Passover: Are we free?

Transcription

1 Passover: Are we free? A CONVERSATION GUIDE FOR PARTICIPANTS Why is this conversation guide different from all other guides? We ve written this guide with the Passover seder in mind. The seder is an annual Jewish ritual in which groups of people families, friends, communities, and even groups of strangers gather for a time of reflective conversation about freedom. In many ways the seder is a source of inspiration for the kinds of conversations we try to make happen with Ask Big Questions: conversations where people gather around questions that matter to everyone, and that everyone can answer; conversations that bring out people's stories; conversations in which we can sense that we re on a journey, and that we have fellow travelers in our own time, in the past, and in the future. Through tasting the symbolic foods of unleavened bread (called matzah in Hebrew) and bitter herbs (called maror in Hebrew), and through recounting the story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the seder is meant to fulfill the goal, stated by the second-century Rabbi Gamaliel, that every person should see him/herself as if s/he had personally come out of Egypt. While the seder is one of the Jewish people s most treasured rituals, it has become a model for people throughout the world to gather and reflect on the question, Are we free?

2 Introductions: Our Own Big Questions The Passover seder is a journey. Every year we ask the same Big Question, Are we free? By gathering together, we are part of a tradition that has been asking these questions, telling this story, and reflecting on its meaning for thousands of years. The rabbis of the ancient Near East observed that a good seder should Begin in lowliness and end in praise, meaning that we should move from a sense of enslavement to a sense of thankfulness. The second-century sage Rabban Gamaliel famously described our obligation in this way: In every generation, each person must see him/herself as if s/he personally left Egypt. In other words, the goal of this conversation is to help us recognize that the story of Passover is our own story, and that the questions of Passover are timeless. Think for a moment about the word freedom. What comes to mind? As you introduce yourself, please share your name, where home is for you, and what comes to mind when you think about freedom. Question 1: When have you not been free? The traditional Haggadah offers several ways of thinking about what it means not to be free. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt is one way. Our ancestors worshipped idols is another. An Aramean sought to destroy my father is a third. In the first approach, the lack of freedom can be understood mainly as political: a slave isn t free to make his/her own decisions, to own property, to live the way they want. In the second approach, the lack of freedom comes in not having spiritual freedom, of living in the service of false ideals. In the third, an outside oppressor causes a loss of freedom. Below are some images that reflect each of these approaches. Take a look at them and take some time to reflect on them. As you do, consider a couple of questions: What are the differences and similarities in these approaches to understanding a lack of freedom? When in your own life have you not been free? Does it recall any of these images?

3 Question 2: When have you become free? The Haggadah tells the story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt using the following passage from the book of Deuteronomy (ch. 26): 5 My ancestor was a wandering Aramean. He went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to God, God of our ancestors, and God heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 God brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. As you read this passage, here are some questions to consider: Why do verses 6 and 7 use several words to describe what the Egyptians did to the Israelites? In verse 8, why are there multiple words used to describe what God did for the people to liberate them? Why is verse 9 a part of the story? Would it be enough to conclude with verse 8? Have you ever been set free, or freed someone else? How did it happen? Another approach you can take with this section is to invite participants to do bring images, songs, poems, or original works, based on the words in the section. For instance, you could ask your guests to choose a phrase like outstretched arm or we cried out, and search for material online that they could print out and bring to the conversation or seder to share. Question 3: What are you thankful for? When the ancient Israelites realized they were free, the Torah recounts that they sang out by the shores of the Red Sea. Since that time, Jewish tradition has used singing as an important way of showing gratitude for freedom. In more recent times, singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant created a song called Kind and Generous. (You can listen to the song and see the video at alturl.com/7tpjg.] Here are some of the lyrics: You've been so kind and generous I don't know why you keep on giving For your kindness I'm in debt to you For your selflessness my admiration For everything you've done You know I'm bound I m bound to thank you for it

4 You've been so kind and generous I don't know why you keep on giving For your kindness I'm in debt to you And I never could have gone this far without you For everything you've done You know I'm bound I'm bound to thank you for it Oh I want to thank you for so many gifts You gave me love and tenderness I want to thank you I want to thank you for your generosity, The love, and the honesty that you gave to me I want to thank you, show my gratitude, My love and my respect for you I want to thank you Oh, I want to thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you Lots of thank-yous! As you listen to the song, here are some questions to think about: What do you think Merchant means when she sings, For your kindness I'm in debt to you / And I never could have gone this far without you / For everything you've done / You know I'm bound--i'm bound to thank you for it? Why is she in debt? Why is she bound? Who is she bound to? Have you ever experienced gratitude on this level? What are you thankful for right now? To whom are you grateful for your freedom? Question 4: For whom are we responsible? The seder doesn t end with the meal. It ultimately takes us from an examination of our own enslavement and liberation to the expression of thanks and a looking outward. By the end of the seder, we should be asking this fourth question: For whom are we responsible? How do we act on our freedom and bring freedom to the lives of others? Below is a story by Rabbi Herbert Friedman, an American Reform rabbi who died in Friedman grew up during the Great Depression. His family was poor. One night, his mother attended a meeting of her synagogue sisterhood, where a representative of the U.S. National Refugee Service made an urgent plea for Jewish families to take into their homes German-Jewish children whose parents were willing to let them emigrate to the United States, not knowing if they would ever see those children again. Of the more than 100 women assembled, all mothers, no more than a dozen raised their hand. My mother stood and announced that she would take three children. God has been good to her, she said, giving her three healthy sons; this was her opportunity to repay. She added without embarrassment that her family was living in a small

5 apartment, with only two bedrooms, because their house had been foreclosed by the bank during the Depression. Hence, she could take only boys, who could sleep mixed in with her sons. Mother came home with the affidavit forms, placed them under my father s nose at the kitchen table, and told him of her commitment. Signing the forms, as far as she was concerned, was only a formality. He saw it differently, because of the legal obligations his signature would impose He could not envision for an instant how they could handle the additional expense of food, clothing, school, etc., for three more persons. My mother answered him quietly, but with great passion. Even though we were poor, how could we refuse to save Jewish lives if we were given the chance to do so? She was ashamed of the other sisterhood members. All of them should have volunteered, and she would not hesitate to tell them so at the next meeting. If we have enough food for five of us, she asked, why can t we simply make it enough for eight? If I must wash shirts for six boys instead of three, what s the difference? The parental argument raged all night the only time I remember my parents raising their voices in anger and disagreement. She won. In the morning, my father signed the affidavits, and she proudly took them back to the synagogue. As I mulled over the matter, I decided that my mother s fight with my father symbolized the whole problem, and the only conclusion was therefore to act according to moral Jewish values, without permitting rationalization, delay, or any other diluting factor. When history knocks, you answer. ~ Quoted in Noam Zion and Barbara Specter, A Different Light (2000), pp As you reflect on this story, here are some questions to consider: How do the characters in this story understand freedom? Are they are responsible for the freedom of others? How do they act on their sense of responsibility? Are there people they feel more responsible for than others? How do they prioritize? If you were in the same situation, would you do the same? How do you decide for whom you are responsible? Do the limitations of others freedoms affect this decision? Thank you for being part of this conversation. Please share this conversation guide with others in your community. And join our conversation online at AskBigQuestions.org.

6 We are very happy to partner with American Jewish World Service (AJWS) on this guide. AJWS is the leading Jewish human rights and development organization working to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world. We pursue lasting change by providing financial support to grassroots and global human rights organizations working in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and by mobilizing American Jews and others in the U.S. to advocate for policies that will benefit people in the developing world. To learn more, please go to ajws.org. Hillel International is the largest Jewish student organization in the world, building connections with emerging adults at more than 550 colleges and universities, and inspiring them to direct their own path. During their formative college years, students are challenged to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives Hillel International.

7 Passover: Are we free? A CONVERSATION GUIDE FOR FACILITATORS Note for Facilitators: How To Use This Guide The traditional Haggadah, the central text of the Passover seder, begins its exploration of the Exodus story with Four Questions. This guide is designed around four Big Questions that unpack that larger question, Are we free? Our Four Big Questions follow the arc of the traditional Haggadah -- from slavery to freedom to gratitude -- and ultimately lead us to ask how we can bring freedom to ever-wider circles of the world. Here are our Four Big Questions of the Seder: When have you not been free? When have you become free? What are you thankful for? For whom are we responsible? This guide can be used with a Haggadah, the traditional text of the Passover seder (you can find links to some of our favorite Haggadahs at It can also be used to frame a separate conversation, or a series of conversations, on one or more of the individual questions. If used as part of a seder, any or all of the questions and the Interpretive Things (images, stories, etc.) below them can be used as part of or even as a replacement for the Maggid section, which retells the story of Passover. This section is the traditional heart of the seder, when questions, stories, and learning are meant to take place. If used for a stand-alone conversation separate from a seder, the guide can be read together by participants. Again, you cause as much or as little of it as you like. In either case, your job as a facilitator is to make sure the conversation can be rich, meaningful, and successful. Whether you re using this guide for a seder or for a stand-alone conversation, good planning is essential. Take time to read through the guide, to think about the flow, and to map it out. Ask the participants in your

8 seder/conversation to prepare as well. (We have some specific suggestions below.) You should feel welcome to use what you like from this guide, adapt, add, subtract, and offer your own suggestions on our website. You may also find the AIR-IT document at the end of this guide useful in your preparations. Why is this conversation guide different from all other guides? We ve written this guide with the Passover seder in mind. The seder is an annual Jewish ritual in which groups of people families, friends, communities, and even groups of strangers gather for a time of reflective conversation about freedom. In many ways the seder is a source of inspiration for the kinds of conversations we try to make happen with Ask Big Questions: conversations where people gather around questions that matter to everyone, and that everyone can answer; conversations that bring out people's stories; conversations in which we can sense that we re on a journey, and that we have fellow travelers in our own time, in the past, and in the future. Through tasting the symbolic foods of unleavened bread (called matzah in Hebrew) and bitter herbs (called maror in Hebrew), and through recounting the story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, the seder is meant to fulfill the goal, stated by the second-century Rabbi Gamaliel, that every person should see him/herself as if s/he had personally come out of Egypt. While the seder is one of the Jewish people s most treasured rituals, it has become a model for people throughout the world to gather and reflect on the question, Are we free? Introductions: Our Own Big Questions The Passover seder is a journey. Every year we ask the same Big Question, Are we free? By gathering together, we are part of a tradition that has been asking these questions, telling this story, and reflecting on its meaning for thousands of years. The rabbis of the ancient Near East observed that a good seder should Begin in lowliness and end in praise, meaning that we should move from a sense of enslavement to a sense of thankfulness. The second-century sage Rabban Gamaliel famously described our obligation in this way: In every generation, each person must see him/herself as if s/he personally left Egypt. In other words, the goal of this conversation is to help us recognize that the story of Passover is our own story, and that the questions of Passover are timeless. Think for a moment about the word freedom. What comes to mind? As you introduce yourself, please share your name, where home is for you, and what comes to mind when you think about freedom.

9 Note for Facilitators: Give people a moment to organize their thoughts before you start asking for volunteers. It may be helpful to model this introduction for participants, so consider introducing yourself first. Be sure everyone states their name. You don t need to go in order around a circle. Allow people to introduce themselves when the spirit moves them. Question 1: When have you not been free? The traditional Haggadah offers several ways of thinking about what it means not to be free. We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt is one way. Our ancestors worshipped idols is another. An Aramean sought to destroy my father is a third. In the first approach, the lack of freedom can be understood mainly as political: a slave isn t free to make his/her own decisions, to own property, to live the way they want. In the second approach, the lack of freedom comes in not having spiritual freedom, of living in the service of false ideals. In the third, an outside oppressor causes a loss of freedom. Below are some images that reflect each of these approaches. Take a look at them and take some time to reflect on them. Note for facilitators: This is an opportunity to ask your participants to prepare for the conversation. Before the gathering, ask them to do an online image search for slave, idolatry, oppression, or other words from the lines above, or to bring in any images that evoke not being free to them. You can invite them to bring their own images to the conversation and present them for others to see. You can also use the images below, instead of or in concert with the images they bring in. As you do, consider a couple of questions: What are the differences and similarities in these approaches to understanding a lack of freedom? When in your own life have you not been free? Does it recall any of these images? Note for facilitators: Give people a chance to look at the images and reflect on them. Depending on the size of the group, you might ask them to talk about their reactions in pairs before asking for responses from the large group.

10 Question 2: When have you become free? The Haggadah tells the story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt using the following passage from the book of Deuteronomy (ch. 26): 5 My ancestor was a wandering Aramean. He went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to God, God of our ancestors, and God heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So God brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 God brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. As you read this passage, here are some questions to consider: Why do verses 6 and 7 use several words to describe what the Egyptians did to the Israelites? In verse 8, why are there multiple words used to describe what God did for the people to liberate them? Why is verse 9 a part of the story? Would it be enough to conclude with verse 8? Have you ever been set free, or freed someone else? How did it happen? Note for facilitators: Depending on the size of your group, you may want to invite participants into pairs or smaller groups to talk about the passage, before debriefing in the larger group. Another approach you can take with this section is to invite participants to do bring images, songs, poems, or original works, based on the words in the section. For instance, you could ask your guests to choose a phrase like outstretched arm or we cried out, and search for material online that they could print out and bring to the conversation or seder to share. Question 3: What are you thankful for? When the ancient Israelites realized they were free, the Torah recounts that they sang out by the shores of the Red Sea. Since that time, Jewish tradition has used singing as an important way of showing gratitude for freedom. In more recent times, singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant created a song called Kind and Generous. (You can listen to the song and see the video at alturl.com/7tpjg.] Here are some of the lyrics:

11 You've been so kind and generous I don't know why you keep on giving For your kindness I'm in debt to you For your selflessness my admiration For everything you've done You know I'm bound I m bound to thank you for it You've been so kind and generous I don't know why you keep on giving For your kindness I'm in debt to you And I never could have gone this far without you For everything you've done You know I'm bound I'm bound to thank you for it Oh I want to thank you for so many gifts You gave me love and tenderness I want to thank you I want to thank you for your generosity, The love, and the honesty that you gave to me I want to thank you, show my gratitude, My love and my respect for you I want to thank you Oh, I want to thank you, thank you, Thank you, thank you Lots of thank-yous! As you listen to the song, here are some questions to think about: What do you think Merchant means when she sings, For your kindness I'm in debt to you / And I never could have gone this far without you / For everything you've done / You know I'm bound--i'm bound to thank you for it? Why is she in debt? Why is she bound? Who is she bound to? Have you ever experienced gratitude on this level? What are you thankful for right now? To whom are you grateful for your freedom? Note for facilitators: Consider asking participants to create something that expresses thanks, which they can share during the conversation. It could be a letter they could read. It could be an object that symbolizes their gratitude. Or you could give them an open-ended assignment: Come to the conversation with something that helps you express gratitude.

12 Question 4: For whom are we responsible? The seder doesn t end with the meal. It ultimately takes us from an examination of our own enslavement and liberation to the expression of thanks and a looking outward. By the end of the seder, we should be asking this fourth question: For whom are we responsible? How do we act on our freedom and bring freedom to the lives of others? Below is a story by Rabbi Herbert Friedman, an American Reform rabbi who died in Friedman grew up during the Great Depression. His family was poor. One night, his mother attended a meeting of her synagogue sisterhood, where a representative of the U.S. National Refugee Service made an urgent plea for Jewish families to take into their homes German-Jewish children whose parents were willing to let them emigrate to the United States, not knowing if they would ever see those children again. Note for facilitators: Read the story together aloud. Ask participants to take turns reading a paragraph. Of the more than 100 women assembled, all mothers, no more than a dozen raised their hand. My mother stood and announced that she would take three children. God has been good to her, she said, giving her three healthy sons; this was her opportunity to repay. She added without embarrassment that her family was living in a small apartment, with only two bedrooms, because their house had been foreclosed by the bank during the Depression. Hence, she could take only boys, who could sleep mixed in with her sons. Mother came home with the affidavit forms, placed them under my father s nose at the kitchen table, and told him of her commitment. Signing the forms, as far as she was concerned, was only a formality. He saw it differently, because of the legal obligations his signature would impose He could not envision for an instant how they could handle the additional expense of food, clothing, school, etc., for three more persons. My mother answered him quietly, but with great passion. Even though we were poor, how could we refuse to save Jewish lives if we were given the chance to do so? She was ashamed of the other sisterhood members. All of them should have volunteered, and she would not hesitate to tell them so at the next meeting. If we have enough food for five of us, she asked, why can t we simply make it enough for eight? If I must wash shirts for six boys instead of three, what s the difference? The parental argument raged all night the only time I remember my parents raising their voices in anger and disagreement. She won. In the morning, my father signed the affidavits, and she proudly took them back to the synagogue. As I mulled over the matter, I decided that my mother s fight with my father symbolized the whole problem, and the only conclusion was therefore to act according to moral Jewish values, without permitting rationalization, delay, or any other diluting factor. When history knocks, you answer. ~ Quoted in Noam Zion and Barbara Specter, A Different Light (2000), pp

13 As you reflect on this story, here are some questions to consider: How do the characters in this story understand freedom? Are they are responsible for the freedom of others? How do they act on their sense of responsibility? Are there people they feel more responsible for than others? How do they prioritize? If you were in the same situation, would you do the same? How do you decide for whom you are responsible? Do the limitations of others freedoms affect this decision? Note for facilitators: Give participants time to re-read the story to themselves. Depending on the size of your group, you may want to invite them to break into smaller groups or pairs to reflect on the questions and the story, before coming back together as a large group. Thank you for being part of this conversation. Please share this conversation guide with others in your community. And join our conversation online at AskBigQuestions.org. We are very happy to partner with American Jewish World Service (AJWS) on this guide. AJWS is the leading Jewish human rights and development organization working to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world. We pursue lasting change by providing financial support to grassroots and global human rights organizations working in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and by mobilizing American Jews and others in the U.S. to advocate for policies that will benefit people in the developing world. To learn more, please go to ajws.org. Hillel International is the largest Jewish student organization in the world, building connections with emerging adults at more than 550 colleges and universities, and inspiring them to direct their own path. During their formative college years, students are challenged to explore, experience, and create vibrant Jewish lives Hillel International.

14 AIR-IT: A Guide to Facilitating Conversation A: Ask Big Questions Big Question Anyone can answer it. Example: For whom are we responsible? Focuses on wisdom and experience. Example: What s the best advice you ve ever received? Uses plain language. Directed at a subject (me, you, us). Example: What could we sacrifice to change the world? Opens up space and invites people in as participants. Leads to sharing personal stories. Emphasizes a both/and approach. Hard Question Experts will answer it best. Example: What is the best economic policy for the United States? Focuses on intelligence and skill. Example: Are human beings naturally good or evil? Uses technical language. Directed at an object (it). Example: Is it better to cut spending or raise taxes to balance the federal budget? Closes space and leads people to feel like spectators. Leads to debates about truth claims. Emphasizes an either/or approach. I: Invite Personal Stories. Big questions lead to sharing personal stories. The facilitator acts to support this by: Creating the space (physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual) of trust in which these stories can be shared and honored. Weaving: Summarize, reflect back, and keep the stories and observations tethered to the big question. This helps the group to maintain integrity and not feel that it is fragmenting or fraying. R: Really Listen. Ask Big Questions conversations are marked by real listening. The facilitator s reflecting back and weaving is crucial to this. Participants should be able to answer questions like: What did so-and-so say? What do you think they meant when they said it? What did it evoke in you? IT: Use Interpretive Things. Ask Big Questions conversations often use a text, poem, artwork, song, natural object or other interpretive thing to help center the conversation and create a common point of access for all participants.

15 Questions to Ask When Preparing for a Discussion Where? Does the place where you re having the conversation create a space in which people can feel safe? Is it a closed space? Does it have a door you can close to ensure privacy and confidentiality when needed? What can you do to make the space visually appealing or lovely? Does it have windows to let in light? Do you want to play some music? Can everyone sit comfortably in a circle? When? Are you scheduling the conversation at a time when everyone can be physically awake and present? Will people be hungry? Will you provide food or drink? Will they be tired or sleepy after a meal? How long will the conversation be? How will you break up the time if necessary? Who and How? How many people will participate? Will there be enough to sustain diverse conversation? Will there be too many to keep the conversation centered? How will you get the word out and then remind people? Do you need to make any special arrangements for people with special needs (i.e. physical disabilities)? Greetings Who will welcome people to the conversation and how will they do it? How will you have everyone introduce themselves? (Big Questions are great for introductions!) How will you close the conversation? How will you follow up with people? How will you capture their contact information? What About You? What will you do to get yourself ready?