Do you have an orange on your Seder plate?

This is one of those questions that you either get or you don't get.

For those of you who didn't get it, here's the story: Sushana Heschel was giving a lecture on Judaism and equality for women. An old crusty male rabbi gets up and says, "We need a woman on the bima like we need an orange on a Seder plate." Since then, in a show of solidarity, Jewish feminists place an orange on their Seder plate.

OK, cute story...BUT...is it true?

It seems that perhaps this tradition has more substance to it than just being a response to some long lost nameless man. In fact, the real reason for this tradition says more to me about Judaism and some key messages of feminist theory than the story. See what you think:

http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/17990/edition_id/359/format/html/displaystory.html

http://www.ritualwell.org/holidays/passover/onthesedertable/primaryobject.2005-07-08.9776011383

http://www.well.com/user/ari/writing/orange_on_sederplate2001.pdf

So which is it?