Tonight, we retell the foundational story of the Jewish people: “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. God freed us for a purpose.”
Embedded in this narrative is not only the oppression and degradation we experienced in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago, but countless other moments of humiliation and suffering we have endured throughout the centuries.
Instead of dwelling on the pain and sadness though, our tradition celebrates the miracle of our deliverance and then goes one step further into the realm of the truly sublime: We are commanded to transform our journey from bondage to freedom into a life of meaning and purpose for ourselves and others as well.
There is sadly still much darkness in our world. We see violence in Ukraine and in our own cities. We read stories of murderous acts of terror in our people’s Homeland. Yet we do not despair because we remember that we have experienced the wonder of redemption before and so we continue to hope for it once again. And we know that we are not powerless in this continuously unfolding story. Our acts of bravery, generosity, and tikvah can shape our own future and that of our descendants as well.
So tonight, we tell our story once again. Its meaning continues to evolve as we and our world change. But at the core of the story is the eternal truth that our lives have purpose and that at every moment we can bring goodness into the world through the work of our hands and hearts.
Jacqueline, Isa, Ariela, and Naomi join me in wishing you and yours a Happy Pesach filled with joy and meaning.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
