Recommended Price $60.00
Dear Shluchim,
This Pesach, elevate your Seder—and every moment that follows.
Seder Gems 2025 offers a curated series of original reflections rooted in Torah and Chasidic thought, brought to life with powerful stories, timely insight, and touches of humor your community will remember.
Whether you’re leading a Seder, delivering a sermon, or giving a class, these gems are crafted to spark connection, deepen understanding, and bring the Haggadah to life across the entire yom tov.
Here’s a preview of this year’s Seder Gems for the First Night:
הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא
The Window Was a Lie
The Seder begins with an unexpected invitation—not to a feast, but to share in brokenness. In this moving reflection, a blind storyteller and an imagined window reveal a deeper truth: that generosity doesn’t require wealth, and freedom doesn’t begin with miracles. It begins with compassion. A stirring meditation on how even in darkness, one heart can bring light to another.
עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה
The Rubber Duck Principle
What does it mean to be a slave to Pharaoh—but not Pharaoh’s slave? In this powerful reflection, the story of the Exodus becomes a meditation on memory, resilience, and the fire that never goes out. From a burning bush in the desert to a lost shipment of rubber ducks drifting across oceans, this Seder Gem reminds us that while we may be scattered, we are never truly lost. Our chains never reach the soul.
אֶחָד חָכָם, וְאֶחָד רָשָׁע
How George Rohr Helped Transform Jewish Life on College Campuses
What if the students who believe they have “no background” are actually heirs to the deepest legacy on earth? In this inspiring Seder Gem, a brief exchange between George Rohr and the Lubavitcher Rebbe becomes the catalyst for a global transformation. Through one man’s journey, we discover a powerful truth: Jewish identity isn’t built—it’s uncovered, like rediscovering a forgotten Rembrandt beneath layers of time. And sometimes, all it takes to awaken a soul is to remind it where it comes from. This story is more than the conversation—it’s the movement that followed.
דַּם צְפַרְדֵּעַ כִּנִּים...
The Warm Stone We Threw Away
What if the habits we ignore are quietly shaping the people we become? In this thought-provoking Seder Gem, a mysterious stone on a distant shore becomes a parable for missed moments, Pharaoh’s downfall, and the subtle power of routine. Through ancient plagues and everyday patterns, we’re reminded: not every lost treasure looks like gold. Sometimes, it’s the warm stone we didn’t notice—until it was already gone.
מַצָּה זוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹכְלִין, עַל שׁוּם מָה?
Why Waiting is No Longer an Option for the Jewish People
Was it Pharaoh who rushed the Jews out of Egypt—or were the Jews rushing themselves? In this timely Seder Gem, an ancient debate between two sages becomes a lens for understanding our current moment. Drawing bold lines between the Exodus and today’s moral crossroads, this piece explores why hesitation can be fatal—and why the time to lead, to act, and to share the beauty of Judaism is now. The doors are still open. But they won’t stay open forever.
לֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ
The Five-Second Rule
What do matzah, mitzvot, and modern psychology have in common? More than you think. In this energizing Seder Gem, ancient Talmudic wisdom meets cutting-edge behavioral science to reveal how hesitation quietly derails our best intentions. Through the lens of the “five-second rule,” we learn that transformation doesn’t begin in years—it begins in moments. And sometimes, the difference between action and regret is just five seconds.
מֵאַשְׁפֹּת יָרִים אֶבְיוֹן
The Law of the Garbage Truck
What if freedom began not with changing your life—but with refusing to carry someone else’s baggage? In this powerful Seder Gem, a line from Psalms meets a New York taxi ride to reveal a simple truth: people often unload their frustration on others—but we don’t have to pick it up. With warmth and clarity, this piece shows how real strength means rising above the noise, letting go of what weighs us down, and reclaiming our inner peace—one small act of freedom at a time.
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If you're facing financial difficulty, please feel free to pay less—we built this with shluchim in mind, and family comes first. These resources were created to make sure every shliach has what they need to lead, teach, and inspire. That’s our priority—giving you what helps you do what you do best.
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A Kosher un Freilichen Pesach,
Dov Greenberg
