Jewish families across the globe will settle into their Passover seders at the end of April. The festival is a poignant commemoration of liberation and deliverance from slavery going back to the time when Jews resided in ancient Egypt. Shadows of strife and tension plague this year's Passover. With the ongoing siege of Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages seemingly on hold, Jews in Israel and around the world are reflecting on new and unsettling realities of tragedy and conflict.
Passover's Historical Echoes and Today's Realities
Passover, or Pesach, marks the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The festival celebrates a story of overcoming oppression that resonates deeply within Jewish lore and identity. The seder is the centerpiece of the celebration. It is both a ritual meal and a narrative experience, featuring readings from the Haggadah that recount the struggles and ultimate liberation of the Israelites.
Some Jewish leaders have remarked that this year, the narrative of freedom sits uncomfortably alongside what the Israeli government is doing in Gaza, including bombing civilians, blocking aid, and assassinating doctors and aid workers. Some groups, such as Independent Jewish Voices Canada and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), are calling for the Passover message of liberation from oppression to be extended to Palestinians. JVP, founded in 1996, is a global progressive Jewish movement that opposes the Zionist occupation of Palestine.
A Cloud of Grief and Political Dissent
The grief is palpable among people with direct ties to the ongoing conflict. In Israel, people have gathered to protest both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership and the government's genocidal tactics in Gaza.
A group gathered at Netanyahu's residence to burn a symbolic Passover table. They called for an immediate agreement to bring the more than 130 Israeli hostages home. Many Israelis share similar sentiments with these protestors as Netanyahu is polling at only 15% approval in the country as of early 2024.
In other parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, hundreds of Israeli Jews marched through the streets demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Some protest signs featured the popular slogan, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The Israeli police have not approved many demonstrations like this because this political stance is extremely controversial in Israel. Jews who identify as Zionists and others who support Israel's government policies regularly label anti-Zionist Jewish protestors "anti-semitic" and "not real Jews."
Political Judaism: Zionism and Progressive Movements
Similar to other global religious communities, Judaism is not a monolith when it comes to politics. Zionism and progressive Jewish movements represent two significant aspects of Jewish thought and politics.
Zionism is a nationalist movement that emerged in the late 19th century and is often thought of as a response to centuries of anti-semitic persecution in Europe and Russia. Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, advocated for Jewish people to claim a nation in Palestine to ensure a safe home for Jews well into the future. This political movement led to the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948 following the United Nations partition plan for Palestine and subsequent Arab-Israeli conflict.
Progressive Judaism includes several streams of thought that generally emphasize ethics, social justice, and inclusivity. Movements such as Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism criticize Zionist ideology, particularly concerning human rights and the treatment of Palestinians. Some progressive Jews advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while others may support more radical changes to ensure peace and justice for all people.
This Passover invites those observing and the broader international community to reflect on themes of freedom, oppression, and empathy. Many families will grapple with the present realities of conflict, grief, and the moral challenge of the siege on Gaza.
