Global Jews

In Yemenite practice, directly after the four questions are recited the youngest literate person at the table reads a brief Judeo-Arabic passage, here transcribed per the Yemenite transliteration system (wherein gimel dagesh = j and qof = g) and translated into Arabic and Hebrew. Instructional notes say this passage is “for the benefit of women and toddlers,” the two main classes of people who would have not had access to Hebrew education at the time.

Ma khəbar hādhih al-laylah min jəmīʿ al-ləyyāli?

מַא כְׄבַּר הַדִׄה ﭏַלַילַהּ מִן גְּמִיע ﭏַלְיִאַלִי?

מָה נִשְׁתַּנָּה הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה מִכׇּל הַלֵּילוֹת?

What tells this night from the rest of nights?

Kharju jədūdina wə-ʾābāʾina min Miṣr bayt al-ʿăbūdiyya kānu yafʿalu at-tibn fi al-libn, liman? Li-Farʿöh ar-rosho al-jomūr, alladhī rāʾsuhu sāʿ aṣ-ṣimʿūr, wə-fumuh sāʿ mināg at-tannur, wə-awrad Allah ʿăla al-Miṣriyun:

כַׄרגּוּ גְּדּוּדִּנַא וְאַבַּאיְנַא מִן מִצר בַּיתּ ﭏַעֲבּוּדִּיַה̈ כַּאנוּ יַפְעֲלוּ ﭏַתִּבּן פִי ﭏַלִבּן, לִמַן? לְפַרעֹה ﭏַרָשָׁע ﭏַגָּמוּר, ﭏַדִׄי רַאסֻה סַאע ﭏַצִמעוּר וְפֻמֻה סַאע מִנַאק ﭏַתַּנוּר, ואַורַדּ ﭏלה עֲלַי׳ ﭏַמִצְריוּן:

יָצְאוּ קַדְמוֹנֵינוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם בֵּית הַשִּׁעְבּוּד שֶׁהָיִינוּ עוֹשִׂים לְבָנִים בַּתֶּבֶן, לְמִי? לְפַרְעֹה הָרָשָׁע הַגָּמוּר, אֲשֶׁר רֹאשׁוֹ רָחָב בְּחֻצְפָּה, וּפִיהוּ רָחָב כְּמוֹ־תַּנּוּר, וַיּוֹרֶד אֱלוֹהַּ עַל הַמִּצְרִים:

Our ancestors and forefathers left Egypt the house of slaver where they were making straw into bricks, for whom? For Pharaoh the completely wicked, whose head was wide with insolence, and whose mouth was wide like an oven, and God brought down on the Egyptians:

Ad-dam, waṣ-ṣifādaʿ, wal-gaml wal-gumml, wal-wiḥūsh, wal-finā, wal-jərab, wal-bərad, wal-jərād, waḍ-ḍəlām, wə-mut al-abkār.

ﭏַדַּם, וﭏַצִפַאדִּע, ﭏַקַמל וﭏַקֻמּל, וﭏַוִחוּשׁ, וﭏַפִנַא, וﭏַגְּרַבּ, וﭏַבְּרַדּ, וﭏַגְּרַאדּ, וﭏַצְׄלַאם, וְמוּתּ ﭏַאַבּכַּאר.

הַדָּם, וְהַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ, וְהַכִּנִּים וְהַכִּנָּם, וְהֶעָרֹב, וְהַדֶּבֶר, וְהַשְּׁחִין, וְהַבָּרָד, וְהָאַרְבֶּה, וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ, וּמַכַּת הַבְּכוֹרוֹת.

The blood, and the frogs, and the lice and fleas, and the beasts, and the disease, and the scabs, and the hail, and the locusts, and the darkness, and the death of the firstborn.

Ḥatta ʿəjuz bəjuz, ʿălayhā alf laʿnah təjuz, kān maʿhā maʿbūd min ʿijnah, dəkhal al-kalb ʾăkalha wa-ṣərakht tilk al-laylah, wə-kān ṣurākh ʿăḍīm bə-Miṣr, lə-gayyem ma shə-naʾămor, ki ēn bayith ăshar ēn shom meth.

חַתַּי׳ עֲגּוּז בְּגּוּז, עֲלַיהַא אַלף לַענַהּ תְּגּוּז, כַּאן מַעהַא מַעבּוּד מִן עִגּנַהּ, דְּכַׄל ﭏַכַּלבּ אֲכַּלהַא, וַצְרַכׄתּ תִּלךּ ﭏַלַילַהּ, וְכַּאן צֻרַאךׄ עֲצִׄים בְּמִצר, לְקַיֵּם מַה שְׁנֶאֱמָר, כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין בַּ֔יִתֿ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם מֵֽתֿ׃ (שמות יב:ל)

עַד שֶׁעַל הַזְּקֵנָה בְּכׇל־זְקֵנוֹת, עָלֶיהָ אֶלֶף קְלָלוֹת, אִתָּה הַפֶּסֶל נִהְיָה לְבָצֵק, וּבָא הַכֶּלֶב וַאֲכָלֻהוּ, וְהַכֹּל זַעֲקוּ הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא, לְקַיֵּם מַה שְׁנֶאֱמָר, וַתְּהִ֛י צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין בַּ֔יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם מֵֽת׃ (שמות יב:ל)

Until upon the oldest women a thousand curses were fulfilled, then her idol with her became dough, then the dog came and ate it, and all wailed that night, and thus was great wailing in Egypt, to fulfill what is said: “for there was no house without someone dead.” (Exodus 12:30)

Wə-khalaṣhum Allah biyad shədidah wədirāʿ mamdūdah w-aḥkām aḍīmah, w-ayāt wa-brāhīn ʿăla Møsha Rabenu ʿOlow hash-Sholøm, wə-hadha al-jəwāb:

וְכַׄלַצהֻם ﭏלה בִּיַד שְׁדִּידַּה̈ וְדִׄרַאע מַמדּוּדַּהּ ואַחכַּאם עֲצִׄימַהּ, ואַיַאתּ וַבְּרַאהִין עֲלַי׳ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, וְהַדַׄא ﭏַגְּוַאבּ:

וַיִּגְאָלֵנוּ אֱלוֹהַּ בְּיָד חֲזָקָה וּבִזְרוֹעַ נְטוּיָה וּבְמִשְׁפָּטִים גְּדוֹלִים וּבְאוֹתוֹת וּבְרִיאוֹת עַל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, וְזֶה הַתְּשׁוּבָה:

And God freed us with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, great judgements, signs and creations, by Moses our teacher peace be upon him, and this is the answer:

Special thanks to Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (transcription & naqdanut) and Isaac Gantwerk Mayer (translation).

How have I come to understand or experience liberation?

In what ways can Passover help me connect to ancient and modern forms of slavery and oppression?

In addition to the injustices mentioned above, what other tragedies am I remembering this Passover?

Moving forward, what are ways in which I can better learn and become informed about injustices experienced around the world?

How can we introduce these stories into our families and Passover seders?

How has ancestral trauma (the trauma my ancestors experienced) shown up in my life? My body?

What are ways in which I can begin to heal suffering that has been passed down to you?

What does Latin-Jewish joy look like for you?

What do you appreciate most about your multifaceted identity? 

¿Cómo has llegado a comprender o desear la liberación?

¿De qué manera puede Pésaj ayudarnme a conectar con temas de esclavitud y opresión?

Además de las injusticias mencionadas anteriormente, ¿qué otras tragedias recuerdo este Pesaj? 

En el futuro, ¿de qué maneras puedo informarme sobre las injusticias experimentadas en todo el mundo?

¿Cómo puedo honrar y reflexionar sobre estas injusticias durante el seder?

¿Cómo se ha manifestado en mi vida el trauma ancestral (el trauma que sufrieron mis ancestros)? ¿Cómo se manifiesta en mi cuerpo?

¿Cuáles son las formas en que puedo comenzar a sanar el sufrimiento que me han transmitido mis antepasados?

¿Cómo se manifiesta la alegría judía en mi vida? 

¿Qué es lo que más aprecio de mi identidad multicultural?

By Maya Kasowky

What follows are short descriptions of Seder customs from around the world. For this lesson each custom can be printed out on a separate card or strip.

Circling the seder plate over the heads of each participant, while saying “In Haste we left Egypt”.  The response is “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt”

Where it fits in the seder: The very beginning Where it is from: Morocco and Tunisia

Putting the shank bone, charoset, maror, karpas, egg, and matzah all around the table, rather than on a seder plate.

Where it fits in the seder: During set-up, before the seder starts Where it is from: Persian and Yemenite Jews

Putting the shank bone, charoset, maror, karpas, egg, and matzah in a covered basket, ready to carry out of Egypt with us.

Where it fits in the seder: During set-up, before the seder starts. Where it is from: Tunisia

Putting a fishbowl with live fish on the seder table

Where it fits in the seder: During set-up, before the seder starts. Where it is from: Tunisia

Having first night Seder in Hebrew, and the second night Seder in the language you speak at home.

Where it fits in the seder: Throughout Where it is from: Kavkaz (in the Caucasus mountains, in or near Russia)

Each person takes a turn holding up the Matzot and reciting the steps of the seder (Kadeish U’rchatz, Karpas, Yachatz…).

Where it fits in the seder: The beginning Where it is from: Persia

Take a pillowcase, and fill it with heavy objects, before the seder.  During the seder, take turns carrying it around the table on your back, to experience a little of the hard work that Jews did as slaves in Egypt.

Where it fits in the seder: At “Avadim Hayinu”, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt” Where it is from: Romania

Interruption in the seder by a “nomad” who is leaving Egypt.  Dialogue with the “guest” goes like this;

Seder leader: Where are you coming from?

Nomad: Egypt

Seder Leader: Where are you going?

Nomad: Jerusalem

Seder Leader: What are the supplies for your trip?

Nomad: [sings the 4 questions]

Where it fits in the seder: Right before the 4 questions, or any time, as a surprise Where it is from: Iraq

Pour out bits of wine or grape juice into a bowl of water, and see it turn red/bloody.

Where it fits in the seder: The recital of the ten plagues. Where it is from: Sefaradi custom

Pour wine or grape juice out of a Cup of Pharaoh

Where it fits in the seder: The recital of the ten plagues. Where it is from: India

Gently mock-whip the person who knows where the afikomen is hidden, until they reveal where it is.

Where it fits in the seder: At the very end of the meal. Where it is from: Bukhara

Tie the afikomen onto the back of one child at the seder.

Where it fits in the seder: After Yachatz, and it remains there until the end of the meal. Where it is from: Iraq

What happened to the tortoise?
The tortoise, the tortoise
A breadfruit fell on the tortoise
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the breadfruit?
The tortoise, the tortoise
A stake pierced the breadfruit
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the staff?
The tortoise, the tortoise
Termite ate up the staff
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the termite?
The tortoise, the tortoise
A fowl ate the termite
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the fowl?
The tortoise, the tortoise
A kite/hawk carried the fowl
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the kite/hawk?
The tortoise, the tortoise
A gun killed the kite/hawk
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the gun?
The tortoise, the tortoise
Fire burnt the gun
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the fire?
The tortoise, the tortoise
Water quenched the fire
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the water?
The tortoise, the tortoise
The ground soaked up the water
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to the ground?
The tortoise, the tortoise
The Lord (Chukwu Abiama) created the ground
The tortoise, the tortoise

What happened to Chukwu Abiama?
The tortoise, the tortoise
Nothing happened to Chukwu Abiama
The tortoise, the tortoise