However you may be walking into Passover this year, know that you are with us around our SVIVAH seder table.
The Burdens We Carry On the Journey to Redemption
Featuring Rabbanit Aliza Sperling, Rabbanit Anne Gordon, Rabbi Tamara Cohen, Rabbanit Chani Bloom, and Rabbanit Dalia Davis
Every year, we’re asked to imagine ourselves as if we personally left Egypt. This Pesach, many of us are arriving at the Seder carrying… a lot. Personally, communally, globally. The Seder is an opportunity to talk around the table, hear each other’s stories, and appreciate each other’s journeys. So what are you carrying into the Seder this year?
What the Seder Can Teach Us About Living Through Difficult Times
Featuring Rabbanit Alissa Thomas-Newborn, Rabbanit Aliza Sperling, and Rabbanit Dalia Davis
While we often focus on the miracle of the Exodus, the Haggadah spends significant time on the "very difficult" parts of our history. What can Seder rituals teach us about navigating today’s hardships? Explore the link between struggle and redemption, and the work required to shape the future we hope for.
The Redemptive Power of Speech
Featuring Rabbi Dr. Erin Lieb Smokler, Rabbi Maya Zinkow, Rabbanit Aliza Sperling
The Passover story reminds us of the immense impact of our words. In a world that feels increasingly divided, we need speech that connects, builds bridges, and heals more than ever. What does our tradition teach us about using language as a force for good? By exploring the redemptive power of speech, we can ask: how do our words shape a better reality, and what does it mean to wield that power for the sake of healing?
Connective Conversations: Coming to the Table Across Difference
Featuring Dr. Michelle Friedman and Rabbanit Dalia Davis and Ellie Flier
While "Pesach prep" often focuses on physical readiness, this year brings a unique layer of emotional anxiety as we prepare to sit across from those with radically different worldviews. How do we emotionally and spiritually prepare for encounters that may leave us feeling stunned or isolated? By examining the nature of difficult conversations, we can explore practical tools for self-care and community-building. Join us as we consider how to turn these challenging moments into a nurturing element of our preparation, ensuring we can take our seats at diverse and complex tables with both resilience and heart.
A collection of songs from her heart and home to yours — from R’ Dalia Davis
Here are some of the questions we’ve asked across the years in our HerTorah gatherings. Thoughtful prompts you can take in whatever direction feels right — whether you choose one or a few. Bring them to your table, into your conversations, or just sit with them yourself. Let them open something, gently.
“A seat at my seder table”— Ariele Mortkowitz in Times of Israel, 2019
Unmasking Matza — Rabbanit Aliza Sperling in Times of Israel, 2020
What does it mean to free yourself?!