Reflection on Freedom
Next week, Jews from all over the world will sit around the table for dinner and celebrate Passover, remembering the story of the exodus from Egypt and our becoming a free nation. In Israel Passover is also known as the holiday of spring as it brings with it revival and renewal- of the new season and nature blossoming. Our holiday of freedom also marks the renewal of our spirit; the Jewish people were liberated from slavery in Egypt and embarked on the journey to freedom and peoplehood, a journey that reached its peak with the establishment of the free Jewish State, the State of Israel in 1948.
Next week, Jews from all over the world will sit around the table for dinner and celebrate Passover, remembering the story of the exodus from Egypt and our becoming a free nation. In Israel Passover is also known as the holiday of spring as it brings with it revival and renewal- of the new season and nature blossoming. Our holiday of freedom also marks the renewal of our spirit; the Jewish people were liberated from slavery in Egypt and embarked on the journey to freedom and peoplehood, a journey that reached its peak with the establishment of the free Jewish State, the State of Israel in 1948.
We cherish these values that helped create us as a nation:
values of freedom, liberty, the right to live your life freely, the right to
pursue happiness and personal goals. These values are core values in our
existence as a free nation and on the night of the Seder, when we commemorate
the exodus it serves as a reminder for that. It’s a reminder that we shouldn’t
take for granted those liberties that were given to us.
Therefore, while we celebrate our freedom, we shouldn’t
forget the dark places in the world where freedom isn’t as widespread: in Gaza,
the concept of religious freedom is not an existing one: Hamas is persecuting Christians
in Gaza and violates the core principles of freedom we all cherish and believe
in. Hamas continually targets innocent men and women, Israelis and Palestinians
in illegal warfare. It’s no coincidence that Amnesty International
accused Hamas of war crimes in its report this week. Hamas, supported by
Iran, partnering with Hezbollah, stands in contrast to the values we all
believe in, the values that keep us united: Americans and Israelis and the
citizens of the world.
Next week when we celebrate Passover and our freedom, we
will celebrate many other freedoms of different groups and we will remember as
well the tyrants groups and countries such as Hamas and Iran that fight against
these values. By standing strong, we will prevail. Freedom and the human spirit
will prevail. That’s what the story of the exodus teaches us.
Shabbat Shalom,
Elad Strohmayer
Deputy Consul General Of Israel,
Mid-Atlantic Region
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