‘Chag Sameach’: Resilience, Redemption And Renewal Resonate As Jews Celebrate Passover And Obama Speaks
The Oasis Reporters
April 23, 2024
Passover is a story about Jews being led to the Promised Land, Israel according to narrations in the scriptures.
One of the narrations here is by Ian Segal @Segalian:
Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the most significant festivals in the Jewish calendar. It commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt, as narrated in the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Torah).
The story begins in Egypt, where Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites. Despite their hardships, the Israelites continue to grow in number, prompting Pharaoh to decree the death of all newborn Hebrew boys. One Hebrew baby, Moses, is saved by his mother and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter.
As an adult, Moses encounters God in the form of a burning bush, where he is commanded to go to Pharaoh and demand the freedom of the Israelites.
Pharaoh refuses Moses’ demand, and in response, God unleashes ten devastating plagues upon Egypt.
The plagues include turning the Nile River to blood, swarms of locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn sons of the Egyptians.
The final plague leads to the institution of Passover: the Israelites are instructed to mark their doorposts with the blood of a slaughtered lamb so that the spirit of the Lord would “pass over” their homes and spare them from the plague.
This event is central to the Passover ritual of the Seder meal, where the story is retold, and symbolic foods are eaten.
After the tenth plague, Pharaoh finally relents and expels the Israelites from Egypt. Led by Moses, they flee, but Pharaoh quickly changes his mind and pursues them. The Israelites find themselves trapped by the Red Sea, but through a miracle, God parts the waters, allowing them to pass through safely.
When the Egyptian army follows, the waters return and drown the soldiers, ensuring the Israelites’ escape.
The journey to the promised Land of Israel is long and fraught with challenges, including 40 years of wandering in the desert. During this time, the Israelites receive the Torah at Mount Sinai, including the Ten Commandments, which becomes the foundation of Jewish law and identity.
Passover is not only a historical commemoration but also a celebration of freedom and deliverance, reminding the Jewish people of their liberation from oppression and their journey to the promised Land of Israel — their undeniable homeland of thousands of years through the present day.
It is a time of reflection on the themes of slavery and freedom, oppression, and redemption, which resonate through Jewish history and in the broader context of human rights and dignity.
President Barack Obama tweets:
Tonight, Jewish families around the world will begin the celebration of Passover with the traditional seder meal. Michelle and I loved the seders we held in the White House, and the story of Passover – with its focus on resilience, redemption, and renewal in the face of persecution and uncertainty. Today it rings even more true.
This Passover, let’s remember everyone who is unable to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones. And in a time when there’s been so much suffering and loss in Israel and Gaza, let’s reaffirm our commitment to the Jewish people, and people of all religions, who deserve to feel safe and secure wherever they live and practice their faith. Chag Sameach.
Greg Abolo
gregabolo@gmail.com
