Known in English as “Passover”, Pesach commemorates the Jewish people’s Exodus from Egypt in the 13th century BCE. The holiday is ritually observed via a special home service called a seder, and a festive meal, as well as the prohibition of chametz (leaven), and the eating instead of matzah (unleavened bread).
Friday 27 March
7.30pm
Join us for a Seder that celebrates and honours our LGBTQIA+ community.
Journey through the story of Pesach and connect with your own path.
Tuesday 31 March
4.30pm
Join us for a delicious time of tradition and togetherness at a Chocolate Seder!
Experience the magic of Pesach with a seder aimed at Primary School aged children.
Thursday 2 April
6pm
Join us for a delightful evening of tradition and togetherness at TBI’s Pesach Seder!
History, meaningful rituals and the warmth of community, as we come together to retell the ancient story of liberation, sharing in the joy of freedom and renewal.
In addition to enjoying festive meals at our Seder events, we’re holding dedicated services during the Pesach period. Please join us Thursday 2 April at 10am and Wednesday 8 April at 10am.
A Passover Haggadah is a book outlining the order of the seder (the word ‘seder’ is order in Hebrew). Today there are literally hundreds of Haggadot (the Hebrew plural for Haggadah) available on the market, but here are a few that we have created especially for our Progressive community here in Melbourne.
Create your own personal joy and increase meaning in the Seder…
KADESH: Invite each person to bring an item to add to the Seder table that helps them find meaning and joy in the Seder. Take a moment before each cup of wine or grape juice for a few people to share why these items are meaningful.
MAGID: Retell the story to freedom in your own way, using your own words, props, costumes, or songs. Allow all present to take part in this retelling.
ASK (MORE) QUESTIONS: What freedoms are we celebrating this year? How can the joy we celebrate at Pesach enhance our lives and actions throughout the year?
HALLEL: Embellish the Hallel with additional songs that spark joy.
Since the 1980s, many Jews have been including an orange on the Seder plate as a symbol of inclusion, particularly of Gay, Lesbian, trans and gender non-conforming Jews.
The splitting of the orange is to show that although we may be made of up of many different people, we are whole. The spitting out of the orange pips symbolises the repudiation of homophobia and transphobia by those at the seder.
Olives and olive branches have been a symbol of peace for generations. Olives remind us that as Jews we wish to make peace where there is war.
Chocolate is placed on the Seder plate to remind us that as we celebrate our freedom from slavery, slavery still exists around the world.
Miriam’s Cup is filled with water and placed next to Elijah’s cup to symbolise the long and fruitful contributions to Judaism by women, which have been overlooked in our tradition.
Blessed are you,
Adonai our God.
Sovereign of the world,
who sanctified us with mitzvot
and commanded us to count the Omer.
Baruch atah Adonai,
Eloheinu Melech ha’Olam
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav
v’tizivanu al sefirat ha’omer.
After the blessing, one recites the appropriate day of the count. For example:
Hayom yom echad la’omer
Today is the first day of the omer.
After the first six days, one also includes the number of weeks that one has counted. For example:
Hayom sh’losha asar yom, she’hem shavuah echad v’shisha yamim la’omer
