Passover is one of the most important Jewish holidays, emphasizing themes of freedom, faith, and resilience. It is one of the three main festivals in Judaism, and the first in the year. 

Passover celebrates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt over 3,000 years ago, as told in the Book of Exodus. It marks their escape after God sent ten plagues, with the final plague "passing over" the homes of the Israelites.

The holiday lasts for seven or eight days (depending on tradition) and includes special rituals like the Seder meal, eating matzah (unleavened bread), and retelling the story of the Exodus. Throughout the holiday, leavened bread is avoided to remember the haste with which the Israelites fled Egypt, not having time for their bread to rise.

One key tradition is cleaning the house thoroughly to remove any traces of chametz—foods that have leavened or risen, such as bread, which are forbidden during Passover. The reason for this is that when the Israelites fled Egypt, they didn’t have time to let their bread rise, so they baked unleavened bread instead. As a result, Jewish people refrain from eating leavened products during the holiday as a reminder of that hurried departure.

At the beginning of Passover in the evening, family and friends will get together for a meal and a special service called a Seder. During the Seder, we read the Haggadah, retelling the story of the Exodus through prayers and symbolic foods. The meal is filled with discussion, reflection, and singing traditional songs.

For me, Jewish holidays are a time to focus on spending quality time with family and friends, as well as appreciating the rich traditions and history of the Jewish people. During Passover specifically I like to reflect on what freedom means to me given our history of being freed from the bondages of slavery. 

More specifically, I choose at this time of year to reflect on the sisterhood of women all over the world, particularly those who do not enjoy the same freedoms that I do. For me, freedom is the ability to speak my mind and to dissent (which I often do), as well as being empowered to decide how I live my life and the very personal decisions I make concerning my body. While I am fortunate to live where I do, not all people have the same freedoms. This is a time when I reflect on that and think of those who are in different situations than mine.

Freedom to live and feel safe in our communities is a topic that is top of mind this year as there is a growing need to emphasize the importance of religious tolerance and diversity especially as we see the rise of antisemitism.

I am proud to be a part of this community and my small ask, in the spirit of Passover, is that you do your part in standing up against antisemitism and religious intolerance in all of its forms. I know many of you reading this already do and I want you to know that it is appreciated! 

Our culture of inclusion at Wise is laudable, and a cornerstone of what makes Wise such a wonderful place to come together and achieve great things.