Recently I became aware of a new addition to the progressive Seder plate which had me aghast. With the addition of a coconut one can be reminded of the experience of gay people who have not yet come out of the closet and announced to the world they are gay and proud.
I can appreciate that it can be traumatic and difficult to come out but in what way could a coconut come to symbolise this struggle? Well, a coconut is hard on this outside but soft on the inside. If I was gay I would be offended by this description. Plus I would also wonder why this potential experience might be in any way comparable to Slavery. The Seder plate has its role and that it to remind us of the experience of leaving Egypt-where according to tradition-we were enslaved by the Egyptians. The Seder does two things: it reminds of us Slavery/Bitterness and at the same time of Redemption. However, this is-and should be-localised to the Tribal Knowledge of Jews because it is important and self-defining within the Jewish context.
It is clear to me that progressive Jews suffer from the guilt that they are in anyway special or different from others. They try to minimalise this but widening the goalposts and bringing in the negative experiences of all other people so that the Seder plate could well have been endorsed by Amnesty International. Some examples were presented to me about what else could this World Anti-Slavery Day that is Pesach could incorporate.
How about a Tongue on the Seder plate to symbolise everyone who is not allowed to speak openly because their views are too old-fashioned and traditional?
Some dog faeces to symbolise the slavery of the modern age, working like a dog to fulfill societal standards of achievement.
A mirror to show us ourselves in truth
A broken flower to remind us of female genital mutilation
A Dildo to highlight the terrible affliction of all those women who are not getting enough Sex or to highlight the afflictions of women messed up by the Porn Industry
A small tree to represent all those animals that have lost their natural habitats through deforestation.
A graduation gown for all those poor people who didn't get into Oxford or Cambridge.
A plastic baby to either highlight anyone who has ever lost a baby (rahamana lislan) or suffered from Infertility.
Perhaps we should davka eat bread at Pesach to highlight all those people who do not get enough to eat either through Poverty or Malnutrition. Perhaps someone could organise an Occupy Sit-in protest on First day Pesach by sitting outside Synagogues eating Gregg's pasties.
Baahhhhh Matzah
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