Shalom Friends,
The rabbis teach that “Passover is our celebration of redemption. We remember that in ancient Egypt, we were slaves; we celebrate our miraculous exodus and freedom. We raise each of the four cups to acknowledge the joy we feel that we live as free people today.”
This year, however, our joy is tempered with the knowledge that not all Jews are free, and our hearts are grieving for all of those being held hostage in Gaza. In addition, our hearts break for the lives that have been lost to terror and hate over the past six months. May their memories be a blessing.
During our Seders this year, we will remove 10 drops from our glasses for each of the 10 plagues that caused such destruction to the Egyptians because of the pharaoh’s hard-heartedness. So too, our hearts are heavy with the thought of the innocent who have died or are suffering. The wine drops are a reminder that compassion is part of our Seder experience, and our compassion this Passover is heightened.
As we gather around our Passover tables – both personal and communal – our hearts are with our fellow Jews who are desperate for freedom. We think of them. We are thinking about all of you. And we are celebrating on campus with our students on Tuesday, April, 23 at 6 p.m., in The Living Room, for our annual Passover Seder.
We hope that you find joy and meaning during your Seder(s) and during this Passover. May you know blessings, health, and safety, and when we say, “Next Year in Jerusalem,” let us invoke a more peaceful and compassionate time!
Amen!
Hag Sameach,
Rabbi Zachary Zysman
