After all, this is the creative night so we should not limit ourselves to the "usual suspects" and we should think about other symbols that ought to be represented tonight.

The Orange: There are probably as many stories and theories about the origins of placing an orange on the Seder plate as there are segments in an orange. Some will say that it honors women and their evolving roles in becoming leaders within our faith, including but not limited to, leading a Seder. Others believe it represents the rights of the LGBTQ community. 

A Coffee Bean: This is said to represent the work/life balance of the working parent. It can be both bitter and strong. 

Slave-free chocolate: Pretty self-explanatory, right? There just should not and cannot be slavery in 2020! So eat your chocolate responsibly.

Potatoes: When Ethiopian Jews were brought to Israel via Operation Solomon in 1991, they were famished. In fact, they were so ill and emaciated that they couldn’t stomach a substantial meal — instead, doctors fed them boiled potatoes and rice. The potato represents the continuous exodus of Jews from oppressive regions.

An empty or food-free Seder plate: If you want to scrap the traditional seder plate items for a whole new set, the Progressive Jewish Alliance has you covered. The idea of their “Food Desert Seder Plate” is to use foods that symbolize the lack of access to fresh, healthy food in low-income neighborhoods. For example, swap out haroset for rotten lettuce to symbolize the spoiled produce inner-city grocery stores carry. A potato chip is used for karpas to illustrate that greasy, high-fat chips are easier to find than fresh potatoes. Lastly, there is no egg on the seder plate: “Fresh eggs are one of the luxuries lacking in these neighborhoods.”


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning