Adam Carpenter – Head of Jewish Life Primary

Why is that on my seder plate?

At the centre of the Pesach Haggadah and Seder lies the interplay between symbolic foods, questioning and discussions. These ritual foods and the questions they elicit engage participants, encourage curiosity, spark discussion and invite multiple meanings and interpretations.

In addition to the traditional items of maror, matzah, charoset and karpas found during a Seder, you may be familiar with some other rituals foods that may make an appearance at seder: 

Orange: Adding an orange to one’s seder plate is often explained as a symbol of women’s rights, derived from an event where a man supposedly told Professor Susannah Heschel that “a woman belongs on the bimah as much as an orange belongs on the seder plate”. Though Professor Heschel has said that no such exchange took place, she offered a different interpretation on the meaning of the orange and why she added it to her seder plate in the 1980’s. The orange was to be eaten ‘as a gesture of solidarity with Jewish lesbians and gay men and others who are marginalised within the Jewish community’.  

Spring Onions/Scallions: This Sephardi Pesach custom involves taking bunches of spring onions and ‘whipping’ the person next to you during the singing of Dayenu. The onions represent the whips of the Egyptians, the tears of the Israelites and the miracle that our ancestors were freed from the lash of oppression.

Miriam’s Cup: The addition of Miriam’s cup mirror’s the tradition of Elijah’s cup, the prophet who is welcomed at the conclusion of the seder. Miriam was a prophetess, leader and sister of Moshe. Miriam, along with other strong and brave women (such as Moshe’s mother Yocheved and the Hebrew handmaids Sifrah and Pu’ah who defy Pharaoh) play a crucial role in the Pesach narrative. The inclusion of Miriam’s cup provides an opportunity to share their stories, in turn opening up conversations to acknowledge and celebrate the crucial role played of women in our family, community and across the world.

And now for a new Seder ritual that speaks to the challenges of our present and our future….  

A Melting Ice Cube: The Pesach Ice Block Challenge – an initiative of the Jewish Climate Network.

A melting ice block next to your seder plate, representing the melting ice caps, prompts questions and discussions about climate change. 

Every year on Pesach we ask: “Ma Nishtana…?” – “Why is tonight different to all other nights?”. This year, the world is at a crossroads and we’re taking that question a big step further: “Why is this decade different to all other decades?”.

When you register for the challenge, the JCN will email you a printable resource to use on Seder night which provides background to the Challenge and offers activities and questions you can use. 

How to get involved?

1. Register – sign up your Seder for the JCN Ice Block Challenge
2. Share – share the Challenge with friends and family, and invite them to join
3. Prepare – prepare your ice for the Seder table and print the resource guide
4. Host – place an ice block on your Seder table. Use the resource guide. Ask questions. Commit to action!