Passover as reflection and purpose

Pesach fills us with a sense of anticipation, reflection, and deep responsibility. It is a joyous holiday celebrating togetherness and retelling the story of the Exodus, emphasizing the resilience that lives within the human spirit. Key themes are freedom, resiliency, and acknowledgement.  Throughout Pesach, we often spend time with loved ones reflecting on our history and celebrating our triumphs, our miracles.

Pesach is a special time for me as it brings my extended family together. It has also served as an introduction to numerous significant others and is a great way for them to get to know the idiosyncrasies of our family. We also invite several friends, as our way of sharing our celebration with those who don’t know and want to learn.

My favorite lines in the Haggadah (besides “dinner is served” of course) is “All who are hungry, let them come and eat. All who are in need, let them come celebrate Passover with us.” This is so very powerful and speaks to the human condition. There are people in need, and when given the chance to help, we as Jews make every effort. Even the gesture of providing a meal for someone who is hungry can make a difference.

In times of need Jews come together, and that powerful sense of connection strengthens us all. When we lift one another up, we begin to make meaningful changes, changes I am so very proud of making. The work of the Jewish Alliance and its local and global partners serves with purpose and priority: human and social services; formal and informal Jewish education, and community engagement. Each day so many Jewish organizations communitywide are doing incredible work with our shared vision, and I am honored to be doing this alongside them.

So much of this work is made possible through your contributions to the Community Campaign. You support local and overseas partners in our shared efforts to sustain an accessible and more inclusive Jewish community. We invite you to become involved through committee membership or by donating directly to the Community Campaign.

For more information on ways to give, visit the Jewish Alliance website or contact Brad Swartz, Fundraising and Partnership Manager, at bswartz@jewishallianceri.org.

Together, we can make a meaningful difference.