Why Passover is so Important + My Seder Table Scape
Passover has always been the most important holiday to my family. From the time I can remember, my Mom always reminded us that Passover was her favorite and the most significant holiday. Growing up, she explains to us, freedom was always celebrated in her home. Her Father was the only one of his family to survive the Holocaust and after a long journey, made it to America where he lived for many years as in illegal immigrant. Freedom was never taken for granted. She was always taught in her home that there was a price for freedom beyond just gratitude that we our obligations as Jews is to always stand up for others and help in the fight for their freedom. Growing up my Mom instilled those same values in us.
Passover is the celebration of the Jews being freed from slavery in Egypt. Re-telling the story of Passover every year is so important because it’s not only that story of our ancestors bring oppressed and treated inhumanely from so many years ago , but, it’s also the personal story of each of our families. It’s the story of my Grandfather surviving the Holocaust and it’s the story of so many people around the world still fighting for their freedom today. The re-telling of the story of Passover is a mandate and reminder that each of us is responsible for standing in solidarity with all marginalized people.
Passover is special because it links us all. Every jewish home around the world is re-telling the same story on the same night. It’s a reminder of our history and it's an opportunity to teach the younger generation from a very young age how important it is to stand up for the rights of others so that we can all hopefully one day enjoy the same freedom.
I’m so grateful to be able to spend Passover with my parents and brother this year. Being together and setting a beautiful table for Passover is extremely important to us because the holiday and the food we eat for it is so significantly symbolic. Each year, I so look forward to sitting down at our beautifully set table to re-tell the story of Passover and celebrate our freedom. Here is the table I set for our second night seder back home. Everything I used is from West Elm and is linked below.
Happy Passover, friends. May we all continue to fight for the rights of all peoples today and everyday.
xx Ali
