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Spring is officially here as evidenced by the appearance of the first flowers breaking through the ground and buds on trees. Passover, celebrated from the evening of April 12 until April 20, is one of the three Jewish festivals (Shavuot and Sukkot are the others).\u00a0 These festivals each had an agricultural element and were observed by pilgrimage to the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.\u00a0 While one of Passover\u2019s names is Hag Ha-Aviv (the Festival of Spring), it is better known and observed as the festival commemorating the Exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage (described in the Biblical Book of Exodus).\u00a0 The Torah sets up Passover (from the first one observed while leaving Egypt) as an unusual inter-generational conversation of meaning-making.\u00a0 This process continues today:\u00a0 the book used to guide this process is itself called Haggadah, the (Re)Telling.\u00a0 One of the ways it guides us to do so is through the Four Children which is based on four different times in the Torah that describe children asking questions and\/or receiving instruction about the Exodus. As former British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sachs (of blessed memory) teaches:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rather than seeing these as just four examples of asking the same question, the Rabbis noticed four distinctive personalities from the different ways the verses are phrased \u2013 and this inspired the idea for four kinds of children.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The four children are a vignette of the Jewish people. One asks because he wants to hear the answer. A second asks because he does not want to hear the answer. A third asks because he does not understand. The fourth does not ask because he doesn\u2019t understand that he doesn\u2019t understan<\/em><\/span>d. Ours has never been a monolithic people.<\/em>*<\/p>\n This is one way that the Haggadah acknowledges the importance of Jews coming together even when they have serious differences of thought and observance.\u00a0 The Haggadah text encourages us to personalize and contextualize the process of finding meaning in the Exodus: \u201cIn every generation one is obligated to see oneself as one who personally went out of Egypt\u2026 Not only were our ancestors redeemed by the Holy One, but even we were redeemed with them.\u201d This text highlights that the meaning making of Passover is ongoing, comprised of individuals who together create a collective.<\/span><\/p>\n For over a year, I have been learning the Babylonian Talmud tractate <\/span>Pesachim<\/span><\/i> which explores the holiday\u2019s laws in depth.\u00a0 Over and over, it emphasizes that Passover is universal and finds creative ways to include as many people in its observance who would not be able to participate in other Temple rituals.<\/span><\/p>\n So, please take this as an opportunity to join us in Seders on campus. See flyers in this newsletter for more opportunities. One of the first texts opens the Seder to everyone, exclaiming: \u201cAll who are hungry, come and eat.\u201d Hunger can be for the process of opening ourselves and not just for food. \u2018All\u2019 includes those of any faith and whatever your thoughts are about Judaism, Israel\/Palestine, or any other political or social issue.<\/span><\/p>\n Like last year, we are trying hard to make Passover welcoming to all.\u00a0 Please join us with a desire to learn from each other as we share the experience of renewal and liberation.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo depicts participants at a <\/span>1976 Women\u2019s Seder<\/span><\/a> (including Letty Cotton Pogrebin, a founder of Ms. Magazine, second from right, and at far right, <\/span>Martha Ackelsberg<\/span><\/a>, PhD, Smith<\/span><\/em>\u00a0Professor Emerita of Government and of the Study of Women & Gender).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If you have not done so, sign up <\/span>here<\/span><\/a> for meals and First Night Seder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Happy Passover!\u00a0 Happy spring!<\/span><\/p>\n *It is only in the last thirtyish years that any printed text called the Four Children anything but Sons.\u00a0 Rabbi Sachs is inclusive in his use of \u2018Children\u2019 but then uses only masculine pronouns.\u00a0 This may be unconscious bias on his part or just reflects Hebrew\u2019s use of masculine for indefinite pronouns.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This article was written by Rabbi Bruce Bromberg Seltzer, Smith’s Jewish Student Advisor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Spring is officially here as evidenced by the appearance of the first flowers breaking through the ground and buds on trees. Passover, celebrated from the evening of April 12 until April 20, is one of the three Jewish festivals (Shavuot … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/religious-spiritual-life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/126\/2025\/04\/Passover-Discussion-300x185.jpg\")
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