Monday, April 22, 2024

May This Pesach Bring an End to War and Bring Peace to Our People

This has been a tough year. Israel is going through one of it's most challenging periods since its founding in 1948. They are fighting for their very lives. with an enemy determined to annihilate them. Even though Israel's military is clearly capable of defending itself, it has come - and will unfortunately continue come at great cost  in both blood and treasure.

The Jewish people have not been under such  assault since the Holocaust. Although obviously not anywhere near the same level. And just as obviously not by - either our benevolent government or the vast majority of it people. Still, the assault from the few is still greater in number and more vocal than at any time in American history.

The war against Hamas has brought out into the open in very strident ways the latent antisemitism in a lot of people.  Thankfully, unlike Europe of the 30s  the  American government and its people do not  tolerate it. 

It is for tis reason that this year's celebration of Pesach has taken on deeper meaning. We are a lot closer to the persecution our ancestors had in ancient Egypt than we have ever been in this country (obviously of course not anywhere near its intensity).

As we are about to celebrate our liberation from slavery in Egypt - a liberation that included our formation as a nation at Sinai through the reception of the Torah - culminating with our entry into the promised land, I pray that just like our ancestors were given salvation by the Lord, so too will the Jewish people - their offspring many generations later - be given theirs. 

With that in mind, I want to wish everyone a happy and Kosher Pesach. May God protect and save the Jewish people. May He bring peace to his people and to the entire world.

The Tenth Plague

Pour Out Your Wrath

Exodus

The Four Cups

Why are Women Required to Recite the Haggadah

Sinas Chinam and Pesach

The Fifth Cup

The Torah is Not in Heaven

L'fichach

Pesach, Matza, Marror

Yochel MeRosh Chodesh

Amen

Maschil B'Gnus U'Mesayem B'Shvach

Heseibah L'ikuva

Kol Difchin

Baruch Shomer Haftechaso

The Haggadah and Kriyas Yam Suf

Kriyas Yam Suf

Torah Thoughts for the Seder