32 | APRIL 18 • 2024
J
N
L
et My people go that
they may celebrate a
festival for Me in the
wilderness …” Exodus 5:1.
Have any words ever
sounded more profound and
relevant than they do right
now.
By the time the sun sets on
the first seder, if they are still
in Gaza, some 134 hostages,
whether they be alive or dead,
will have been held hostage
for 198 days.
Perhaps the themes of
Passover, the Festival of
Freedom, have never felt
more meaningful, painful or
relevant in our most recent
memory as they do right now.
After almost seven months
of holding vigils for the
hostages both physically and
spiritually, how do we as Jews
gather at our seder tables
when the hostage situation by
Passover may be unresolved?
How do we commemorate
this holiday while our
brethren remain enslaved in
captivity?
Perhaps Passover will feel a
bit different this year because
it may be the first in our
lifetimes when we are living
through history. But through
the centuries, Jews have sat
at their seders and celebrated
Passover in many instances of
persecution.
Local rabbis have
ruminated about the notion
that Passover may come
without a return of the
hostages. Several say it has
been on their minds for
months as they reflected
on how this will change the
timbre of our seders and
Passover observances.
PESACH IN TIMES
OF TROUBLE
Rabbi Benzion
Geisinsky of
Chabad of
Bloomfield Hills
reminded that
this is not the
first time in
Jewish history that Jews have
observed Passover in times
of persecution and existential
threat.
Geisinsky pointed to
a piece in the April 2020
issue of Moment magazine.
Compiled in the early days
of the COVID pandemic, it
contained examples of how
Jews celebrated Passover
under Babylonian and
Roman exiles, Crusades and
the European Black Death.
Survivors of the
Inquisition, Jews held seder
not on the first two nights
but on the fifth nights in
communities in Spain,
Portugal and Sicily and
Sardinia, ironically helped by
their Christian neighbors, is
one example from centuries
ago.
“While I’m sure the
discussions around the
Passover table were very
different in times of
persecution and troubles
than during happy times,
the words of the Haggadah
stayed the same,” Geisinsky
said. “Certainly, during the
most horrific times in our
history the words of ‘vehee
sheamda’ (that which refers to
our ancestors applies to us as
well) were very relevant.
“We all declare that ‘in
every generation, they are out
to get us … and G-d saves us
from their hands.’ But never
have we given up the hope for
‘Next year in Jerusalem.’”
Geisinsky said the words of
the Haggadah are perfect the
way they are.
“Though we could surely
use a l’chaim during the
[festive] meal, we are all
wishing for the ultimate
redemption to come upon us
speedily.”
ADDING NEW
TRADITIONS
Rabbi Steven Rubenstein said
the community may want to
add a tradition of singing the
Acheinu prayer for redeeming
Local rabbis share their
Pesach messages.
Let My
People Go
continued on page 34
Rabbi
Benzion
Geisinsky
STACY GITTLEMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PASSOVER