Nirtzah, the final stage of the Seder, literally means “accepted”. In it we express our hope that we performed the Seder right, remembered the Exodus and thanked God. At this point, we open the door for Elijah and pour him a glass of wine as a sign of our faith in the imminent redemption.
Then, we sing L’shana Haba’a B’yerushalayim, “Next Year in Jerusalem”. Do we mean it? In Jerusalem, we pray to have the privilege of still being here next year and to see Jerusalem fully rebuilt. Before the birth of the state of Israel, Next year in Jerusalem was a prayer for Jews expressing the longing of Jews to come to Israel and be able to live freely in their own land.
Today, this prayer not just a pious hope but is in the power of any Jew who can buy a plane ticket to realise.