Hallel at the Seder: Redemption in Two Parts

At our Passover Seder, we sing Hallel, but we do something unusual. We begin the song before the meal and complete it much later, after we eat the Afikomen.

In this session, Rabbi Jay Stein explores what this structure suggests about the Jewish perspective on redemption and gratitude. He will examine why Hallel is divided at the Seder, why it is sometimes recited in full and sometimes only partially, and how the structure of the Seder itself carries theological meaning. Drawing on classical sources and modern voices, we will consider how Jewish tradition understands redemption not as a single triumphant moment, but as a process that unfolds. The song reflects the journey: narrated, embodied, and only then completed.

Hallel becomes more than familiar words from the Seder table. It becomes a guide for how we move from constriction to expansiveness, from memory to gratitude, and from story to lived experience. Join us for a deeper look at the song that shapes our celebration of freedom.

We strive to ensure access and meaningful participation by all. As such, this program will have closed captioning.

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Rabbi Jay Stein received his B.A. from Columbia University and earned a B.A. in Ordination and an M.A. in Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he later received his Doctor of Divinity. He was also an Alef-Alef Fellow at Tel Aviv University and was awarded the Lowenfeld Prize in Practical Theology.

Rabbi Stein serves as the Rabbi of Greenburgh Hebrew Center and has held leadership roles, including service on the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards and as President of the Philadelphia Board of Rabbis. He is a certified counselor in chemical dependence, a police chaplain for the Village of Dobbs Ferry, and an Adjunct Professor at Mercy College.

The author of Found in Thought and numerous academic articles, Rabbi Stein brings together scholarship, pastoral experience, and practical theology in his teaching and writing. He is married to Sharon and is the father of Adi, Nina, Gavi, Mia, and Yasi, and a proud grandfather of Mo, Melia, Amalia, and Zusha.

#Culture #Holidays #Practice

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