LUCKY SEVERSON, guest anchor: On our calendar this week, the eight-day Jewish observance of Passover. On Wednesday night, Jews will gather for a Seder, a special dinner, where they retell the story of their ancestors' exodus from Egypt. The Seder ritual is guided by a special book called the Haggadah. In recent years, in addition to the traditional observance, some Jewish groups have developed Seders with a special focus. This year, Ma'yan, the Women's Project at the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, celebrated the tenth anniversary of its feminist Seder. The story from Kim Lawton.

Rabbi JOY LEVITT (reading): Why is this night different from all other nights?

KIM LAWTON: It's a Passover Seder -- but one quite different from most traditional Seders. This one recounts the children of Israel's exodus from slavery in Egypt from the perspective of women.

Rabbi LEVITT (Jewish Community Center, New York City) : A feminist Seder attempts to locate women in that story, not only the story of the liberation of the Israelites in Egypt but the continuing, evolving story of liberation of women everywhere.

Rabbi LEVITT (reading with unidentified woman): What do we cleanse ourselves of tonight? The exhaustion of cleaning and cooking. The echo of exclusionary language. The weight of history. The fear of women's voices.

LAWTON: The feminist ritual is guided by a specially written Haggadah -- or text -- which uses feminine language for God. Daughters, instead of sons, ask the Four Questions, which help tell the story.

Rabbi LEVITT: It's important for every Jew to make this ritual his or her own. That's the commandment that the rabbis bestow on us -- that one needs to feel this experience personally.