Leading up to Passover, we are highlighting personal stories from our congregants about their own Exodus journeys: literal and figurative. We hope these stories of immigration or of overcoming personal challenges inspire you to think about your own Exodus tales.
If you would be interested in sharing your story in the future, please reach out to Rabbi Sari Laufer ([email protected]).
The Hidden Light
by Golareh Ramin
On the morning of March 29, 2020, as my children and I were celebrating, in happiness, my husband’s birthday, with a backyard breakfast, loud sirens of an ambulance drove past our home. An eerie feeling took over. Those sirens led straight to my parent’s home close by. My father had contracted double pneumonia, was septic, and we later learned, had a severe case of the COVID-19 virus. The next 40 days of his time isolated in the ICU were terrible and fateful. An unimaginable darkness took over my life.
How quickly darkness nullifies all things. Its lack of luminosity dulls the senses and renders everything insignificant. But you must find the hidden light fostered through love and community, caring and prayer. Through the support of the community of heroes—doctors, plasma donors, clergy, family, friends, and with faith—the hidden light grew stronger and hope prevailed. My father returned home, frail yet robust with light.
My father’s story, and anyone who has been fortunate to survive a health crisis of any kind, is the essence of the story of the Exodus during Passover: the journey from slavery into freedom, and from darkness into the light. My father’s journey to recovery was his Exodus into the light. For the Jews, the driving force that guided them to freedom was their faith, prayer, and communal bonds, and after 400 years of captivity, their hope transcended over the darkness. Without their faith and hope, their triumph of survival was unimaginable.
Similarly, hope and faith nourished my soul during a difficult time and brought me into the light. During this Passover celebration, in the time of COVID-19, we must relish in our fortunate health, freedom, and community—and let that nourish our souls with happiness. We must show gratitude for the simple gift of health and hidden light of hope.
Read more in our 2021 Haggadah supplement.
