This post was originally published here. Reposted with permission
Marisa Guerin, PhD.
Original event/calendar post. The downloadable MLK + 50 Freedom Seder created by the Shalom Center, which was a great resource in creating the Earth Hour seder.
Photos from the Seder were taken in low-light. We are grateful to have them! Thanks to Neysa Nevins for the visuals.
This reflection is inspired by the beautiful interfaith Seder that I participated in recently, jointly prepared and led by two women religious leaders, a rabbi and a minister (and that in itself was a gracious experience for this Catholic woman). The evening ceremony was focused on the theme of climate justice, and it was scheduled to coincide with “Earth Hour”, when electric lights around the world are turned off for one hour to shine a light on the need for climate action. The Seder was sponsored by Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light. In the beauty of candlelight, we commemorated the ancient traditions and living faiths of Judaism and Christianity.
During the service, Rabbi Malkah Binah Klein spoke of the symbolism of the matzo bread on each person’s plate. It is unleavened – that is, not puffed up, but plain, made with few ingredients and quickly-baked. Like our essential selves stripped of ego-puffiness, it is a bread that reminds us of what is basic and true. It is a bread of poverty, and also the bread that symbolizes freedom. It reminds us that even when what we have is humble and simple, we have enough. I could meditate on this for weeks.
Like matzo, the communion bread Continue reading Matzo Meditation — a liturgical interfaith seder at Earth Hour