Freedom Seder Revisited is back in person!

As many Jews prepare for Passover, the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday, we invite people of all backgrounds to join us for a Passover seder-inspired evening with good food and conversation. Instead of a traditional seder, the retelling of the Exodus story will be substituted with an artfully curated lineup of storytellers, speakers, and songsters whose presentations will reflect Passover themes such as freedom and “welcoming the stranger.”

Story and song selections will tie to Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms posters which are currently featured in the Weitzman Museum’s special exhibition, The Future Will Follow the Past: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz. One of the central tenets of Passover (and history museums!) is understanding the meaning of the past in our lives today.The Weitzman’s current exhibition explores this idea through Rockwell’s Four Freedoms, first articulated by Franklin D. Roosevelt: Freedom of Speech, Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Worship, and Freedom from Want.The posters appear alongside contemporary works on the same themes by other artists.

This annual event is inspired by the historic 1969 Freedom Seder, where hundreds of people of all backgrounds gathered to explore and celebrate freedom in the context of the civil rights movement. This communal event invites you to our table for an evening commemoration, stories, performances, and community exploration of freedom in America today.

Storytellers, Speakers and Musicians include:

• Elaine S Holton (she/her) – Queer, Jewish, Black-Chinese American community-centered Philadelphia artist, Creative Director and Teaching Artist at PHonk!Philly
• Ximena Violante (he/they) – Mexican violinist, jarana player, singer, teacher, actor and organizer creating spaces for people to celebrate their roots, reimagine their futures, and expand their communities
• Betty Smithsonian (she/her) – comic, creator, performer, entertainer and award winning goof
• Pauli Reese (they/them) – storyteller, teaching artist, queer spiritual and theological thinker, musical improviser and producer
• Geoff Jackson (he/him) – Philadelphia based comedian and storyteller; Host of the Schooled! and Nitty Gritty storytelling shows
• Rabbi Arthur Waskow, organizer of the original 1969 Freedom Seder, founder and director of the Shalom Center
• Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler Ph.D, Pastor, Mother Bethel AME Church
• Rabbi Yosef Zarnighian, Congregation Mikveh Israel Associate Rabbi
• Aly Halpert (she/her), musician, educator, and activist. Debut album, “Loosen”, was released on Rising Song Records in 2022. With musical accompaniment from Avra K’Davra (they/them) and Elliot Beck (he/him).

*Kosher food to be provided by Panache Catering