Tomorrow evening, millions of Jews around the world will gather for Passover. Our tradition encourages us to imagine that we ourselves were once slaves in Egypt. The Haggadah helps us remember the story, evoking memories of those who are no longer here, those who shaped who we are and who we will yet be. These are our four children, our four questions, and it is our story of liberation that we tell. The foods we eat recall the pain of our bondage; matzah is “the bread of affliction.” We use this celebration to rededicate ourselves to fighting oppression wherever it may be.

The Exodus from Egypt marked the founding of the Jewish people with the ability to shape its own destiny. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Israel ruled itself not once, but twice before finally being dispersed from the land in 70 CE.

That dispersion lasted almost two thousand years. Since 1948, the story of our people changed dramatically. For even in the shadow of the Holocaust, there rose for a third time the possibility of Jewish self-determination in the establishment of the modern State of Israel.

Founded on principles of equality and justice, modern Israel provided a safe harbor for our people and the promise for its citizens to shape their own destiny through institutions of democracy, however imperfect. A democratic Jewish state: so defined by its majority population, its values, its culture and its history, in which all citizens no matter their race or religion, live by the rule of law, backed by final appeal to a Supreme Court. A democratic Jewish state: maintaining its aspirations to equality and justice despite being the only such nation in one of the most dangerous regions in the world.

As we discovered in our forty years wandering in the desert, freedom is not easy.

In the aftermath of the most recent Israeli election, it has been harder for many American Jews to imagine themselves as part of one people with a shared destiny. We leave to others an evaluation of these events: the denunciation of racial rhetoric even in the heat of the campaign, and the recognition that the only path to peace is one in which all people under the ultimate rule of the Israeli government enjoy an equal voice and say in the laws that govern them. We further recognize the importance of maintaining a strong relationship between America and Israel.

But we leave these topics to others for there is something more fundamental at stake.

Even as we may have profound disagreements, we remain bound as a people by history and practice, committed to a prophetic vision to improve our world. It is this collective responsibility for each other, this commitment to leaving a next generation better than we found it, that binds us to each other and to all those with whom we live, whether we are in St. Louis, in Israel or elsewhere. These values explain why for many of us Judaism remains central to a life well lived.

Now on the eve of Passover, as we retell the story of the formation of the Jewish people against a backdrop of more fractious times, what can we do? I believe we must use the lessons of freedom to reengage with our people, our values, our learning and our practice. We must reengage in Jewish life for the good of our people and the good of all.

For over a century, Jewish Federation of St. Louis has been dedicated to finding a path to support our people and embracing Jewish values to support anyone in need. In partnership with our agencies and synagogues, we are here to help build our community, whether in St. Louis, in Israel or around the world.

We must recognize that this moment demands reengagement. Join our community to learn about and travel to Israel, whether through The Rubin Israel Experience, Birthright, Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ Interfaith Mission, or your own congregation’s trip. Get involved in the work we do to continue the integration of Ethiopian immigrants in our partnership region of Yokne’am and Megiddo. Learn how we build relationships between Arabs and Jews through school programs like Hand in Hand, an integrated school in Jerusalem.  And attend a Sh’ma: Listen! Speaker Series event to learn more about our history and culture.

Our work continues wherever our people are in need. As events over the last year have shown—whether in Kansas City, Paris or elsewhere in the world—our support for local communities fighting anti-Semitism must continue unabated. We have made significant strides to secure our own St. Louis community through partnerships between local law enforcement, our agencies and synagogues to establish a strong response to any kind of threat or need in real time.

Jewish Federation of St. Louis’ recently released Community Study identified the critical needs of our people locally.  These include isolated seniors, low-income families and challenges to maintaining Jewish identity in a new age of engagement. We are building community connections with our agencies and synagogues to overcome these challenges investing the resources that so many of you make possible.

The challenges that we face as a people are not easy.  But one thing that freedom in America has taught us is the value of an open exchange of ideas to find critical solutions. We will need to be open as we move forward together, open to new solutions, open to new voices and open to new ideas that may not have resonated before. We invite you to join us in engaging with our community to create a safe space for this exploration of learning, debating and acting to build a strong community.

So, as we gather for the Passover Seder, let us recognize the struggle for freedom that our people have endured.

Let us not let our disagreements about Israel distract us from our destiny as a people, but use this opportunity to find points of commonality and shared purpose. Let us rededicate ourselves to the principles of Jewish life, principles that continue to make Judaism part of a life well lived.

Chag sameach.  May it be a joyous and meaningful Passover.

Sam March
Author: Sam March