The entire story of Passover is contained on the Seder plate. Throughout the evening we will be invited to eat some of these things as part of the ritual.

מָרוֹר Maror, bitter herbs to remind us of the bitterness of enslavement and oppression

בֵּיצָה Beitza, a roasted egg which symbolizes sacrifices made at the Temple, and the coming of spring

כַּרְפַּס Karpas, a green vegetable symbolizing hope, spring, new growth and renewal

חֲרֹסֶת Charoset, a sweet mixture of fruit, nuts, wine, and spices representing the mortar that Hebrew slaves used to make bricks in Mitzrayim, as well as the sweetness of liberation

זְרוֹעַ Zeroa, a roasted shank bone, beet, or yam to symbolize the Pesach offering, the lamb that the Jews sacrificed, using its blood to mark their doors so the Angel of Death would spare their firstborns during the tenth plague


In addition to these traditional Seder plate items, we include:

זית Za'eet, an olive representing the struggle of Palestinian people for land and self-determination

תַּפּוּז Tapuz, an orange, symbolizing feminist, queer and trans struggles against marginalization


Also on our seder table tonight you will see:

מַצָּה Matzah, unleavened bread, signifying that there was not enough time for the dough to rise before the Jewish people fled Mitzrayim

Miriam’s Cup, a cup of water to honor the Prophet Miriam and the leadership of countless women whose names have not been recorded

Elijah’s Cup, a cup of wine to honor the Prophet Elijah who represents the unfulfilled potential of liberation.

Salt water, symbolizing the tears of the oppressed people in Mitzrayim


haggadah Section: Introduction
Source: http://www.ijan.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/haggadah2014pages-1.pdf