We cannot talk about Passover, a holiday celebrating Jewish liberation, without talking about the extreme violence and dispossession carried out against Palestinians at this very time in the name of the Jewish people.
I’ve translated below the words of Simon Assoun, who organizes with me as part of Tsedek!, a collective of decolonial Jews in France. Simon’s words exactly convey my feelings at this time.
As the #MIT Scientists Against Genocide Encampment enters its third night, MIT Jews for Ceasefire are holding a #Passover Seder. We are so proud to support these Jewish students and allies, embodying their values in the face of extreme censorship.
As Jews around the world begin to celebrate the festival of #Passover tonight, they’ll open up thousands of different editions of the Haggadah, the guide to the ritual feast.
The curator of a Judaica library looked through their collection of hundreds of Haggadahs to highlight three of his favorites – including this groundbreaking edition published in Amsterdam in 1695.
"Four states originally had #primaries scheduled for April 23, the first full day of #Passover. But Delaware, Rhode Island and Maryland all moved their elections to different dates.
This Moroccan Passover Apricot Cake Is Lighter Than Air
With flavors of almond, orange blossom and citrus.
By Joanna Nissim | March 31, 2024
“Pellebe” is a Judeo-Arabic word used by the Jews of Morocco, who mainly hail from Spain. As well as for Passover, this popular cake is often made for birthdays and other celebrations throughout the year. It is often layered up with the orange marmalade called ma’azumor and sometimes also topped with meringue, making it extra decadent! Some start or finish the Yom Kippur fast with a slice of the cake and a coffee that has sweet egg cream added — and any leftovers are, of course, served as a breakfast cake, I see no better way to start the day!"
Passover potsherd from Elephantine, Egypt.
This letter was written in Aramaic on a potsherd (ostraca) c. 2,475 years ago at the settlement of Elephantine, Egypt, home to a Jewish community.
It contains one of the earliest known references to the Jewish festival of Passover.
#Passover commemorates the escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, led by Moses through the wilderness back to the land of Canaan.
This reflects my intention for the upcoming season of #Pesach, to yearn for peace and liberation for all of the peoples who live in #Palestine / #EretzIsrael
Tonight is the 1st night of #Passover. We dip parsley (Karpas) in salt water to recognize the spring time. Salt water symbolizes the tears and sweat of enslavement. As we hold Seders, remember the farm workers who are out in the fields harvesting the food we’re eating. #WeFeedYou
April 22 is the night of the first Seder. The day before, April 22, is Earth Day. We are making available two possible Sedarim — one from a couple of years ago called Earth & Justice Freedom-Seder, wonderfully designed by Rabbi Nate DeGroot, an exciting text mostly by me, and a gorgeous cover illustration by Israeli artist Avi Katz.
“HAPPENING NOW: #Police are arresting hundreds of American Jews with [Jewish Voice for Peace and other Jewish advocacy groups] as they hold an emergency #Passover seder at [Senator Schumer’s] doorstep demanding the US stop arming and funding the Israeli government as it carries out a #genocide.” #protest#FreePalestine#NYC#Democrats#Israel
Day 200. Parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was taken captive by Hamas on 7 Oct, speak with a Times of Israel journalist about Pesach. This interview was recorded about a week ago.
"Hundreds of protesters were arrested in Brooklyn on Tuesday when Jewish New Yorkers and allies gathered for what they called a 'Seder in the Streets to Stop Arming Israel' on the second night of Passover."
"The demonstration, held one block away from the home of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, came just hours before the Senate overwhelmingly approved a $95 billion foreign aid package that includes about $17 billion in arms and security funding to Israel."
What I want to say to you this evening at this revolutionary and historic Seder in the Streets is that too many of our people are worshiping a false idol once again. They are enraptured by it. They are drunk on it. They are profaned by it. And that false idol is called Zionism."