TO BE RECITED DURING THE PESACH SEDER AT YACHATZ WHEN BREAKING THE MIDDLE MATZAH

Pesach is a wonderful time to be together as one Jewish family, our symbols with our actions, our ritual with our ethics.

We recall springtime as we eat the green vegetable Karpas.

May we remember that it symbolizes a renewal of nature and the human spirit.

We recall our people's tears and suffering as we dip into the saltwater.

May we remember our people's past oppressions and care for those in Israel, Argentina and other lands, who still have tears and pain.

We recall the bitterness of slavery as we eat the Maror.

May we remember the plight of the poor and the downtrodden and alleviate their distress.

We recall our servitude to Pharaoh as we eat the Matzah, the bread of affliction.

May we remember God's redemption of our people and how Matzah became the first food eaten in freedom.

Pesach is a beloved holiday, not only because we recall our freedom, but also because we share our concerns for all in need. We cannot only taste the foods. We have to remember our responsibilities as Jews to reach out and assist others with our tzedakah, our charitable obligations, and through our gemilut hasadim, our acts.

Let us now take the middle Matzah and divide it in half. As we break this Matzah
and set it aside, we link ourselves symbolically with all Jews throughout the world,
especially those in troubled lands and those who were broken from the community
of Israel for so long and have only recently rejoined Klal Yisrael, in Israel.

Our Seder meal will not conclude until the missing piece of Matzah is found and returned to the table. The Matzah, when restored, shows the desire of our people to be together as one, at peace. As Jews, we are a people of sacred fragments; we need help from God to bond together in everlasting unity.

These symbols and rituals at the Seder reconnect us to our sacred past, remind us of our Divine mission, and challenge us to create a future of wholeness for Jews the world over.