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An Ecumenical Seder

T

he Passover seder is
not only the retelling
of the past. It is a cel-
ebration of the birthing of free-
doms. The Hagaddah teaches us
that we, not only our forebears,
are liberated from Mitzrayim
and not only from Egypt, but
every narrow place.
We are taught to go beyond
telling about the departure from
Mitzrayim for "all these are wor-
thy of praise." It is with this in
mind that the American Jewish
Committee Metropolitan Detroit
Chapter hosts a traditional sec-
ond-night Passover seder every
year at my home. Guests include
clergy and leaders from diverse
faiths, ethnic and cultural com-
munities.

People often ask why I invite
non-Jews during this holiday. I
grew up in a household where
Passover was observed and cel-
ebrated to the fullest. My family
always incorporated southern
hospitality mixed with gemilut
chasadim values; guests from all
walks of life would be welcomed
in our home. Participation in
ecumenical services, celebrations
and sacred music concerts wee
not unusual. It was truly a very
interesting childhood.
As an adult, I have adopted
this form of seder hospitality
throughout the last 18 years with
the American Jewish Committee.
This annual experience affords
me the opportunity to further my
own learning so that I am able

reminded that in
to answer questions
the Middle Ages,
from AJCommittee
the rabbis would
guests be they Jews,
insist on having
Christians, Hindus
non- Jews not only
or Muslims.
viewing, but also
Around this time,
participating in the
I am often asked to
baking of the matzot.
speak to Christians
Rabbi Shmelke of
about Jesus and
Nikolsburg
would
the Judaism of
even invite a promi-
his time or about
Sharona Sharpio nent non-Jew to his
the connections
Comm unity
seder and translate
between Passover
Perspective
_throughout the eve-
and Easter. I often
ning. These rabbis
discuss the histori-
wished to ensure that credible
cal linkages between passion
non-Jewish sources would be
plays and blood libel accusa-
able to serve as witnesses that,
tions. In a recent rereading of
in fact, Jews did not use.the
Rabbi Menachem Hacohen's
blood of a Christian child in
The Passover Hagaddah,
the Passover ceremony.
Legends and Customs, I am

In parts of the Arab world
and in Intenet chat rooms,
blood libel stories can be
found today. The AJCommittee
is vigilant in raising its voice
and utilizing every diplomatic
resource available to stop this
ugliness.
This year's Passover was
truly meaningful as my family,
friends and guests recited the
Hagaddah words, knowing that
here in America we don't have
to invite non-Jews to protect
ourselves. Instead we can cel-
ebrate freedom with them.

Sharona Shapiro is executive direc-

tor of the Bloomfield Township-

based American Jewish Committee

Metropolitan Detroit Chapter.

Environmental Shabbat

New York

T

his year, Earth Day
falls on a Saturday,
April 22, providing
a perfect opportunity to turn
the day into an "environmental
Shabbat."
Shabbat is a reminder'of cre-
ation, as the Bible writes after
six days of creation: "The heaven
and earth were finished, and all
their hosts. And on the seventh
day, God finished all the work
that He had done, and on the
seventh day, God rested" (Genesis
2:1-2). When God created the
world, he was able to say, "It is
very good" (Genesis 1:31).
Everything was in harmony
as God had planned; the waters
were clean; the air was pure. But
what must God think about the
world today? What must God
think when the rain he sends to
nourish our crops is often acid
rain due to the many chemicals
poured into the air by our indus-
tries?
What about the abundance of
species of plants and animals

26

April 20 • 2006

that God created that are becom-
ing extinct in tropical rain forests
and other threatened habitats?
When the fertile soil that God
provided is rapidly being deplet-
ed and eroded? When the climat-
ic conditions that God designed
to meet our needs are threatened
by global warming?
Earth Day also falls almost
immediately after Passover this
year, and today's environmental
threats can be compared to the
biblical 10 plagues, which are
considered at the Passover seder:
• When we consider the threats
to our•land, waters, and air,
pesticides and other chemical
pollutants, resource scarcities
and threats to our climate, we
can easily enumerate 10 modern
"plagues."
• The Egyptians were subjected
to one plague at a time, while the
modern plagues are threatening
us all at once.
• The Israelites in Goshen
were spared most of the biblical
plagues, while every person on
earth is imperiled by the modern
plagues.

this year to improving
• Instead of an
two lives, that of our
ancient pharaoh's
endangered planet
heart being hardened,
and that of Judaism.
our hearts today have
The Challenges
been hardened by the
Our planet is argu-
greed, materialism,
ably threatened as
and waste that are
never before. An
at the root of cur-
ancient rabbinic
rent environmental
teaching has become
threats.
all too relevant today:
God
provided
•
"In the hour when the
the biblical plagues
Richard H.
Holy one, blessed be
to free the Israelites,
Schwatrz
He,
created the first
while today we must
Special
person,
God showed
apply God's teach-
Commentary
him the trees in the ,
ings in order to save
Garden of Eden, and said to him:
ourselves and our precious but -
"'See My works, how fine they
imperiled planet.
are; Now all that I have created,
This year's event will be the
I created for your benefit. Think
36th anniversary of Earth Day.
upon this and do not corrupt
The number 36 has special sig-
and destroy My world, For if
nificance in Judaism, as it rep-
you destroy it, there is no one to
resents the number of righteous
restore it after you'" (Ecclesiastes
people who uphold the world. It
Rabbah 7:28).
also represents twice chai, the
Environmental problems today
Hebrew word for life.
are due to the fact that the ways
Chai is composed of the
of the world are completely con-
Hebrew letters chet and yud,
whose numerical values are eight trary to Jewish values:
• Judaism teaches that the
and 10, thus adding up to 18.
earth is God's and that we are to
Hence, we can relate Earth Day

be partners and co-workers with
God in protecting the environ-
ment. But today's philosophy is
that the earth is to be exploited
for maximum profit, regardless
of the long-range ecological con-
sequences.
• Judaism stresses ba'al
tashchit — that we are not to
waste or unnecessarily destroy
anything of value. By contrast,
wastefulness in the United States
is so great that, with about 4
percent of the world's population
it uses about one-third of the
world's resources, and this has a
major impact on pollution and
resource scarcities.
• Judaism asserts that a wise
person considers the long-range
consequences of his/her actions
and that we must plan for future
generations; but the way of the
world today is often to consider
only immediate gains.
The book of Jonah, read dur-
ing the afternoon service of Yom
Kippur, has a powerful lesson
with regard to current eco-
threats. Jonah was sent by God
to Nineveh to urge the people

