Pesach 5783—A Salve for Living in Dangerous Times P reparing the Azrieli Haggadah companion begins well before Pesach, and as I reviewed the components and began to write this year’s introduction, the media filled with warnings about the impending “National Day of Hate” scheduled for Shabbat, February 25. While, thankfully, the day seems to have passed with no injuries, the murder of our brethren in Israel at the hands of terrorists reminds us that the world continues to provide us with evil. The reality that generations after our Egyptian slavery, or the near escape from Haman in Persia, or the most recent attempt at our destruction during the Holocaust, we are still confronting hatred, antisemitism, and terrorism can be crippling. I believe Passover, and in particular the Haggadah segment on which we focus this year provides a potent antidote. There are many segments of the Haggadah that I find powerful and moving, but when we come to— בכל-דור ודור חיב אדם לראות את-עצמו כאלו הוא יצא ממצרים —In each and every generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt, my eyes invariably tear up. I feel the power of the story of our people from Avraham to Moshe, and I feel the greatness of Hashem’s redemption. But the true antidote to today’s traumas and worries comes as the Haggadah continues: והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא , and you should teach your child that day. Teaching the next generation is an act of unbridled optimism and emunah . Inspiring young minds through the telling of the Pesach story, and the miraculous story of the Jewish people is life-affirming. Our modern world may seem filled with pain and suffering; it may, at times, seem to mirror the struggles experienced in Egypt. But as we continue the Jewish story beyond today; as we educate and inspire the next generation of Jewish living, learning and leading; we celebrate the true blessing of freedom. I feel extremely fortunate to work in a growth industry. At Azrieli, I listen to and work with passionate educators who are themselves growing in Torah and learning, so that they can nurture their students’ growth. I am surrounded by Jewish educational professionals dedicated to continuing our Jewish story and to ensuring that b’chol dor v’dor , in every generation, the glorious redemption of Pesach, the enduring love of Hashem for the Jewish people, and the blessings of freedom, will be celebrated around seder tables and well beyond. With many thanks to the contributors to this edition, and to Sharon and David Rauch for their generous sponsorship, and with wishes for a Chag Pesach Sameach.
Rona Milch Novick, PhD Dean, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration
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AZRIELI GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH EDUCATION • HAGGADAH COMPANION
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