April, 2023
Dear Coalition Community,
April – with the real start of Spring in New England – is also the time of Passover. This is not
just a spring holiday. It celebrates our birth as a nation and invites us to retell our story of
redemption from slavery in Egypt.
Jewish tradition says makes it clear that God’s intervention does not mean that the
Israelites were more deserving of freedom, or better than the other peoples of the world.
Instead, it is a reminder for us of our obligation to be a messenger of God’s presence in the
world. In the contemporary world, that obligation continues both within the Jewish
community in the United States and now in Israel.
This year, that need to reflect God’s presence in the world is more important than ever. We
are living in a world that is divided, and where the hate and Antisemitism that has been
bubbling under the surface of society has become more public and more widely accepted.
It is frustrating, hurtful, and scary. In particular, the world since October 7th has pushed
forward Antisemitic messages that are showing up in schools, on college campuses, and in
our communities in ways that a year ago would have been unthinkable.
The ADL in Connecticut recently released their data of Antisemitic incidents within the state
and noted a 17% increase from the previous year, which already was the highest on record.
That is a growth of more than 115% since 2021. Included in that is a 30% increase in
Antisemitic propaganda, largely buoyed by the Patriot Front and online messages regarding
the War in Israel and Palestine.
Why do I share this information at this time? Because Passover is about freedom, and
about not backing away from the call to action. With freedom comes an obligation to work
to ensure that no person experiences the kind of hatred, violence, and oppression that is
described in the pages of the Haggadah. We, as a Jewish community, have an obligation to
stand up and say confidently that hate has no place in our community – regardless of
where it comes from. And, even if we will not entirely rid the world of hatred, the seders
call us back into the story of our oppression so we can gain inspiration to continue the hard
fight toward justice.
May the holiday season inspire us to action, and may we gather around the seder table
together to celebrate not just our freedom from Egypt, but our freedom from hatred. And,
may we be inspired to serve as messengers of God’s presence in the world, and to bring
justice where there is oppression.
I wish you a sweet and joyful Pesach holiday!
Kol Tuv,
