Pesach 5785 - Passover 2025

      Never before has the connection between the Passover theme and the reality we find ourselves in been so apparent.   

At the Seder, many people try to place the Exodus story in a contemporary perspective - and with the current administration - this practically writes itself.  

The themes of Passover, freedom, freedom from bondage, freedom from slavery, freedom to be who you are, controlling your own life, your own body, and make your own choices, and of course, as I have been discussing previously, honoring the central theme of the Torah, represented by the verse in Shmot /Exodus 23:9 
"Do Not oppress a stranger. You should know the soul (feelings) of the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt”,  which of course is the theme of Passover.
This sentiment  -  honor the stranger - returns in the Torah approx. 35 times, thus qualifying it for the award of the most precious message of the entire Torah.

At one point or another, we, or our ancestors, were all strangers in the land of the USA.
They all came from somewhere.  We are - in a sense - ALL immigrants whether – like in my case from 1987, or in your ancestors’ cases, maybe 100 years ago, or more. 

This country’s main theme was to welcome people from all over and to realize that our country becomes stronger, smarter, more productive and, yes, more American, for every “stranger” we admit to our union.  Studies have shown that – as opposed to the misconception that “they take our jobs away from us”, for every immigrant who gets a job here, multiple other jobs are created, through the hard work and creativity of the immigrant. 
This has been thoroughly documented.  One recent study showed, and I quote:

“Immigrants boost overall economic growth by expanding the labor force and increasing consumer spending. The foreign born also start new businesses at higher rates than U.S.-born individuals. Immigrants were involved in the development of 30 percent of patents in strategic industries in recent years, and more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants.”

Our sacred pledge to the tradition of Pesach / Passover is to stand up and defend Jewish values when it comes to Human Rights.  Judaism is not primarily about keeping kosher or praying to God, it is about loving our neighbors as ourselves.
 In the next few months, we have an opportunity to fulfill the promise of Pesach and I hope all of us make that commitment!

Wishing you all a meaningful Pesach.