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Passover is more than just around the corner. We can see it; it’s coming quickly in five days. It’s a holiday filled with lots of preparations and activity. There is a sense of calm when, at last, the seder and dinner begin. It is one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays, providing Jews worldwide with a sense of connection, something we desperately need in these times.
We tell and retell the same Passover story every year and across generations, yet we forget where we came from and where we need to go. It is a story of fear and courage, cruelty and resistance, of a people who refused to accept that oppression was the natural order of the world. The holiday’s central theme of the pursuit of freedom, pushing through despair and forces that seek to destroy, is timeless.
It is a tale of fear and bravery, cruelty and defiance, about a people who refused to accept that oppression defined their world. Pharaoh’s goal was to dehumanize and diminish the dignity of the Jews, stripping away their rights, silencing their voices, and making them believe they were powerless.
Today, we face fear and instability everywhere. Missiles strike the Jewish homeland. Antisemitism spreads across the world. Our democracy seems more fragile, with attacks on the rule of law and the institutions meant to protect us. Armed militias patrol our streets, approach schools and daycares, and spread fear among everyone. Women are dying because they lack access to reproductive healthcare. Synagogues are being targeted. School shootings happen so frequently now that they no longer surprise us.
We simply must ask, as we do in the Hagaddah, DAYENU: isn’t it enough?
The answer is yes. But we must act fearlessly and boldly, just like the Jews who left Egypt, heading into the unknown.
Passover is not simply a story to remember. It is a call to action. Through your values, your voice, and your vote, we can finally say enough.
Wishing everyone a Happy Passover.
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