Chaverim y'karim - dear friends,

There are four major themes in Pesach: the Universal and the Particular; Gratitude and Aspiration. 

The universal message is: We were slaves in Egypt. Don't forget. Always remember. And make sure to work toward the freedom of all peoples. Why? Because we were slaves in the land of Egypt. God didn't lead us out of Egypt so we could be free. We were led out so we could live lives of intention, mitzvot (commandments), and feel a sacred responsibility toward bettering the human experience. Halleluyah! English, Hebrew, Arabic Version of Leonard Cohen's Halleluyah.

The particular message is: We were slaves in Egypt. Don't forget. Always remember. And make sure you are always on guard - and don't feel so alone - because in every generation there is one (or more) who rise up against us. After all, we have known the worst humanity can offer. From Hamas to Hitler, from Chmilnitzki to the Crusades, from Morocco to Baghdad, Odessa to Pittsburgh ... God's promise remains solidly along our side. V'hi she'amdah. (More Maccabeats' Pesach)

The gratitude message is: We were slaves in Egypt. Don't forget. Always remember. And make sure you always thank God for the miracles done for us, for you, and for our ability to stand on this very day and still be the people that serve God and are not servants to Pharaoh. Dayenu!

The aspirational message is: We were slaves in Egypt. Don't forget. Always remember. And make sure you always, always, always maintain hope in what is possible. We are part of the project to actualize whatever redemption, miracle, or messianic era await us. L'shanah HaBa'ah BiYerushalayim!

I love Passover for so many reasons: the food, the story, the music, the rituals, the uniqueness of the holiday. I have no doubt other peoples and other cultures have rich customs but who else looks for crumbs in corners as a ritual moment? Who else is eating horseradish to recall a historic event? And who else would eat gefilte fish (we could lose that one, I suppose)? These traditions are ours to savor and to embrace, to learn and discuss, to enjoy and to ponder. In any given year, there may be one theme of the holiday that stands out or speaks louder than others. 

What touches you about Passover this year? 

Where do you find yourself in relation to Pesach this year and how do the events of our own day shape some of the prayers, words, and rituals of the haggadah? 

How can you use this holiday to dig deeper into the meaning of coming from a people that has been enslaved, been granted freedom, been forced into exile, been granted equality, and been consistently disparaged yet survived by virtue of embracing our uniqueness and counter-cultural values!? 

I have compiled a small list of resources for you to consider and utilize over the coming days as we ready ourselves to leave Egypt, again. 

In the words of Moses, "Let My People Go!" ~ May the 59 remaining hostages from October 7 be let free as they suffer under the oppression of Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups, who collectively are a modern Pharaoh. As we watch a small but brave number of Palestinians stand up to their evil rulers, may those who demonstrate in the streets of Gaza find strength to bring leaders who seek to nourish their people with decency and peace.

May it be a happy Pesach, filled with much meaning. Chag sameach v'chasheir חג שמח וכשר!

Rabbi Mark Cohn

rabbicohn@tsholom.org

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"Yachatz & Precarious Peace" (Shalom Hartman Institute)

"Setting our Ghosts free - Yosef at the Seder" (Hadar Institute)

Passover 2025 Resources (One Table)

Passover 2025 (My Jewish Learning)

Passover Reader 5784: Not a Haggadah (Exploring Judaism)

Holidays: Passover (Tablet Magazine)

And since you scrolled down this far ... you have GOT TO SEE JewBelong's PASSOVER Haggadah and material. If you are unfamiliar with JewBelong ... you might want to spend a little time surfing their site. You will probably recognize their branding as some local billboards near Hartford have been touched by them - let alone major metro areas on East and West Coasts.

Pictured above: A seder table filled with ritual items and ... what's with all the fruit? IMPORTANT SEDER FACT: Once you have said the blessing for karpas (greens / parsley), you are free to eat all sorts of fruits and nuts ... which makes the journey out of Egypt and to the dinner much easier and will keep growling stomachs at bay! Enjoy!!

Remember to vote in the American Zionist Movement's Election as part of the World Zionist Congress. The Union for Reform Judaism and

the American Reform Zionist Association (ARZA) encourage you to vote for the REFORM PLATFORM. Vote for whomever you wish - just VOTE!!