03/27/2026
From Exodus to Today: A Passover Reflection
On Passover, we retell the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt to find freedom. It is a foundational narrative of the Jewish people as it anchors our identity, clarifies our values, strengthens our resilience, and demands the responsibility that comes from this knowledge. This story also serves as an important reminder that we are interconnected as a people – that there are moments in our history that transcend time, where we are all present.
Throughout modern history, we have witnessed events that parallel leaving Egypt: Holocaust Survivors enduring the unthinkable; Soviet refuseniks finally freed; Ethiopian Jews making their way to Israel through Sudan; and, most recently, the heroism of the former hostages in Gaza. Each adds another chapter to the history of the Jewish people.
Our story has carried additional heaviness of late. When we sit down for seder this year, we do so with a weight of war and hate once again on our shoulders. As we retell the story of the Exodus, we pray for the safety of the people of Israel and for innocent people everywhere. And we pray for a day when children of all backgrounds regardless of where they live – Cleveland, Detroit, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Sydney – are safe and free from fear.
This year’s seder will also feel different because we understand we can no longer take our security and freedom for granted. When we sing the “Dayenu” song, perhaps we should add some aspirational examples to it.
For example, it would be enough if:
… there were no more excuses for hate, and no more rationalizing it. (Dayenu)
… we truly listened to each other and tried to understand where our differences come from. (Dayenu)
… children around the world were safe. (Dayenu)
… we wore our identities only with pride and never with fear. (Dayenu)
… we continued to care for one another. (Dayenu)
… we stayed together as a community. (Dayenu)
… we embraced our neighbors and we were embraced in return. (Dayenu)
… we were always safe in the Land of Israel. (Dayenu)
… we achieved enduring peace and safety for all people in the Middle East. (Dayenu)
Thank you for all that you do to make our special community what it is today and what it can be tomorrow.
Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and safe Passover; Chag Pesach Sameach. Next year in Jerusalem and Cleveland; L’shana haba’ah b’Yerushalayim.
Jeffrey J. Wild, board chair
Erika B. Rudin-Luria, president
