A Year Later … What Have We Learned?
Last year at this time we were forced to close our temple doors due to the pandemic. But Passover was celebrated nonetheless! Our first virtual seder kept us together. And from there, we have been together virtually ever since – to arrive now, at our second Passover in COVID-time.
What a year it has been. Who would ever have thought we would and we could live through such a time? During all that time, what have we learned? We learned that we – congregants, clergy, and staff – are resilient. Together, we veered, we swiveled, we pivoted. We made community possible. Together, we were resilient.
The story of Passover is about the search for freedom and faith made possible because of the strength and resilience of the Jewish people. The Hagaddah tells us over and over how we have the power to triumph over adversity.
Though much may feel uncertain at this moment, we are an unbelievably resilient people, having survived plague and persecution through the millennia. So, with absolute certitude, we will get through this pandemic and free ourselves from this, our metaphorical Egypt.
Lastly, let’s not forget about the charoses sandwich we make with matzoh. Sure, we are told that it represents the mud and straw with which the Israelite slaves made bricks. Might it, at this time, symbolize for us the bricks of our magnificent temple building? Our own cherished congregational home that awaits our return and where, full of hope and optimism, we will all be back together soon enough? Dayenu!
Yvette Perry, ed.
