34 | APRIL 18 • 2024 

BY RABBI AARON STARR

[To be read responsively, first by 
the leader and then by those 
gathered]
Tonight, we celebrate our 
freedom, and we sing psalms 
of joy.
Tonight, we pray for the 
release of our brothers and 
sisters suffering in captivity.
Tonight, we relish the warmth 
of our homes, surrounded by 
family and friends. 
Tonight, we are mindful of 
hundreds of thousands of 
Israelis displaced from their 
homes.
Tonight, we give thanks for 
the abundance of food and 
drink.
Tonight, we note the millions 
around the world who lack their 
most basic needs.
Tonight, we sit at the 
Passover table.
Tonight, we stand for the right 
of Jews everywhere to live in 
safety.
Tonight, we remember that 
we came out of Mitzrayim.
Tonight, we hope that no one 
will experience Mitzrayim ever 
again. 

captives this 
year. He said 
the passage, 
taken from the 
weekday Torah 
service and sung 
every day since 
Oct. 7 among 
world Jewry, is 
particularly relevant. 
The prayer translates: 

“May the Holy One be 
merciful to our fellow Jews 
who wander over sea and 
land, who suffer oppression 
and imprisonment. May God 
soon bring them relief from 
distress and deliver them 
from darkness to light, from 
subjugation to redemption. 
And let us say — Amen.” 
Rubenstein said he also 
concludes seder with the 
singing of “Hatikva,” which 
will also feel different this 
year than from past years. 
“Celebrating Pesach at our 
seder has always been about 
the context in which we 
celebrate,” Rubenstein said. 
“Even without any changes 
or additions to the seder, it 
will be impossible for most 
Jews to sit at the seder table 
and not think about the war 
in Israel — those who died 
on Oct. 7 and those who 
remain in captivity.” 

A WAY FORWARD

Rabbi Blair Nosanwisch of 
Adat Shalom of 
Farmington Hills 
said the Passover 
story is a story 
of “creating a 
way out of no 
way.”
“Passover 
is about moving from 
slavery to freedom, from 
sea crossing to shore, from 
the narrows (mitzrayim) to 
the expanse,” Nosanwisch 
said. “This is our yearly 
ritual of reminding ourselves 

that there is always a way 
forward, no matter how hard 
it is to see.” 
Nosanwisch added: 
“What is unique about the 
story of the Jewish people 
is that we never know what 
path forward each of us 
needs to cultivate. Every 
individual has to move 
from their personal narrow 
place to a place of openness 
and possibility. When we 
each make these journey’s 
authentically, it opens 
pathways forward for the 
collective as well.” 
When she thinks about 
the deep despair of the 
current moment, she 
reminds herself she can only 
be exactly where she is in the 
present. 
“I have to do work and 
contribute to possibility and 
growth from that position,” 
Nosanwisch said. “I cannot 
change the reality (in Israel 
or Gaza), but what channels 
can I open that will help to 
move my people forward 
across the turbulent sea of 
today?” 

SEEDS OF REDEMPTION

Rabbi Aaron Starr of 
Congregation Shaarey Zedek 
of Southfield 
said for most of 
Jewish history, 
we celebrated 
Passover while 
Jews were 
enslaved and 
oppressed. 
“Within my lifetime, we 
worked to free Soviet Jewry 
even as we gave thanks for 
our freedom in America,” 
Starr said. “Sadly, Passover 
5784 will be no exception. 
Just as we are obligated to 
observe the laws of Passover, 
so, too, are we duty-bound 
to remain mindful of the 
plight of the hostages in 

Gaza, of the current war 
in which Israel is engaged 
and the pending one in 
[Northern Israel] as well 
as the rise of antisemitism 
around the world.”
 Starr said, “Just as we 
recognize our current 
oppression, we pray that we 
will be redeemed just as God 
redeemed us from Egypt.” 
Starr added that the seeds 
of redemption were planted 
by our ancestors who 
remained resilient against 
their enemies, who kept 
their traditions despite their 
exile, and who united to care 
for each other to collectively 
overcome the struggles they 
faced. 

A SEAT FOR THE 
HOSTAGES
Rabbi Natalie Shribman of 
Temple Kol Ami in West 
Bloomfield 
said she thinks 
about the 
hostages each 
week during the 
recitation of the 
Mi Chamochah 
prayer that 
depicts the 
Children of Israel celebrating 
the parting of the Red Sea. 
“We celebrate our freedom 
from Egypt, yet we know 
there are so many in the 
world, including the Israelis 
being held hostage, who are 
not free,” Shribman said. 
“
As Emma Lazarus said, 
‘We are not free until we are 
all free.’ This Passover seder, 
we will have a seat for Elijah 
and the door open for him, 
and leave a seat open for the 
hostages as well. May the 
door open for them soon in 
due time. 
“Next year in Jerusalem, 
next year in freedom for 
everyone.” 

An 
Introduction 
to the Seder

Rabbi Blair 
Nosanwisch 

Rabbi 
Aaron Starr 

Rabbi 
Natalie 
Shribman 

Rabbi 
Steven 
Rubenstein 

PASSOVER

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