Recently in Los Angeles, first responders, still bearing the soot of January’s devastating wildfires, sat for a lengthy gathering alongside rabbis, community leaders, and people of diverse faiths. They weren’t there for a typical meal, but for an interfaith Passover Seder, a powerful symbol of unity in the face of shared trauma.
With Passover underway, Jewish communities across the United States have opened their Seder tables to address the urgent need for connection in a time of rising division.
More than a dozen Jewish Federations across the US are actively combating the historic surge in antisemitism by extending a hand of friendship at the Seder table.
This year, as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has reported an unprecedented high of over 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the United States between October 7, 2023, and September 24, 2024, Jewish communities are choosing to respond with open hearts and open doors.
In cities, such as Houston, Phoenix, Raleigh, and Indianapolis, elected officials, educators, and community members of various faiths are joining these Seders, demonstrating solidarity and fostering understanding.
One of the central rituals of the Passover Seder is the telling of the story of the Four Children (traditionally, the Four Sons).
These children represent a wide spectrum of engagement with tradition: the wise, the rebellious, the simple, and the uninformed. Each requires a tailored response, emphasizing that we must meet different individuals where they are according to their level of understanding and engagement, ensuring that everyone feels included in the story of our people.
“Passover emphasizes hospitality, hope, and freedom,” said Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Jewish Federations’ associate vice president of Interfaith and Intergroup Initiatives. “We understand that now more than ever, Jewish communities across North America must open their doors to forge stronger friendships.”
Reaffirmation of values
In Houston, nearly 200 people, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims, sat shoulder-to-shoulder with civic leaders and elected officials at one of the city’s largest synagogues.
Similar scenes are unfolding in Dallas, Ann Arbor, Nashville, New York, Phoenix, Milwaukee, and in the Greater MetroWest area, as well as Indianapolis, among others across the country.
In these turbulent times, when the very notion of a shared narrative feels increasingly fragile, the Seder becomes a vital act of communal resilience. It is not simply a recounting of historical events, but a reaffirmation of the enduring values that bind us together: justice, compassion, and the pursuit of a world where all are free from oppression.
Just as the Israelites gathered to tell their story, we too must gather, not to erase our differences, but to find strength in our shared humanity. The act of breaking bread (or matzah), of sharing stories, of engaging in dialogue, becomes a sacred act of building bridges and fostering understanding in a fractured world.
The massive political tensions roiling our society are driving a wedge even between those who share the same party and the same basic ideological outlook.
As the fabric of our society continues to come under strain, antisemitism and other forms of hate rear their ugly heads and are likely to be exacerbated.
The tale of the Four Children should be our paradigm for collective empowerment – a revolution against all those who seek to oppress us with their malicious insistence that there is only one way to be an American and that everyone else isn’t “kosher.”
Like the Four Children, we come from vastly different attitudes and perspectives. But these ways of seeing the world are not necessarily incompatible; in fact, we can draw strength from our differences as long as our heads, hands, and feet are all working for justice.
Passover, with its emphasis on remembering the past and envisioning a future of freedom, serves as a poignant reminder of the power of collective memory and shared purpose.
A cautionary tale of disunity
The story of the Four Children is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of disunity within our own community.
We forget at our own peril that not everyone is on board with our way of doing things, that not everyone views the world as we do, and that we have much work to do to educate those who do not even know yet what we’re fighting for.
Now, more than ever, we need to engage with one another with compassion and understanding, recognizing that the battle we face is not just external but also about building solidarity within our ranks.
Furthermore, the act of questioning, embodied by the Four Children, should be embraced as a cornerstone of our communal discourse. It is through rigorous inquiry, challenging assumptions, and listening to diverse perspectives that we can forge a path towards a more just and equitable society.
Passover reminds us that our tradition is not static, but a living, evolving dialogue with the past, present, and future.
It is a call to engage with the complexities of our world, to confront injustice, and to work tirelessly towards a future where the promise of liberation is realized for all. Let this spring be a rebirth of connection and community among those of different faiths, backgrounds, and political beliefs.
Let the Seder serve as a catalyst for action, a reminder that we are not merely passive observers of history, but active participants in shaping its course.
May our gatherings fuel a renewed dedication to actively dismantling oppression and amplifying the voices of justice.
The writer is vice president for community relations at the Jewish Federations of North America.