the Hebrew School Detention

CHILD 3[more impressed now, knowingly]: I think I know what the package you hold contains. It’s the history of your Passover, isn’t it?

CHILD 11: It is as much your Passover, as mine. I am ready for the jury’s decision.

CHILD 8 : Very well. Members of the jury, how say you? Do you accept or reject Moses’ Passover story?

CHILD 11: One moment. Before you pass sentence, I ask only this. If you reject the Passover story, then I am at your mercy and my Passover is lost forever. But if you accept the story we all acted out, if you
believe what just happened here, I ask for this agreement:

CHILD : What agreement is that?

CHILD 11: That every year at this season, we all commit to acting out this Passover story until it becomes the most important story of the Jewish people, wherever they may live.

CHILD 3[looking around]: Agreed! Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, having heard all the evidence, how say you? Accept or Reject?

[one by one, everybody, starting with ADULT 10 and going clockwise, votes "Accept" or "Reject," adding, if you wish, a brief statement about what made you decide the way you did.]

CHILD 8 : Moses, it is the judgment of this court that Passover become the central story of Jewish redemption until memory endures.

CHILD 12: Furthermore, this court orders that at this season every year every Jewish man, woman, and child recreate the Passover story so that the answer to the question, Why is this day different from all
other days? be never lost. And may we all say . . .

ALL: Next Year in Jerusalem!

Blessing Over the Fourth Cup

ALL: Baruch ata adonai, eh-lo-hay-noo mel-lech ha-alom, bo-ray pree hagafen.

Blessed are Thou, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Nirtzah: Acceptance

CHILD 2: The commemoration service of the Passover is now accomplished according to its order.

ALL: May this service be acceptable before those who cherish freedom. Shalom. Next Year in Jerusalem!

In memory of Edith Rosenberg

November 22, 1900 – April 3, 1998

Child Centered Passover Hagaddot 1992: Scenes From An Egyptian Family 1993: The Verse is Yet to Come 1994: Moses in the Committee Room 1995: The Ghosts of Passover 1997: Passover in Hollywood 1998: The Children of Israel in Detention 1999: Passover of the Plagues