The current immigration struggles in our country provide us with an opportunity to relate the Passover story to lives we may more clearly envision. Living in our midst are immigrants who live in fear of the threat of forced deportation. The rush with which families are suddenly separated, taken into custody, and deported, brings to mind the rushed exit out of Egypt.

On March 7, 2018, the U.S. Attorney General attacked Oakland, California Mayor Elizabeth Beckman "Libby" Schaaf. Mayor Schaaf worked to honor the Oakland Sanctuary City status by issuing a carefully-worded warning to the immigrants of her city about upcoming scheduled ICE raids. The Jewish mayor was reprimanded with “How dare you?”.

Mayor Schaaf responded in a speech that included the following:

“How dare you distract the American people from a failed immigration system that tears apart decent families and forces the workers that our economy depends on to harvest our crops, deliver our services, and build our cities to live in fear and work under oppressed conditions. How dare you distort the reality about declining violent crime rates in a diverse, sanctuary city like Oakland to advance a racist agenda.”

Mayor Schaaf was threatened with legal action by the federal government and with violence by individuals throughout our country, yet she has persisted.

“I am concerned with these threats but I have to continue to do my job,” she said.

Nobody elected me to be fearful.”


haggadah Section: -- Cup #2 & Dayenu
Source: Debbie Frank, CNN