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This Passover, we have a small dish of sunflower seeds on the seder plate to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine, and have become a potent symbol of resistance to the recent Russian military invasion. They have been grown in Ukraine since the 18th Century and have been associated with Ukrainian national identity since the early 19th Century. They symbolize unity, life and well-being, and can be seen across the countryside. After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, sunflowers were widely grown in the area to help remove radiation contaminants from the soil. And in 1996, sunflowers were planted in celebration of Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament. 

לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה יִהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם

For next year, 

Let there be peace.


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning