Dear Friends,
As I have been bringing you messages from Israel for the last month, this week as we approach Passover, I offer the Pesach message from Anna Kislanski, the Executive Director of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (Israel’s Reform Movement) just as Israel’s Knesset took new steps this week to further consolidate the role of the Ultra-Orthodox, while the country is distracted by war.
This is the reality we carry with us to the Seder table this year. On the night of the Seder, we are commanded to ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” through the Four Questions. This year, as we approach Passover, these are the questions I find myself asking:
Because a free people is a people who ask difficult questions and has the courage to listen to the answers.
All of this is unfolding under the cover of war, while life itself remains deeply unsettled. It is difficult to fully convey how far from normal our daily lives are. In the first days of the war, the apartment of the Director of Education at IMPJ’s Mechina was destroyed by a missile attack. Just a couple days ago, the apartment of the daughter of our Deputy Director General for Fundraising and Overseas Relations, Anna Avital, was wrecked by an Iranian missile as well. Through no small miracle, they were both unharmed. These are deeply personal moments, and yet they are not isolated. Within our broader movement and professional team, others have experienced personal loss, displacement, and damage to their homes. These stories reflect a broader reality shared by so many across the country.
As I have been bringing you messages from Israel for the last month, this week as we approach Passover, I offer the Pesach message from Anna Kislanski, the Executive Director of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (Israel’s Reform Movement) just as Israel’s Knesset took new steps this week to further consolidate the role of the Ultra-Orthodox, while the country is distracted by war.
This is the reality we carry with us to the Seder table this year. On the night of the Seder, we are commanded to ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” through the Four Questions. This year, as we approach Passover, these are the questions I find myself asking:
- Why is this night different in our national priorities? - Are they serving society as a whole, or continuing to favor narrow sectoral interests?
- Why is this night different in the way resources are allocated? Is it right, especially in a time of war, to continue allocating funds to coalition agreements and narrow political interests, rather than addressing the urgent needs of Israeli society as a whole?
- Why is this night different in our commitment to democracy? How can actions and legislation that weaken its foundations continue to be advanced precisely at a time like this?
- Why is this night different in the direction we are taking? Where is this current war leading us, and does it offer a political and human horizon beyond the fighting itself?
Because a free people is a people who ask difficult questions and has the courage to listen to the answers.
All of this is unfolding under the cover of war, while life itself remains deeply unsettled. It is difficult to fully convey how far from normal our daily lives are. In the first days of the war, the apartment of the Director of Education at IMPJ’s Mechina was destroyed by a missile attack. Just a couple days ago, the apartment of the daughter of our Deputy Director General for Fundraising and Overseas Relations, Anna Avital, was wrecked by an Iranian missile as well. Through no small miracle, they were both unharmed. These are deeply personal moments, and yet they are not isolated. Within our broader movement and professional team, others have experienced personal loss, displacement, and damage to their homes. These stories reflect a broader reality shared by so many across the country.
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All of this is unfolding under the cover of war, while life itself remains deeply unsettled. It is difficult to fully convey how far from normal our daily lives are. In the first days of the war, the apartment of the Director of Education at IMPJ’s Mechina was destroyed by a missile attack. Just a couple days ago, the apartment of the daughter of our Deputy Director General for Fundraising and Overseas Relations, Anna Avital, was wrecked by an Iranian missile as well. Through no small miracle, they were both unharmed. These are deeply personal moments, and yet they are not isolated. Within our broader movement and professional team, others have experienced personal loss, displacement, and damage to their homes. These stories reflect a broader reality shared by so many across the country.
May this Passover bring strength, connection, and hope. And may we continue, together, on the path toward freedom. |
Chag Pesach Samech,
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
Rabbi Douglas Kohn
