We read at the start of Exodus that the oppression and enslavement of the Israelites in the land of ancient Egypt stemmed from Pharaoh's fear that they would overwhelm the Egyptian nation. Our community is all too familiar with a telling of the Passover story that inaccurately compares ancient Egyptians to the modern day Middle East. We regularly hear the narrative that in order to be free, our ancestors needed to flee Arab lands, Arab culture, and Arab rule. In this telling of the story, Arab Muslim people are, and always have been, the perpetual enemy of the Jewish people. 

To vision, to strength, to sweetness along the way. Our ancestors, the mixed multitude of Israelites and others who fled Egypt, tore down walls, refused deathly bans, and protected each other along the way. May their legacy be our strength as we in our time block the building of walls, resist Islamophobic bans, support and protect refugees and immigrants, and resist police violence and broken windows policing. May this cup ignite our dreams, fuel our courage, grant us strength for the fight ahead. 


haggadah Section: Bareich